2013 Celebrations – International Day of Forests
This new global celebration of forests builds on the successes of the International Year of Forests in 2011, and provides a platform to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and of trees outside forests.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that 鈥淔orests are vital for our well-being. They cover nearly a third of the globe and provide an invaluable variety of social, economic and environmental benefits.鈥�
The first International Day of forests was celebrated around the world through tree-planting and other community-level events, including art, photo and film as well as social media outreach.
International Day of Forests tree planting celebration in China with UN DESA Under-Secretary-General Wu Hongbo (left) Minister of China’s State Forestry Administration Zhao Shucong and UNFF Director Jan McAlpine (right).
Mr. Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General of DESA, along with Chinese government officials, launched the International Day of Forests in China at a ceremony in Beijing on 21 March, 2013.