I congratulate Guizhou province government and the organizers of the Eco Forum Global Conference 2015 for preparing this year's annual meeting around the main theme of "Embracing a new era of eco-civilization: New agenda, new normal, new action".

This year's conference and its theme outlines the necessity of joining economy and ecology as well as cultural aspects to achieve sustainable growth.

The Eco Forum Global Conference is a very important contribution to meet the worldwide need of including a sound environment, a parsimonious use of our resources and a diligent care for natural beauty into the development of our planet.

Obwalden as a friendship canton of Guizhou province pays great attention to these themes and recognizes the environmentally friendly development path of Guizhou province.

As the annual conference's host, Guizhou province is becoming a model of eco-civilization in China. It showcases rich bio- and cultural diversity, populated with China's ethnic minority groups.

On behalf of the government of Obwalden, we wish that the Eco Forum Global Conference 2015 will be a great success. The author is governor of the Canton of Obwalden, Switzerland