On the occasion of the New Year, MERD wishes all readers happiness and prosperity.

It has been more than one year since Prof. Hong was awarded with the prestigious International Cosmos Prize (ICP) 2008 by Expo’ 90. The monetary prize has been used to fund in whole or in part a number of activities for local communities such as:

- Certain research activities of MERC (Hanoi National University of Education) and Mangrove Ecosystem Research Division (MERD) (Vietnam National University, Hanoi);

- Annual scholarships for poor students who have overcome hardship to do scientific research at the Faculty of Biology, Hanoi National University of Education;

- Financial contribution to the Science Reward Fund for scientists of Hanoi National University of Education;

- Twenty annual scholarships (from 2009 to 2015) for poor primary school pupils in Prof. Hong’s home village, Thuan Hoa (in Ha Tinh Province);

- Financial contribution to the operation of Thuan Hoa Village’s cultural house;

- Publication of the picture book titled “Our Mangroves” in both English and Vietnamese to be distributed to coastal communities and for information exchange in Southeast Asia (10,000 copies);

- An educational campaign on mangroves in Dong Rui commune, Tien Yen district, Quang Ninh province from 2^nd November 2009 to 10^th December 2009. Activities included educational quizzes and contests as well as artistic performances by local people, all mangrove-related. Among the participants were most local residents and several representatives from the Action for Mangrove Reforestation, Japan (please see the photos below);

Singing by local choirs at Dong Rui

Enthusiastic audience at the Dong Rui Event

- Contribution to SympaMeals charity project for cancer patients in Cancer Hospital in Hanoi (website: www.sympameals.net).

Thanks to the ICP 2008, mangrove restoration activities have been widely covered on many means of mass media. On 23^rd December 2009, Prof. Hong and three other professors awarded with Vietnam’s Talent Prizes 2009 were received by the President of Viet Nam –Nguyen Minh Triet (far right below) - at the Presidential Palace.