(VOVworld) – A program was launched in Hanoi on Saturday to call on Vietnamese people to respond to this year’s world wetlands day entitled 'Wetlands take care of water'.

The day is held on February 2^nd every year to celebrate the Convention on Wetlands. In many countries, activities have been under way to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits in general and the Ramsar Convention in particular. Vietnam has more than 10 million hectares of wetlands areas including the river and lake ecosystem, ponds, streams, and swamps that play an important role in people’s living. Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan, Deputy Director of the Bio-Diversification Conservation Department of the Vietnam Environment General Department, said ‘Water is significant to life and wetlands play a key role in maintaining water resources. This is a chance for the entire community to take part in the conservation of wetlands through simple activities such as cleaning areas around a lake or restricting littering to nearby wetlands.’

A number of activities are being held as part of the program including cycling, distributing leaflets, and cleaning lakes in Hanoi.