HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese media was lauded for playing an important role in promoting the protection of threatened wildlife, heard a seminar held in Hà Nội on Friday to reveal how media houses can incorporate social responsibility into their work and contribute to combatting wildlife crime.

Participants to the World Rhino Day seminar organised by TRAFFIC and Intelligentmedia agreed that a behavioural change was a useful approach to reduce the demand for illegal wildlife products in Việt Nam.

“More than ever before, the media plays an important role in creating and shaping public opinion on topical global issues, such as illegal wildlife trafficking,” said Madelon Willemsen, head of TRAFFIC’s Việt Nam office. 

“The Vietnamese media plays a critical role in shaping moral values around the consumption and illegal trade of threatened species and in describing what responsible Vietnamese citizens must do to protect threatened wildlife worldwide."

Vice Director of the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI)’s Centre for SMEs Promotion, Lê Thị Thu Thủy, said that TRAFFIC and VCCI are creating a culture of zero-tolerance towards wildlife trafficking in the business world by engaging Vietnamese businesses, which will lead their peers in fighting wildlife crime.

“Together with other organisations and the media, VCCI wants to foster a movement where a growing team of key opinion leaders have established a responsible corporate culture by taking a strong stance against the consumption of rhino horn and other endangered species,” Thủy said.

Bùi Ngọc Mạnh from the Central Committee for Publicity and Education (CCPE), said the body prioritised encouraging public servants, media practitioners and Vietnamese citizens to change their behaviour and adopt a zero tolerance towards wildlife crime and illegal wildlife consumption.

Over the last decade, Việt Nam has regularly been identified as a transit country and consumer market for endangered wildlife products, such as rhino horn and elephant ivory. The on-going demand continues to drive wildlife poaching and trafficking, selling, buying and consumption of illegal wildlife products such as rhino horn. — VNS