I call on the entire Party, army, and people to take the initiative to plant more trees to protect the environment and bring about a better life for future generations, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

President Triet made the appeal at a launch ceremony of the Tree Planting Festival at the Vietnam Ethnic Culture-Tourism Village in Hanoi in the presence of the representatives of relevant ministries and agencies and more than 20 international organisations in Hanoi.

 

At the event, jointly held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST), the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee, and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, he asked for the participation of all individuals and organizations and emphasised that dissemination and education work should be carried out in schools and residential areas to raise public awareness of the negative impact of climate change.

All citizens and local authorities should work together to curb deforestation by personally engaging in the inspection of the forest, he said.

Mr. Triet also emphasised that for Vietnam, which is one of the five countries most affected by the rising sea level and climate change, forest protection was now a matter of great importance.

The year 2011 was declared the International Year of Forests by the United Nations to raise awareness and strengthen the sustainable forest management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests for the benefit of current and future generations.

According to the MARD, Vietnam’s forest coverage is currently estimated at 39.5 percent and the country is making every effort to increase it to 42 percent in 2011.

 (VOVNEWS)