Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have launched a week of activities from May 20 -25 in response to the International Day for Biodiversity [May 22] to raise public awareness of biodiversity preservation. This year’s event themed “Water and Biodiversity” aims to highlight the role of biodiversity in maintaining water resources - a precious natural resource and a prerequisite for human health and well-being. On May 22, the ministry held a meeting in Hanoi to discuss water conservation and present awards to winners of a photo contest on biodiversity conservation and a logo contest on Vietnam biodiversity. On the same day, the Frankfurt Zoological Society from Germany and the Greenviet Biodiversity Conservation Center held an exhibition on biodiversity of Danang City. The first-ever expo aims to give an alert on threatened species and raise public’s awareness in protecting biodiversity in the city. Vietnam, among the world’s top ten countries in terms of biodiversity, is home to 10% of the world’s known species. It has actively participated in many international conventions on biodiversity conservation such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, International Conventions on Wildlife and others. (Nhan Dan – The People May 22, baodientu.chinhphu.vn May 22, Ha Noi Moi – New Hanoi May 23 p4)
