An exhibition entitled “Plastic Tale of River” has just opened in Hanoi, aiming to raise people’s awareness on the use of plastic bags and products, as well as reducing plastic waste.

The exhibition is jointly held by the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE), the Embassy of the Netherlands, the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam (WWF Vietnam), the National Plastic Action Partnership, and the Goethe-Institute.

Artworks by photographers Truong Dai Duong and Nguyen Viet Hung, video clips, and short films with messages on plastic waste reduction are featured at the event.

It is part of a communication campaign to promote the project “Rethinking Plastics - Circular Economy Solution for Marine Waste” which is funded by the European Union and the German Government and executed by German GIZ and French Expertise France in Vietnam.

Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman speaks at the exhibition opening ceremony. Photo: Thanh Tung

Addressing the exhibition, Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman said the coordination among the Government, the private sector, and consumers is a must to jointly take action to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic products.

Each action will make a significant change in reducing plastic waste in the world, Elsbeth Akkerman added.

Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy, director of WWF Vietnam’s Plastic Waste Reduction Program, said Vietnam is actively campaigning for a global agreement on ocean plastic pollution and is one of the first countries to have localities committed to becoming plastic reduction cities.

“The exhibition reflects strong determination against the current plastic crisis. I hope that it will contribute to drawing more stakeholders who will act together towards sustainable consumption and plastic pollution reduction in Vietnam,” Thuy stressed.

The exhibition, scheduled to run until March 15, is also expected to give the audience a panoramic view of the current status of plastic waste in Vietnam, thereby inspiring them to take action for a better environment.

During this period, the Goethe Institute will launch a virtual exhibition on the Gathertown application, where stakeholders and the community are working together to devise policies, technical solutions, and communications strategies to reduce the consumption of plastic bags and other single-use products.

Deputy Director of the Goethe-Institut Steffen Kaupp and a visitor are viewing the photos on display: Photo: Thanh Tung

Visitors at the exhibition. Photo: Thanh Tung