2022 Edinburgh Medal awarded to Ugandan pioneer

Each year the Edinburgh Medal - instituted by the City of Edinburgh Council in 1988 - is presented at the Edinburgh Science Festival to men and women of science and technology whose professional achievements are judged to have made a significant contribution to the understanding and well-being of humanity.

The 2022 Edinburgh Medal has been awarded to Ugandan veterinarian Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, pioneer in community-led wildlife conservation, subject of the BBC documentary Gladys the African Vet, and Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Conservation Through Public Health..

Her work improved the quality of life of people and wildlife to enable them to coexist in and around protected areas in Africa; she is a pioneer in community-led 'One Health' approaches to conservation exploring and supporting the delicate interplay between humans and wildlife.

You can watch Dr Kalema-Zikusoka's Address below, introduced by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh and with the Oration given by Francesca Osowska, Chief Executive of NatureScot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31CoQ2UPJdM 

In receiving the award Dr Kalema-Zikusoka said:

It is a great honour to be selected to receive this prestigious award. I am truly humbled to learn about previous recipients of the Edinburgh Medal who have inspired me and many others to have careers in conservation including Dr Jane Goodall, Prof Wangari Maathai and Sir David Attenborough. Thank you very much for recognizing the work that we do at Conservation Through Public Health and Gorilla Conservation Coffee to conserve the endangered mountain gorillas and support the health and livelihoods of neighbouring communities through One Health approaches; and shining a light on the urgent need to address wildlife and human health together to ensure a brighter future for our planet.

The Edinburgh Science Festival runs from 9 to 24 April 2022 and full details can be found HERE.