On 10 March 2009, the Conference titled “The role of NGOs in contributing to national development”  was held by Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) and Institute for Social Studies (ISS) at the Fortuna Hotel, Hanoi.

The conference’s goal, with participations of over 300 people, was to assert the major roles and to create a connection among non-governmental organizations, government agencies and the private sector as well as to introduce their contributions to the establishment and development process of the state. The conference included 5 discussing panels about NGOs and Climate change, Aid effectiveness, Mountainous area development, The disabled and Children.

The Vietnamese Civil Society Organizations and Climate Change (VCSO & CC), of which MCD is one of four founding members, took part in the conference in the panel Non-Governmental Organizations and Climate Change. In addition, participants shared two initiatives in responding to climate change:  a solution to replace plastic shopping bags by the Centre for Responding to Climate Change in Vietnam and Earth Hour in Hanoi” implemented by WWF.