Dear colleagues, You may have heard that FAO will host third Asia-Pacific Forestry Week in the Philippines 22-26 February 2016. It will be the largest and most important forestry gathering in the Asia-Pacific region in 2016. Importantly, it will be the first major gathering in the region focused on forestry after the Paris COP. APFW 2016 will be the third Asia-Pacific Forestry Week, following successful events held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2008 and Beijing, China, in 2011. Each of these events attracted around 1,000 participants and encompassed 40-60 individual workshops, seminars, networking activities and other events. The overall theme of APFW2016 is Growing Our Future! This theme reflects the need for society to proactively integrate forestry into the wider context of sustainable development. The theme also explicitly suggests that forestry should no longer be seen as a separate extractive renewable sector, but rather encompasses a holistic approach to an integrated and sustainable development paradigm, under which economic, social and environmental objectives are equally addressed. Leading international figures are expected to attend the APFW 2016. There are various ways you can take part in this event, among others: - organize a partner event - organize a booth - submit a photo contest (http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/asia-pacific-forestry-week/photo-contest/…) - Submit a poster (http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/asia-pacific-forestry-week/posters/en/) - Nominate a champion of Asia-Pacific Forests (http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/asia-pacific-forestry-week/champions/en/) - Be a participant and meet leading forestry leaders - Be a sponsor - etc. Here is the website to the event: http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/asia-pacific-forestry-week/en/ I look forward to seeing and meeting some of you in the Forestry Week. Best regards, Yurdi Yasmi Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)