Dear BVA-International members,
It’s no secret that BVA-International sometimes collects money during the BVA Masters (www.BVAMasters.com) and donates it to charities. For example, in the past we supported the research project in Malawi into Agapornis lilianae and ‘Kom Op Tegen Kanker’ (Fight against cancer), an organization that supports cancer research.
This year we are coming up with a new initiative:
From day one of BVA-International’s existence, we have considered the scientific basis of our hobby as one of our priorities. We have therefore been relying on the research results of Ornitho-Genetics VZW for years. With this, BVA-International clearly profiles itself from other associations.
For those who are not familiar with Ornitho-Genetics VZW, this is an independent NON-PROFIT organisation research centre, led by Dirk Van den Abeele. The results of these studies are exclusively published in Agapornis.Info , the members’ magazine of BVA-International.
An overview of the research that has already been carried out, and is on-going and can be found here: https://www.ogvzw.org/research/. You will notice, everyone within the hobby, benefits from this research, however these studies are expensive. Ornitho-Genetics VZW has been self-supporting for years, by utilising ALL proceeds from articles, books, webinars, and courses to pay for these studies. These funds are no longer sufficient to fund all research planned in the future, which could have devastating results for us all.
That is why BVA-International has decided to support Ornitho-Genetics VZW this year by organizing a separate sales class during the BVA Masters. On Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th of September, in Aalst, birds will be sold for the benefit of Ornitho-Genetics VZW.
All enthusiasts can contribute to this, either by buying a bird, or even better, by donating a bird for this sales class. During Check-in birds on Wednesday September 6th from 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM you may indicate that you want to donate a bird to this project. You place a price on it and the cage receives a separate sticker stating that this bird will be sold for the benefit of Ornitho-Genetics VZW. If sold, the amount will go entirely to Ornitho-Genetics VZW. That money is transferred by BVA-International, after the Masters, to the charity account of Ornitho-Genetics VZW and is therefore officially registered as a donation. If not sold, the bird goes back to the breeder.
If you are not participating in the Masters and you want to donate a bird, you can simply hand it to the sales class on Wednesday or Thursday. It is best to send us an email in advance to pc1@bvamasters.com , to register the bird.
Together we can continue to build a sustainable future of our hobby and now more than ever, the scientific basis of our hobby is a priority. We all realize this, based on these valuable studies.
Thanks for your support,
Dominique Veeckmans
Chairman BVA-International