17-19 September. Prosperity Initiative recently attended the world’s major annual bamboo conference. The triennial World Bamboo Congress took place in Bangkok and involved the participation of more than a hundred researchers, policy makers, bamboo enthusiasts and NGO representatives from 30 different countries.

John Marsh, Executive Director of Prosperity Initiative, was invited to speak at the session on Bamboo in Thailand and Southeast Asia. He presented on the Northwest Vietnam Industrial Bamboo Cluster and the cluster’s current and future potential impact on large scale poverty in Viet Nam and Lao PDR.

Members of the Mekong Bamboo and Communications teams also attended the conference, providing Prosperity Initiative an excellent opportunity to network with other leading actors in the global bamboo community. Already, the organization has strengthened its ties with other organizations and businesses involved in bamboo in Europe, the US, Africa, India and other parts of Asia.

Prosperity Initiative is now following up on a range of interests in its work, ranging from new business investments to partnerships with industry development projects similar in mission to Mekong Bamboo.