Dear Colleagues,

We are honored and delighted to welcome all of you to the 78th WAZA Annual Conference in San Diego, California. We've waited for this moment for over two years, and now we finally get the opportunity to host all of you.

The alliances and communities within WAZA help propel wildlife care, advanced new habitats to support understanding and conservation of some of the rarest species on earth, environmental education, emerging innovations in science, and global conservation to new heights. We look forward to bringing representatives from over 400 member institutions together to share our expertise with one another and to create meaningful connections that span the globe.

San Diego is the perfect place to welcome the 2023 Annual Conference back to North America. We are home to the richest and most biodiverse county in the continental United States and are constantly inspired by this dynamic ecosystem to reach for our fullest potential. The city's vibrant character is influenced by its deep artistic and cultural roots, creating a unique and welcoming environment for all.

For 106 years, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has connected people with authentic stories in nature, inviting them to join us as allies for wildlife. During your visit to sunny San Diego, we encourage each of you to join us at our two "front-doors" to conservation, the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Our two world-class parks are the starting point for our global reach, expanding our understanding of wildlife care and conservation science worldwide.

Conservation starts with people. By sparking a passion for nature and wildlife, collectively we reach hundreds of millions around the world with messages of hope and a vision for a brighter future.

We look forward to hosting you in San Diego and strengthening the alliances that foster innovation and collaborative conservation worldwide.

Together for wildlife,

Paul A. Baribault
President and Chief Executive Officer
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

On behalf of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and its global network of progressive zoos, aquariums, regional and national associations and partners, I would like to welcome you to the 78th WAZA Annual Conference in San Diego.

This is the second time that a WAZA conference will take place in San Diego, the first one was back in 1962. Back then it was visionary to imagine the significant role our community would have in playing saving some of the world's most iconic as well as lesser-known species.

Our friends at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance have been doing a fantastic job in organising a thought-provoking and impactful conference.

With conservation at the heart of everything that the institution does, it integrates wildlife health and care, science, and education to develop sustainable conservation solutions.

We invite you once again to share your knowledge and continue working to make our unique global community more impactful and meaningful. We look forward to welcoming you to the beautiful city of San Diego!

Together for wildlife,

Dr Clément Lanthier
WAZA President