On November 6th, 2017, the 20th Anniversary of INBAR and the Ministerial Summit on Bamboo and Rattan for Green Development and South-South Cooperation were held in Beijing. On this grand occasion, China President XI Jinping sent a congratulatory message.
Founded on November 6th, 1997 in Beijing, INBAR is the first independent, global, intergovernmental organisation based in China and the only multilateral development agency in the world dedicated exclusively to the sustainable development of bamboo and rattan resources. It has become an important international partner and platform for promoting South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue on bamboo and rattan, contributing to the “Belt and Road” initiative and achieving the goals of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Since its inception, INBAR has been committed to the sustainable development of bamboo and rattan resources, by uniting, coordinating and supporting the strategic and adaptive research and development of bamboo and rattan, by promoting the welfare of bamboo and rattan producers and users, and by advancing the inclusive green development of bamboo and rattan industries. Headquartered in Beijing, INBAR has set up regional offices in India, Ghana, Ethiopia and Ecuador. Currently, INBAR has 43 member states, most of which are from the Global South.
At the opening ceremony of the Summit, JIANG Zehui, Vice Chair of the Committee of Population, Resources and Environment of CPPCC National Committee, Co-Chair of INBAR Board of Trustees and Director General of ICBR, conveyed the message from President XI. Mulatu Teshome, Ethiopian President, and LIU Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations sent video speeches; José Graziano da Silva, Director General of FAO, sent a written message.
The speeches were followed by the launch of several publications: Inspiring Sustainable Development with Bamboo, a new report co-produced with the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, whose Director Mr. Jorge Chediek provided a video message; The World Checklist of Bamboos and Rattans, launched by JIANG Zehui, which provides important information about the spread and number of bamboo and rattan species; and 100 Heroes of China’s Bamboo Industry, launched by Andrew Bennett, which follows the stories of some of China’s eight million people employed in the bamboo sector.
The opening ceremony in attendance were heads of relevant departments and agencies, as well as ministers, ambassadors and other diplomatic envoys from over 30 countries.
