Locals and expats living in Vietnam are all welcome to make submissions to a photo competition jointly organized by the Vietnamese agriculture ministry and a United Nations forest protection program.

The “Forest and Life” photo competition was launched on November 28 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in cooperation with the UN-REDD Vietnam program.

UN-REDD is a United Nations collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries.

Competing works can address a wide variety of issues, including the diversity of Vietnamese forests, current rampant deforestation, and efforts made by individuals, agencies, and organizations in combating forest degradation and boosting sustainable forest development.

Entries can be submitted via email at thianhrungvaconnguoi@gmail.com, or by post or in person at 2 Ngoc Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi; or Room 041, House P at 14 Thuy Khue Street, Tay Ho District, Hanoi.

Detailed information is available at http://vietnam-redd.org.

According to its website, the Global UN-REDD Program, launched in 2008, supports nationally-led REDD+ processes and promotes the meaningful involvement of all stakeholders in national and international REDD+ implementation.

Free portraits for everyone

A free photo-taking festival called “Help Portrait 2014” is slated to take place simultaneously from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday in many cities and provinces nationwide, including Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hue, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan, Lam Dong, Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho.

Over 1,600 volunteers and photographers, including weekenders, from across the country are expected to show up at the event.

The festival will go on at 65 locations including hospitals, nursing homes for physically challenged children, low-income residential areas, and war veteran associations.

In its 5th year, the event is going to be held by Help Portrait Vietnam, the Vietnam Youth Union-Ho Chi Minh City, and Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper’s “Uoc Mo Cua Thuy” (Thuy’s Dream) program – which is dedicated to raising funds for Vietnamese children with cancer.

Canon Marketing Vietnam and Mekong Communications Group will supply equipment and offer technical assistance for the festival.

Needy, disabled people and war veterans in Ho Chi Minh City can come to the fest’s venue at 5 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, District 1, for free printed photos.

According to http://help-portraitvn.com, Help-Portrait is a global movement of photographers, hairstylists, and makeup artists using their time, tools, and expertise to give back to those in need. 

The festival, which debuted in Vietnam in December 2010, has gathered a large number of professional and amateur photographers.

More than 9,200 free portraits, taken by over 1,100 photographers and volunteers, were presented to the poor in its December 2013 edition alone.

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