Participating in the signing ceremony, representing Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), Mr. Jin Sunpil Vice Executive Director of AFoCO, Dr Pham Duc Chien - Director of Project and Program Division and colleagues in the AFoCO Secretariat.

On the side of the Vietnam National University of Forestry, there were: Prof. Dr. Pham Van Dien – President, Assoc. Prof. Dr Cao Quoc An, Chairman of the University Board, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phung Van Khoa – Vice President, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui The Doi, Vice President, representative leaders of the Divisions, Faculties, Colleges and members of the Project Construction Board.

On the side of the Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, there was Mr. Nguyen Hong Hai – Deputy Director General, Dr. Luu Tien Dat – National Focal Point of AFoCO in Vietnam, officers of the Division of Science, Technology and International Cooperation of the Department of Forestry.

At the signing ceremony, Prof. Dr. Pham Van Dien, representative of the VNUF gave a speech and thanked the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) for supporting and helping VNUF to build up the project "Establishment of ASEAN-Korea Garden in Vietnam". This is a very important project not only for the university and its students but also for its partners. This project is part of the University's strategy to build a green and innovative cultural knowledge space at VNUF. The university will urgently submit the project document for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to consider and approve and commit to implementing the project well according to the schedule and quality. The President looks forward to continuing to receive AFoCO's attention and support in the future.

Representative of the Department of Forestry (DoF), Mr. Nguyen Hong Hai, Deputy Director General of the Forestry Department also thanked AFoCO, the Korea Forest Service and ASEAN countries for their supports for the project "Establishment of ASEAN-Korea Garden in Vietnam" to be implemented at the VNUF. Mr. Nguyen Hong Hai emphasized that this is a very important and meaningful project not only for the University in specific, but also for the whole Forestry sector in general. The Department of Forestry commits to coordinate and accompany the university to implement this project well. The construction of the ASEAN-Korea Garden is very important, contributing to the implementation of important policies on forestry of Vietnam, promoting sustainable forest management associated with biodiversity conservation, environmental education and mitigating the effects of climate change. The garden will also be an attractive tourist

destination for people and students and a symbol of the friendship and long-term relationship between ASEAN, especially Vietnam and Korea.

On the AFoCO side, Mr. Jin Sunpil – Vice Executive Director shared that the ASEAN-Korea Garden project at the Vietnam National University of Forestry will be one of the ASEAN-Korea Garden projects that have been and will be implemented in Cambodia and Laos. He believes this project will contribute to improving the quality of green space for the Hanoi capital area; Enhance scientific research, conservation, and development of high-value plant species in the context of climate change; Raising awareness of biodiversity conservation through environmental education and ecotourism programs; and Strengthening cooperation between Vietnam, the Republic of Korea and the ASEAN community.

At the end of the signing ceremony, the two sides held the first technical meeting to agree on the project implementation procedures according to AFoCO regulations and technical issues to soon hold a meeting to launch the project implementation in the near future, after the project document to be approved by the Vietnamese Government.

Some pictures of the online signing ceremony