International Day of Forests 2025 observed in Vietnam
Different stakeholders including government officials, international experts, academia, and students gathered at the event which was held at Vietnam’s leading university of forestry by the United Nations’s specialized agency Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
THE HANOI TIMES — A wide range of representatives from different stakeholders have responded to International Day of Forests 2025 themed “Forests and Foods” – A Sustainable Future for Forests and Food Security held on March 21 in Hanoi.
Held at the Vietnam National University of Forestry (VNUF) by FAO Vietnam in collaboration with VNUF, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s Department of Forestry and Forest Protection (DFFP), and UNEP, the event gathered government officials, international organizations, experts, academia, and students.
International Day of Forests promotes awareness of the importance of all types of forests. On this day, countries are encouraged to engage in local, national, and international efforts by organizing activities related to forests and trees, such as tree-planting campaigns.
“Forests and Foods” highlights the forests’ essential role in global food production, security, and nutrition. This connection is especially significant in Asia and the Pacific, home to the world’s most diverse range of forest foods.
Beyond their ecological importance, forests are a vital source of food and livelihood, particularly for communities that depend on forest resources.
Nguyen Ha Phuong from FAO Representation in Vietnam speaks at the event in response to International Day of Forests 2025 held at Vietnam National University of Forestry on March 21. Photos: Linh Nguyen/The Hanoi Times
Overview of the meeting.
The celebration attracts at large number of domestic and international attendees.
Chairman of the Finland - Vietnam Friendship Association Mauri Raveala (third left) and his spouse (first left), and Associate Prof. Dr. Bui The Doi (first right), VNUF Vice Rector join the tree-planting campaign on the occasion.
Delegates from FAO, DFFP, and VNUF enthusiastically response to the campaign.
Dr. Lee Yeongjoo, Head of Regional Office for the Mekong at the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) (first left); Dr. Lee Jeongho, Chief Technical Advisor of the Korea Forest Service’s projects in Vietnam (second left), and Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Sam, Head of the Department of International Cooperation, VNUF.
Nguyen Huu Thien, Deputy Head of the Department of Forestry and Forest Protection, at the tree-planting campaign.
The tree-planting campaign attracts a large number of students at VNUF.
A wide range of delegates join the tree-planting campaign.
Energetic students are eager to join the common drive to protect forests.
| In commemoration of International Day of Forests 2025, domestic and foreign delegates joined the event, including Prof. Pham Van Dien, President of VNUF; Assistant FAO Representative Vietnam Nguyen Song Ha; Nguyen Huu Thien, Deputy Head of the Department of Forestry and Forest Protection (DFFP); Do Quang Tung, Head of the Management Board for Forestry Projects under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment; Dr. Lee Yeongjoo, Head of Regional Office for the Mekong at the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO); Dr. Lee Jeongho, Chief Technical Advisor of the Korea Forest Service’s projects in Vietnam; Mauri Raveala, Chairman of the Finland – Vietnam Friendship Association, among others. |
