World Bamboo Day, 2010 & N E International Bamboo Festival

World Bamboo Day, 2010 & North East International Bamboo Festival, Kisama, Nagaland
 

World Bamboo Day was declared in 2009 bythe Thai Royal Forest Department on 18th September in Bangkok, during the 8th World Bamboo Congress. This declaration is an effort to increase the awareness of bamboo globally. Where bamboo grows naturally, bamboo has been a daily element, but its utilization has not always been sustainable due to exploitation.

The World Bamboo Organization aims to elevate the potential of bamboo via international exposure and promotion - to protect natural resources and the environment, to ensure sustainable utilization, to promote new cultivation of bamboo for new industries, i.e. bio-fuel, bio-plastics, carbon credits, etc., as well as promote traditional uses locally to improve community economic development and livelihood.

This year the WBO promotes the celebration of this day around the world, with participation from bamboo enthusiasts, practitioners, researchers, students, children = everyone! A key event will be held at Kisama, a beautiful village near Kohima, Nagaland in India endorsed by WBO and hosted by the Government of Nagaland, India.
 
With an aim to spread the message of World Bamboo Dod and to generate overall awareness on bamboo in the society and economy, BAMBOO FOR LIVELIHOOD AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT has been selected as the theme of the event. Expected to be attended by over 200 participants from around the world, the celebrations and festival will be graced by members of WBO, high level policy makers from the Government of India and the North Eastern states, and officials, ambassadors and high commissioners from the ASEAN countries.

The celebrations will also feature the North East International Bamboo Festival starting from 16th September in addition to showcasing the achievements of National Bamboo Missie-(NBM) in the country especially in the North Eastern pa-z of the nation. In Nagaland, activities relating to Nation Bamboo Mission are being implemented through the Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency (NBDA), who will also play host to the World Bamboo Day 2010.