The celebrations of the International Day of Forests, Monday 21 March 2016

The UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section has the pleasure to extend the invitation for the celebrations on the International Day of Forests on Monday, 21 March 2016 at the United Nations in Geneva.

The International Day of Forests is held annually on 21 March to raise awareness of the importance of forests. This year the day will convene under the theme 'Forests and Water'. The event is organised by the UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section jointly with the UNECE Secretariat of the Water Convention and its Protocol on Water and Health, the Housing and Land Management Unit and the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands as well as with the support of the Swiss Confederation and the Government of Finland.

This year's International Day of Forests will highlight the multiple links between forests and water sources. It will feature country experiences and case studies emphasising forest ecosystem services safeguarding water balance and supply as well as forests’ role in increasing landscape resilience to water-related hazards.

Workshop
Take part in the half-day event on forests, water and ecosystem services which will take place in Room VII between 15.00 and 18.00, followed by a reception.
Please find a more detailed programme of the workshop attached.

During lunchtime the UNOG Cafeteria will serve a forest-inspired menu.

Exhibition
Experience forest inspired photos by Jean-Jacques Kissling displayed in La Passerelle from 14 to 24 March 2016.

Call for contributions
The joint section welcomes contributions from member states and other stakeholders in the UNECE region about how the International Day of Forests 2016 will be celebrated in their country/community. Links to external websites will be posted on UNECE and FAO websites and photos and other testimonies will be collected after the event. Organizers of events are encouraged to share information on their planned activities by contacting Ms Theresa Loeffler (theresa.loeffler@unece.org) at the secretariat.

For more information and registration visit our website (http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=41874#/).