![9th World Forest Week 9th World Forest Week](/images/forestrylibraries/default-album/cofo-27/4-wfw-banner-en--smaller.jpg?sfvrsn=bba524e4_5)
Opening ceremony
Committee on Forestry and World Forest Week 2024
MONDAY 22 JULY 2024
09.30–10.00 CEST
PLENARY HALL
Accelerating forest solutions through innovation
The opening ceremony will explore the World Forest Week theme "Accelerating forest solutions through innovation", setting the stage for a week of insightful discussions and events.
Following welcome remarks from Günter Walkner, COFO 27 Chair, and an opening speech by QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General, Earth systems scientist Dr Carlos Nobre, Co-Chair of the Science Panel for the Amazon, will give the keynote address.Louise Mabulo, young agroforester, chef and founder of the Cacao Project, will make a statement.
Speakers
Welcome
Günter Walkner
Minister Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Austria to FAO and the World Food Programme
Chairperson of the 27th Session of COFO
![Günter Walkner, COFO 27th Session Chair Günter Walkner, COFO 27th Session Chair](/images/forestrylibraries/default-album/cofo-27/cofo27-speakers/mr-günter-walkner.png?sfvrsn=20e352cb_1&MaxWidth=170&MaxHeight=170&ScaleUp=false&Quality=High&Method=ResizeFitToAreaArguments&Signature=112E811D247290E52BC8F03A1E065FA4F70019E6)
Opening speech
QU Dongyu
Director-General
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
![QU Dongyu QU Dongyu](/images/forestrylibraries/default-album/cofo-27/cofo27-speakers/dg.png?sfvrsn=8c94382f_0)
Keynote
Carlos Nobre
Earth systems scientist
Institute for Advanced Studies, University of São Paulo
Brazil
![Nobre Nobre](/images/forestrylibraries/default-album/cofo-27/cofo27-speakers/nobre.png?sfvrsn=e7cd0833_0)
Carlos A. Nobre is a senior researcher with the Institute for Advanced Studies, University of São Paulo, the creator of the Amazon Third Way-Amazonia 4.0 Initiative and the Science Panel for Amazon co-chair. He was one of the authors of the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
He is a former National Secretary of R&D of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Brazil and a former Member of the High-Level Scientific Advisory Panel on Global Sustainability at the United Nations.
Youth statement
Louise Mabulo
Agroforester, chef and social entrepreneur
Philippines
![Mabulo Mabulo](/images/forestrylibraries/default-album/cofo-27/cofo27-speakers/mabulo.png?sfvrsn=c2c11765_0)
She is also a National Geographic Young Explorer, a featured honouree for Forbes Asia’s list ‘30 Under 30’, one of the BBC’s 100 Most Inspiring and Influential Women of the Year and a Young Champion of the Earth with the United Nations Environment Programme. She also hosts the cooking show ‘Simply Sarap’.