Ceremony for the International Year of Forests 2011 and Symposium on Combating Desertification


The Korea Forest Service (KFS) held the Ceremony for the International Year of Forests 2011 and Symposium on Combating Desertification on June 23, 2011 at COEX, Seoul. Since 2006 the KFS has been organazing this International Symposium around June, in commemoration of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought which is observed every year on the 17th of June. This year's symposium marked two very special occasions, the International Year of Forests and the 10th Conference of Parties of the United Nations Conventions to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to be held in Korea this October.

The Symposium was participated by distinguished decision-makers, concerned officials, renowned experts from home and abroad, and general people interested in land and forest issues as well. It began with a opening speech by Dr. Don Koo LEE, the Minister of the Korea Forest Service and was followed by congratulatory speeches by Mr. Hwang-sik KIM, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea and Mr. Doo-kwan KIM, the Governor of Gyeongnam Province. Mr. Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD and Ms. Angela Cropper, UNEP Special Advisor enriched the Ceremony with their remarkable keynote speeches. (For more information on the programmes of the Symposium, please see the attachment. )

The Symposium underlined the roles of forests in solving environmental issues and explored measures to combat desertification. Valuable presentations and discussions afforded food for thought and stimulus for combating desertification and land degradation and drought (DLDD) including prevention of forest degradation.

The Ceremony and Symposium were concluded successfully, having achieved the aim of providing a great opportunity to have active discussions focusing on DLDD, one of global environmental challenges.