A local community leader was recently selected to participate in the World Trails Conference (WTC) taking place in Skiathos, Greece, later this year.
This is according to Etienne Basson, co-founder & director of Idas Valley Community Trails.
Etienne Basson is a co-founder of Idas Valley Community Trails, along with Eon Hendrickse and Sylvin Thomas, said Basson. The World Policy Forum included him in their Top 50 Young Global Changers 2022 list. The National Youth Development Agency named him a trailblazer in their 2022 Trailblazers Campaign. The World Economic Forum (WEF) also awarded Idas Valley Community Trails the Top Innovators 2022 award as part of WEF’s UpLink’s BiodiverCities Challenge, according to Basson. PHOTO: Joel Ontong
The World Trails Conference
The conference features trail professionals, academics and enthusiasts who “ensure [that] the benefits trails offer society continue to be sustainable and supported around the world”, according to the World Trails Network (WTN) website.
WTN officially announced Basson as a World Trails Ambassador on 3 August, he told MatieMedia.
All selected ambassadors will attend the WTC from 24 September to 1 October, according to Julie Judkins, co-chair of the WTN Knowledge Task Team, via email correspondence with MatieMedia.
“The World Trails Network is a global non-profit association committed to the sustainability and enjoyment of the world’s trails for all people, through a powerfully engaged international network of organisations and individuals,” said Julie Judkins, co-chair of the World Trails Network Knowledge Task Team, via email correspondence with MatieMedia. PHOTO: Joel Ontong
“To be one of 12 [ambassadors] from around the world – it’s a great honour,” said Basson. “It feels like a reward and testament to the work that I’ve been doing for the past nine years.”
His work included building trails, developing trail products and doing outreach and education programs, he said.
Etienne Basson is the founder of Envirolove, he said. The organisation works with children in Lavender Hill and provides “outdoor recreational educational experiences, […] giving kids from violent communities a space to be kids again”, said Basson. PHOTO: Joel Ontong
The selection process
The World Trails Ambassadors programme is for emerging leaders, aged between 20 to 35, supported by the World Trails Network, said Judkins.
Applications were vetted to ensure “global representation and [a] committed team of ambassadors”, she explained. “Ambassadors are selected through a competitive application process.”
Applicants had to write a 300-word motivation as to why they wanted to be selected as ambassadors, said Basson.
“Ambassadors receive training and mentoring on key trail issues [and] represent their community and country as a delegate to a global network of trail leaders,” stated Judkins.
Idas Valley Community Trails was founded in 2020 by Etienne Basson (pictured above), Eon Hendrickse and Sylvin Thomas. The founders have known each other for a long time and are from the same community, said Basson. They initially started volunteering in the community and picked up waste, stated Basson. PHOTO: Joel Ontong
Global exposure
The selection will benefit Basson’s work by giving it “global exposure”, he said.
Idas Valley Community Trails is a non-governmental organisation, so they depend on funding and donations to support their work, stated Basson.
The ambassador selection will therefore help Basson with spreading awareness, getting funding and getting the support of the broader public, he added.
“Etienne knows he will not only represent our organisation but he will speak on behalf of the community of Idas Valley, Stellenbosch,” said Eon Hendrickse, co-founder of Idas Valley Community Trails.
“Etienne is an ecological specialist and we are privileged to have him on our team at Idas Valley Community Trials,” said Hendrickse.
“He is a role model to many of the youngsters, including myself, so we are all very happy and excited.”
Etienne Basson, a local community leader, was recently announced as a World Trails Ambassador. The award will give his different projects “global exposure”, he said. “I would like to develop [my different NGOs] and make it, firstly, financially sustainable so that we can keep on creating opportunities for [the] youth,” said Basson. AUDIO: Joel Ontong