<div dir="ltr"><b><font size="4">Promoting wildlife protection on International Biodiversity Day</font></b><br>Unsustainable consumption of endangered species is the focus this year.<br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr">
<p><b style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU">Hanoi, May 22, 2014 –</span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="text-align:justify">The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) hosted a
special ceremony to celebrate International Biodiversity Day today, in
recognition of the value of biodiversity for all people in Vietnam. The
ceremony marked the culmination of a series of awareness events and activities
held this week to celebrate the day.</span></p><blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px"><blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px"><blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px">
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<blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px"><p><span lang="EN-AU" style="text-align:justify"><img src="cid:ii_hvhvf4zf0_146234c9188a7e6d" width="455.0138874053955" height="292.8263201173395"></span></p>
</blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><span lang="EN-AU" style="text-align:justify"></span><i style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU">“Unsustainable consumption of endangered wildlife
species is one of the most critical issues facing biodiversity in Vietnam
today, and that is why it is the focus of this year’s International
Biodiversity Day celebrations”</span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="text-align:justify"> says Associate
Professor Dr. Bui Cach Tuyen, Vice-Minister of MONRE. <i>“Raising public awareness of the importance of wildlife protection for
all of society is a very important part of government efforts to address this
issue. We hope this event today will help enable the public to recognize their
responsibilities in protecting wildlife and our unique and precious
biodiversity.”</i></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU">The ceremony and awareness activities for International Biodiversity
Day were carried out under the scope of </span>the project "Wildlife Consumption in Vietnam: Reforming Policies
and Practices to Strengthen Biodiversity Conservation" (WLC Project),
funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) via the World Bank.<span lang="EN-AU"></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU">Around 400 guests attended today’s event in Hanoi, including
representatives from Central Youth Union, relevant government agencies and
institutions, embassies, NGO, experts, clubs, students and media agencies. The
ceremony</span><span lang="EN-AU"> </span><span lang="EN-AU">also featured the presentation of prizes to 17 winners of the “Youth
for Wildlife Protection” competition.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU">The competition was a joint initiative of the Vietnam Environment
Administration under MONRE and the Central Youth Union, and involved students
and young people creating and recording original performances of songs, plays
and dances, with the theme of wildlife protection. A judging panel including
professional artists selected the winners based on the most imaginative
performances and the best messages.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-AU">“We were very impressed by
the quality and creativity of the entries in the competition,”</span></i><span lang="EN-AU"> says Mr. Nguyen Phi Long, Member of the Standing Committee, Head of
the Youth Solidarity Committee, and Standing Vice-Chairman of the Youth Union
of Vietnam. <i>“The winning competition
entries will now play an important role in Youth Union campaigns to continue to
raise awareness of the need to protect our endangered wildlife species. They
are messages created by young people, for young people, with the aim of
building a more sustainable future for our country.”</i></span></p>
<p align="center" style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:center"><span lang="EN-AU"></span></p>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><img src="cid:ii_hvhvg4js1_146234d44c62293a" width="474" height="255.052734375"></span></p></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify">
<span lang="EN-AU"></span>Amongst the 17 prize winners were the organization ‘Action for
Wildlife’, which was presented with a special award for its video clip “Is it
true that wildlife has magical medicine properties?” and Nguyen Duy Khoai from
Da Nang, who was awarded first place for his song “For the Survival of
Wildlife”.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-AU">“The alarming decline in
wildlife populations due to demand for consumption and the illegal trade is an issue
of growing international concern,”</span></i><span lang="EN-AU"> says Ms. Anjali
Acharya, Environment Cluster Leader at the World Bank. <i>“However, it is very encouraging to see such a strong response from
young Vietnamese to wildlife protection efforts, and we believe that young people
can make a valuable contribution in motivating behavior change for biodiversity
conservation.”</i></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="VI">In addition, </span><span lang="EN-AU">a
third component of the ceremony was the presentation</span><span lang="EN-AU"> </span><span lang="EN-AU">and discussion of
findings from the “Biodiversity Barometer” survey, which was conducted by the
Union for Ethical Biotrade, in partnership with Helvetas Vietnam and
Biodiversity Conservation Agency (BCA) under MONRE. The survey helps to measure
progress in biodiversity awareness of the world’s citizens, in contribution to
one of the United Nation’s 2020 targets. This is the first year that Vietnam
has taken part in the survey, as one of 13 participating countries. </span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU">The survey conducted online interviews of 1000 Vietnamese consumers
aged between 18-50 years old, and</span><span lang="EN-AU"> </span><span lang="EN-AU">overall findings showed that although Vietnamese
consumers have a high level of biodiversity awareness, there is a gap between
awareness and understanding of the issues. In particular, some of the key
results included that 92% of Vietnamese respondents expect companies to respect
biodiversity through their sourcing policies, but only 61% believe that
companies pay enough attention to ethical sourcing of biodiversity, and 55%
believe it is essential to personally contribute to biodiversity. The survey
findings will be of strategic importance for companies investing in Vietnamese
markets, and also to help implement Vietnam’s Green Growth Strategy</span><span lang="VI">.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU">Other activities that were carried out this week in recognition of
International Biodiversity Day included:</span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"> </span></span><span lang="EN-AU">A joint workshop on May 20 with
the Ministry of Health and MONRE on reducing the use of endangered wildlife in
traditional medicine;</span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"> </span></span><span lang="EN-AU">The release of a <a href="http://youtu.be/hPtHWePAl1Q" target="_blank">public service announcement</a> (PSA) to
raise awareness of wildlife protection law and penalties for wildlife crimes,
which will be aired on VTV channels for one month;</span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span></span><span lang="EN-AU">The airing of a documentary on
endangered species and biodiversity conservation on VTV1 and VTV2 television
channels, and Voice of Vietnam radio;</span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"> </span></span><span lang="EN-AU">The widespread distribution of
communication materials on wildlife protection and reducing illegal wildlife
consumption, including an information leaflet, posters, banners, and helmets.
The materials were sent to all relevant ministries and government agencies,
provincial and municipal People’s Committees, and provincial Departments of
Natural Resources and Environment, with instructions to strengthen local
communication activities on this issue and promote International Biodiversity
Day;</span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"> </span></span><span lang="EN-AU">Hanging a series of wildlife
protection awareness banners in the streets of Hanoi;</span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="VI" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span></span><span lang="EN-AU">Distributing helmets with
wildlife protection messages to members of the public and government officials.</span> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt"><i><b><span lang="EN-AU">Fo</span>r more information, please contact:</b></i><br>Biodiversity Conservation Agency, Vietnam Environment Administration, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.<br>
Address: 10, Ton That Thuyet, Cau Giay, Hanoi<br>Contact person: Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Anh<br>Phone: +84 4 3795 6868 (Ext:3116); Email: <a href="mailto:nguyenvananh.bca@gmail.com" target="_blank">nguyenvananh.bca@gmail.com</a> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><b><span lang="EN-AU">About International Day
for Biological Diversity</span></b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU">Since 2000, the UN General Assembly has adopted 22 May as the International
Day for Biological Diversity to increase understanding and awareness of
biodiversity issues around the world. In 2014, the theme of the day is island
biodiversity, and the national theme of the day in Vietnam is reducing illegal
consumption of endangered wildlife to protect biodiversity.</span> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><b>About
Wildlife Consumption</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU">Vietnam is recognized globally
for its unique biodiversity. It is home to many rare and endangered species,
including some that are found nowhere else in the world. </span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU">However, illegal wildlife trade
and consumption have become major problems in Vietnam. </span><span lang="EN-AU">Despite
efforts to manage the trade and conserve wildlife, r</span><span lang="EN-AU">apid economic growth over the past two
decades has contributed to an unsustainable increase in wildlife consumption.
Illegal consumption and the associated trade have led to the alarming decline
of wild populations of many mammal, bird, and reptile species. </span><span lang="EN-AU"></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:justify">Illegal and unsustainable wildlife consumption <span lang="EN-AU">not only devastates species populations and destroys ecosystems, but
it also has negative consequences for the whole of society, our economy, human
health, and even national security. The WLC Project is part of a range of new
initiatives from the Vietnam Government aiming to address these issues.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"> </span></p><div>Best regards,</div><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">-- <br><div dir="ltr">WLC project Office, Biodiversity Conservation Agency<div>3rd Floor, Detech Tower, 8C Ton That Thuyet, Tu Liem, Hanoi</div>
<div>Tel: +844 37955 471; Fax: +844 37955 464</div></div>
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