Bangkok: The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, in collaboration with global CITES partners, hosted the World Wildlife and Plant Day, emphasizing the theme 'Finance for Wildlife and Plant Conservation: Investing to Protect Humanity and the Planet.' The event aimed to address budget shortages for conservation and sought to attract private sector investment to develop a sustainable financial ecosystem for natural resource preservation.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chalermchai Sri-on, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, presided over the event's opening ceremony. He highlighted Thailand's commitment to celebrating nature's beauty, with the country marking its 12th year of organizing the event. This year's focus was on "Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet," aiming to close the budget gap and enhance private sector participation in resource conservation. The public was invited to engage in conservation efforts by spreading awareness about the significance of natural resources, participating in activities, or supporting various projects to preserve these resources for future generations.
Mr. Atthapol Charoenchansa, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, noted that World Wildlife and Plant Day originated from Thailand's proposal at the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 2013 in Bangkok. The proposal designated March 3 as 'World Wildlife and Plant Day,' coinciding with the CITES Convention signing date. This year's event included academic activities, seminars, and exhibitions offering conservation knowledge from over 20 partner agencies and supporters. Public participation activities featured a ball python contest and an exhibition of over 190 entries from the CITES wildlife and plant painting contest by young people, showcasing their creativity and commitment to conservation. Additional activities included award ceremonies for the painting contest, forest resource protection badges, a quiz contest, and a wildlife survey activity, engaging over 300 partic ipants in fostering conservation awareness.