VietNamNet Bridge – The Song Hong 2015 Half Marathon will be held at the Ciputra Urban Area in Hanoi on December 13 under the theme “Run for Rhinos”, with the goal of raising public awareness of rhino poaching to serve the demand for rhino horns in Vietnam and China.

The Run for Rhinos expects to draw the participation of hundreds of Vietnamese and expats.

The ninth annual event, jointly held by the volunteer-organised Red River Runners (RRR) and Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV), will feature the participation of groups of runners from foreign embassies in Hanoi, non-governmental organisations and businesses, in three distances - 5km, 10km and 21km (half marathon).

The race is expected to draw the involvement of hundreds of Vietnamese and expats, with proceeds generated from the race going to rhino protection activities in Vietnam.

Each step at the ‘Run for Rhinos” event will reflect Vietnam’s strong commitment to protecting rhino species in the world from the danger of extinction, said ENV Deputy Director Nguyen Phuong Dung.

The event offers a good opportunity for Vietnam to show the world that the country has been exerting unceasing efforts to put a stop to illegal trafficking and consumption of rhino horns, she added.

In 2010, Vietnam’s last Java rhino was killed for its horn, putting an end to the existence of this rhino species in the country. The demand for rhino horn has been blamed for the deaths of thousands of rhinos in South Africa in recent years. According to the South African Ministry of Environmental Affairs, as of August 2015, as many as 749 rhinos were killed for their horns. It is predicted by experts that 2015 would continue to be a difficult year for rhino species in the world.

Individuals who wish to participate in the 2015 Song Hong half marathon can register online at https://redriverrunners.dagoba.co/pages/register-for-hong-song-2014-2. Organisations and enterprises who want to register for the group run have to fill in the form at http://bit.ly/Mau_dang_ky_Chay_vi_te_giac and submit it directly to the organising committee at Spacebar, 15 Lane 76, To Ngoc Van Street, Tay Ho District.

More details about the race can be found at http://redriverrunners.com or http://bit.ly/Chay_vi_te_giac.

Nhan Dan