8th ASEAN Heritage Parks Conference kicks off in Vietnam

The event saw the participation of Nguyen Quoc Tri, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment; Dr.Jerome Montemayor, Executive Director of ACB.

Leaders of provincial people’s committees of Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh, Nghe An, Dong Nai, Hue city and Hochiminh city also graced the opening of the 3-day event.

The 8th ASEAN Heritage Parks Conference which focuses on aligning regional efforts with global biodiversity goals, brought together managers of AHPs in Southeast Asia, protected area authorities, technical experts, institutional partners, and other key stakeholders to foster cross-sectoral dialogue and strengthen regional cooperation.

There is also a marketplace of biodiversity-based products, exhibits, and several side events scheduled alongside AHP8.

The AHP8 is being organized by the ACB and Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment through the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Agency, with support from the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany through KFW, the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, and IMA World Health.

The AHP Programme is a flagship initiative of Asean. It was established to recognize and highlight the importance of biodiversity and outstanding protected areas in regional and global efforts to conserve biodiversity.

From 11 original protected areas of high conservation importance named through the Asean Declaration on Heritage Parks and Reserves on 29 November 1984, the network has now grown to a total of 69 AHPs across the Asean Member States.

Vietnam is proud to be home to 15 Heritage Parks.

At the event, leaders of ACB and x Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Vietnam presented Certificates of ASEAN’s heritage park to: Xuan Thuy National park in Ninh Binh; Pu Mat national park in Nghe An, Bach Ma national park in Hue city, Con Dao National Park in Ho Chi Minh city and Dong Nai natural reserve in Dong Nai province.