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In the shadow of the Chimborazo Volcano:
South American
Camelid Congress
in Riobamba, Ecuador
By Guillo Vila Melo
F
rom 17-21 November 2009, all eyes were
on the beautiful mountain village of
Riobamba, Ecuador, as some 550 delegates and
over 5,000 visitors, some from 12 countries
around the world, met for the Fifth Triennial
International Camelid Congress (V Congreso
Mundial Sobre Camélidos). This year’s event was
one of the most successful and well-attended
events in the Congress’s 15-year history.
Convened at the base of the spectacular
Chimborazo Volcano, this Congress mirrored
the format of the Third Congress, held in
Potosí, Bolivia in 2003, and Fourth Congress
(held in Santa Maria, Argentina in 2006. (See
the AUT07 issue of
Alpacas Magazine
for detailed
coverage of the Argentine gathering). Primary
Congress themes are: camelid husbandry and
production; scientific and healthcare discoveries;
52
Alpacas
Magazine
Right, Messrs. Carlos
Gutierrez and
Guillermo Vila Melo,
from the International
Fund for Agricultural
Development, welcom-
ing the Congress
delegates.
Far right, Dr. Roberto
Haudry from FIDA
speaking about the
importance of
this kind of event.
Photos at left © 2010 Hugo Lamas;
above © 2010 Guillo Vila Melo