In February 24, 2022, the Center for Environment and Community Research (CECR) held a conference “Develop the Vietnam Water Conservation Network in Year 2”. The conference has the participation of the founders of VIWACON Network, the experts, and special guests. All together, they will take a look back on the network members’ activities and attempts to conserve the water for over the past year, then acknowledge the foreground for the VIWACON Network’s growth in the following year.

At the opening of the conference, Mrs. Nguyen Ngoc Ly – Founder of VIWACON and Chairman of CECR Management Board said: “For more than a year, our network has worked with local partners to combine non-technical approaches with technical measures to find ways to control waste pollution in fishing ports, in ponds, lakes, and rivers. Additionally, we mobilize the enterprises to recycle and reuse water, and widely spread the climate change adaptation’s models in disaster areas. When I witness the digitalizaton has become an innovative method for all economic sectors, I ponder whether this digital revolution could help us upgrade our solutions for the environment in a better integration, better adaptation, and more timely and widespread way. It seems that digitalization is about reaching out to communities and promoting their participation. Since the substance of environmental work is communities’ participation, is it possible to apply information technology and digitalization for environmental solutions? I wish the conference will be a success, wish fish and aquatic species will live in clean water. Also, may our future generations swim and bathe in the clear blue rivers, and our sea always be a great economic resource for Vietnam”.

 

Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Ly – Founder of VIWACON and Chairman of CECR Management Board

Afterwards, Mr. Nguyen Duc Duong – Manager of Local Works in the US Agency for International Development stated: “The active collection of NGOs, sate agencies, and business partners is the way that we should explore and develop more, because this is a new and important orientation in the network development. Pollution not only comes from water but also from other sources with many different causes. Therefore, we must collaborate with Vietnamese government in forming policy and in monitoring its implementation in local areas. In the two-day conference, we take a look back on our past activities and work together to find a more effective orientation in developing the network, and help the Vietnamese government more”.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Duong - Manager of Local Works in the US Agency for International Development

On the first day of the conference, information about digital technology and transformation, especially its applications in the field of environment, were presented by experts from Vietnam’s leading technology cooperation including: Mr. Nguyen Duy Khanh from Bao Viet Group; Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tuan from Viettel Group; and Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nam who was former General Director of FPT, Vice Chairman of the Broad of Directors of FPT University, Founder and Headmaster of FUNiX online university.

Mr. Nguyen Duy Khanh from Bao Viet Group with a presentation on “Digital technology and environment”

 

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tuan from Viettel Group with a presentation on “Digital transformation trend”

 

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nam - former General Director of FPT, Vice Chairman of the Broad of Directors of FPT University, Founder and Headmaster of FUNiX online university participated in sharing and dicussing in the conference

 

In order to make plans congruent with the network’s development, Ms. Chu Thanh Huong from Climate Change Department, Ms. Nguyen Thuy Anh from Water Resource Management Department, Mr. Bui Duc Hieu from the office of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment delivered an updated presentations on climate change & COP26, the process and orientation to amend the Law on Water Resources, and an overview on water security in Vietnam respectively. These presentations drew an overview on new background and new opportunities for the network growth.

Mrs. Chu Thanh Huong from Climate Change Department with a presentation on “Climate change and COP26”

 

Mrs. Nguyen Thuy Anh from Water Resource Management Department with a presentation on “The process and orientation to amend the Law on Water Resource”

 

Mr. Bui Duc Hieu from the office of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment with a presentation on “An overview on water security in Vietnam”

 

Right after that, all participants had a look back on VIWACON’s activities in the first year. These activities were shared by Dr. Ngo Huy Liem – Senior Advisor of the network – with a short documentary film as a brief illustration.

Dr. Ngo Huy Liem – Senior Advisor of the network

Then, the conference focused on its primary content which was the network development:

• Organization capacity buiding associated with the network development 

Mrs. Hoang Nghe Ha – network development’s expert 

• Policy lobbying’s media representation: Water security and rivers’ health

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Phuong Lam from Centre for sustainable development of water resources and adaptation to climate change (CEWAREC) 

• Business’s social responsibility 

Mrs. Trinh Nhu Quynh, Head of External Relations, Marketing and Branding from Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam 

• Mobilizing resources and raising fund 

Ms. Le Kim Thai from Oxfam Vietnam

 

The key issues to be pursued by network during Year 2 will be presented in more details in the work plan developed during the second day of the conference.

To conclude the conference’s first day, Mr. Nguyen Khac Hung – CEO of CECR – emphasized: “We have passed the first day with theoretical content that lays the foundation before we move to the second day. Tomorrow we will work directly and specifically to review the vision, mission, and to unify the operating regulations and the organization’s structure. Additionally, we will detect issues and find solutions for the network action plan’s development”. 

 

Mr. Nguyen Khac Hung – CEO of CECR

Let’s look forward to the results in the second working day of the conference with the leadership of experts and the delegates’ dedicated and enthusiastic working spirit, especially those who are founders of VIWACON.

 

Source: CECR