HANOI, Vietnam – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Wildlife Asia project continues its work to stop the consumption of rhino horn in Vietnam with the  launch of a new video public service announcement (PSA) for the Chi III Initiative. The video reminds audiences that a person’s true strength comes from within, not from a status symbol such as rhino horn. The initiative gets its name from the concept of inner strength, “Chi” in Vietnamese.

“I believe that your success today comes from your determination in the past, good performance comes from regular trainings. To succeed, you must never stop trying. It will never come from an item which is made from an exotic or endangered animal. Especially with increasing integration of Vietnam in the global economy, you risk losing prestige, global recognition, and respect by using illegal wildlife products.” said Mr Pham Thanh Hung, Vice Chairman of CenGroup Holdings.

The video is the latest in a series of materials released by the Chi III Initiative, which targets middle-age wealthy businesspeople in Vietnam, a key rhino horn consumption group. The campaign encourages local businesspeople to become Chi champions, stand against the consumption of illegal wildlife products, and lead the country into a new era with social norms that view buying or using rhino horn as unacceptable. To date, Chi III has reached around 3.5 million people and encouraged  around 20,000 people, including influential members of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Central Committee for Propaganda and Education, to commit to living a wildlife products-free lifestyle.

The Chi Initiative started by TRAFFIC, a non-governmental organization working on the wildlife trade, in 2014. Chi has used extensive consumer research and input from the local business community to implement interventions focused on changing the behavior of target audiences. The program has promoted the uptake of wildlife-focused corporate social responsibility throughout the Vietnamese private sector.

The video will be disseminated widely online through Facebook, YouTube, news sites, and through Chi III partner organizations. The short version of the video is available here (link) and the full version is available here (link).

According to the Counter Wildlife Trafficking Digest 2019, jointly published by USAID and TRAFFIC, Vietnam is a prominent country in the illegal trade in rhino horn and an important part of the trafficking route of rhino horn to China.