One hundred and fifty teachers from 10 countries and territories in the Asian – Australia region have successfully completed a Vietnamese language training course hosted by the Foreign Ministry's State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA).

In his speech at the closing ceremony on November 7, Director of the COVA's Department of Information and Culture Dinh Hoang Linh said the course is the first in the framework of a programme on training overseas Vietnamese teachers in teaching the Vietnamese language in 2021.

During nearly one month of the course, trainees were equipped with pedagogical skills, formal and professional Vietnamese teaching methods, and more knowledge about Vietnamese culture and history. They were also provided with teaching materials from experienced lecturers at Vietnamese universities.

Previously on November 6, the second course of this kind for Vietnamese teachers in Europe and North America kicked off virtually, with the participation of nearly oversea 130 teachers from Austria, Poland, Belarus, Belgium, the US, Canada and Germany.

Addressing the event, Ambassador Luong Thanh Nghi, Deputy Chairman of COVA affirmed that the committee always pays attention to the teaching and learning of the Vietnamese language in Vietnamese communities abroad.

This is an important task to help overseas Vietnamese communities preserve the cultural identity and traditions, contributing to popularizing the Vietnamese language and culture abroad.

Professional training courses in teaching Vietnamese language for overseas teachers is an annual activity conducted by the committee since 2013. So far, nearly 400 teachers have completed both face-to-face and online training courses.

According to Nguyen Van Son, a Vietnamese language teacher in the Czech Republic, Vietnamese association in the Czech have actively maintained the popularization of Vietnamese language to children with the support of the Vietnamese Embassy and volunteer teachers.

He expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Party and Government will pay more attention to promoting the teaching and learning of the Vietnamese language abroad.

On the occasion, a seminar was held to discuss measures and share experience to promote teaching and learning the Vietnamese language abroad and remove difficulties in implementing the programme./.

Underground space planning in Hanoi vital for future expansion: Experts

As of July 2021, Hà Nội’s population reached over 8 million, increasing by almost 200,000 people per year on average. The capital city continues to grow, and new solutions are needed to manage this expansion. One idea being considered is further utilising underground spaces.

According to figures from the city’s traffic police, there are about 7.6 million vehicles registered in Hà Nội, excluding 1.2 million vehicles from other cities and provinces that regularly travel to the city.

The growth rate of spaces for vehicles has not kept pace with this increase in vehicles, leading to an urban infrastructure overload, traffic congestion and air pollution.

One solution is to build an underground traffic system or even entire underground urban areas.

Since 1996, a number of commercial centres and hotels in Hà Nội have built two to four levels of basements.

The city has also built a number of underground intersections such as underground tunnels of Kim Liên, Thanh Xuân and Trung Hoà, as well as underground technical infrastructure systems in drainage, electricity and water supply lines.

By the end of 2020, a private housing project in Bà Đình District on an area of more than 300sq.m will include up to four basements.

Vice President of the Việt Nam Urban Development and Planning Association, architect Dr Đào Ngọc Nghiêm, told Kinh Tế & Đô Thị (Economics and Urban Affairs) newspaper that it is time that underground space became an important consideration in urban development strategy.

Dr Phạm Hùng Cường, former head of Architecture and Planning at the Hà Nội University of Construction, said: "The development of underground space includes two aspects of public space and public transport system. If done well, it will solve a lot of urban problems.

"However, Hà Nội is only in the early stages of developing these two aspects. If there was no planning soon there will be many difficulties. The first problem will be the basements of the high-rise buildings that had been built,” Cường said.

“By that time, the underground traffic routes will have to go around, which will be costly and controversial. This is the case regarding the C9 underground station near Hoàn Kiếm Lake," he said.

Therefore, Hà Nội needs to focus on underground planning sooner rather than later, to develop a plan that aligns with the whole city.

The planning of underground space is only mentioned, but not expanded upon, under current regulations, such as the Plan of Hà Nội construction up to 2030, with a vision to 2050, approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1259/QĐ TTg, and the Hà Nội Transport Planning to 2030 and a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister in 2016. 

In addition, there are no recommendations and research results for land use plans for building underground spaces, according to the director of the Hà Nội Planning and Architecture Department, Nguyễn Trúc Anh.

Adjustments in how construction in Hà Nội is planned are needed, with proposals on specific locations, areas, and scope of the city’s main underground spaces, as well as planning how to maximise land and urban space, he said.

The Hà Nội Construction Planning Institute has just completed an underground space project for the city and submitted it to the municipal People's Committee for approval in the near future.

According to the plan, underground road traffic routes are mainly arranged at intersections, squares, railway and metro stations.

Notably, 79 underground public parking lots will be built in nine inner-city districts. Total construction will cover an area of 107 hectares.

The parking areas will be from three to five level basements, in combination with commercial and service centres.

Underground stations for the urban railway network will be the nucleus of future underground public spaces around a radius of 500m.

There will be 65 underground public spaces with a total area of 2,171 hectares.

Vietnam’s publications on display at 17th Venezuela International Book Fair

Publications of Vietnam are being showcased at the 17th Venezuela International Book Fair (FILVEN 2021) as Vietnam is the event’s guest country of honour at the invitation of Venuezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The FILVEN 2021 is viewed as the most outstanding cultural event of Venezuela this year with more than 800 in-person and online activities.

The Vietnamese embassy has worked to introduce various books to promote the country’s long-standing tradition, cultural identity and achievements to international friends, including those penned by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and late General Vo Nguyen Giap.

Visiting Vietnam’s pavilion, Venezuelan President Maduro said people of the Latin American nation have shown an interest in history, culture and development of Vietnam, hoping that more Vietnamese books will be translated into Spanish.

In reply, Vietnamese Ambassador to Venezuela Le Viet Duyen said the FILVEN 2021 and participation of the Vietnamese embassy are a hallmark in the countries’ solidarity and friendship and offer Vietnam an opportunity to introduce its culture and history to the Venezuelan people.

At the book festival, the embassy will arrange events to introduce books and online exchange programmes featuring Vietnamese authors and experts on literature, publishing and Vietnam’s Doi moi (Renewal) process. 

Musical performance, Vietnamese movies and famous dishes will be highlights of the festival, which runs until November 14. 

National footballers test negative, ‘bubble’ model in use

All members of the national football team have tested negative for COVID-19 after several positive cases were detected in their hotel in Hanoi.

The Hanoi Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control issued an urgent notice on November 6 after eight people tested positive in Charmvit Tower and Grand Plaza hotel where the national team were staying for training.

All members of the team were tested immediately on November 6 evening, with the results coming back negative on the following day.

Coach Park hang-seo allowed the players to resume training under a bubble model that requires the players not to have contact with outsiders and not to leave the hotel.

In the coming day, the team will undergo a COVID-19 test every two days through the RT-PCR method to meet COVID-19 prevention and control regulations.

Vietnam will take on Japan in Hanoi next week as part of the third round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The Vietnamese players are trying to complete tactical exercises in the hope of getting points against their Japan opponents.

Vietnam are currently staying at the bottom of Group B after losing their four first games to Saudi Arabia, Australia, China and Oman.

Government reviews socio-economic performance in first 10 months

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Saturday presided over a Cabinet meeting to review socio-economic performance in the first ten months of 2021.

In his opening remarks, Chính said that many important events took place in October. In that month, the 13th Party Central Committee held its 4th session, while the 15th National Assembly convened its second plenum.

To serve these two events, the Government actively prepared many documents and reports to submit to the Party Central Committee and the legislature, focusing on socio-economic development and pandemic prevention and control.

He also mentioned the external activities that he participated in, including his attendance at the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), and his working visit to the UK and his official visit to France.

In October, the Government issued Resolution 128 on temporary regulations on safe adaptation to and flexible and effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Ministry of Health also issued Decision 4800 concretising this resolution.

The Government leader said that Việt Nam has changed its thinking and method of fighting the pandemic towards risk management, not pursuing a “zero COVID” policy.

At the meeting, Government members discussed achievements and weaknesses in the past ten months, and proposed solutions and work that needs to be done in November and December – the two important months for economic recovery, growth and social welfare assurance.

At a regular Government press conference held after the meeting, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Trần Văn Sơn said that the Government has requested more efforts to quickly build and complete a national economic recovery programme, and soon implement the second shot of COVID-19 vaccines for pandemic-hit areas. 

Art installation displays objects of artist’s dreams

Young contemporary artist AP Nguyễn has invited people into a journey to explore her “personal treasure trove”.

The “treasure trove”, according to the 22-year-old artist, has been accumulated over the years, and shows the objects of her own desires and dreams. It has been entitled Lovecore.

Hòn non bộ (Miniature mountains), áo dài (Vietnamese traditional dress), Hạ Long Bay, which appear in the showcase, were selected from AP’s ongoing project which started in 2017 when she left Việt Nam to study and live abroad.

Inspired by the sites that have become symbols for Vietnamese tourism such as Hạ Long Bay or Ninh Bình Province, and by the long-standing local art form of hòn non bộ, or a mountain with everything in miniature, this series of sculptures acts as portals through which people can look into AP’s private world.

Traditionally displayed in temples and pagodas, hòn non bộ can now be used as decoration in homes. On the surface of AP’s sculptures, however, in place of details usually seen on a conventional hòn non bộ such as live plants and ceramic miniature pagodas, humans and animals, have been replaced with palm trees, starfish, flip-flops and bikinis – alluring visuals often associated with the illusion of ‘tropical holiday’ escapism.

Next to them, the phrase ‘Việt Nam Quê Hương Tôi’ (Việt Nam My Homeland) appears as fragmented, separated, singular words. Inside some of AP’s ceramic sculptures the audience can see videos of the artist herself in different situations, playing different characters.

“Borrowing from popular cultural phenomenon, utilising the aesthetic of mass-produced souvenirs, as well as their well-known and over-exhausted iconography, AP playfully subverts the conventions and expectation of such objects and images – by altering their properties and functions, or by weaving in her autobiographical reflections and experiences. Her work teases with what we think we know,” Curator Bill Nguyễn said of AP’s work.

Born in Hà Nội in 1999, AP Nguyễn is a contemporary artist practicing in the mediums of sculpture, painting, video and writing. She is inspired by her experiences of migration and movement.

Within her works, she explores both the historical and modern mythologies of water. Language is also an important factor of her work, allowing for wordplay and poetry to influence how she understands everyday concepts and material artifacts.

Over the past few years, she has resided in London where she is studying a BA in Fine Arts at the Chelsea College of Arts (University of the Arts London).

At the time of COVID-19, she was halfway through her second year but had to return to Việt Nam to ensure her health and safety. After returning to her native country, she began to experiment with forms of clay and lacquer painting, allowing the raw material and its rich cultural histories to tease out new meanings and ways of seeing the world.

Her exhibition Lovecore opens until November 25, 10am-6pm, from Tue-Sun, at Manzi Exhibition Space, 2 Ngõ Hàng Bún, Ba Đình District, Hà Nội. 

HCM City faces big shortage of informal workers

With the economy recovering and production returning to normal, many HCM City businesses are now facing a serious shortage of informal workers, especially in the food and beverage business.

Many shops, restaurants, other eateries, coffee shops, and others in the city have reopened but most lack workers and operate at less than full capacity.

Restaurants and other business establishments have posted recruitment notices for jobs such as waiters, sales staff and hairdressers seeking seasonal workers and employees working in shifts, and offer relatively high starting salaries of VNĐ4-6 million (US$176-264) per month.

Nguyễn Văn Hải, owner of a rice restaurant on Nơ Trang Long Street in Bình Thạnh District, said he had posted a notice for waiters early last month.

“I offered a high salary and free lunch but no one has applied.”

Nearly 90 per cent of his employees left for their hometowns after the latest COVID-19 outbreak and have not yet returned.

To operate, he needs at least 40 per cent of them.

It is very difficult to hire people since students have not yet started their new school year either, he said. 

“I am very worried about not being able to find enough employees in the near future.”

Đặng Xuân Sơn, an eatery owner on Giải Phóng Street in Tân Bình District, said he might have to find new workers to reopen since the old ones had returned home.

“We provide free lunch, accommodation and bonuses for holidays and Tết, but no one is applying."

Many other industries are also facing difficulties finding informal workers such as bricklayers, painters, babysitters, and domestic help.

Võ Thị Yến of Bình Thạnh District said she has been looking for a domestic help for a week but has not found one.

“My husband and I work all day, so our house has been very messy for the past two weeks.”

According to preliminary statistics from city authorities, the pandemic has caused hundreds of thousands of informal workers to lose their jobs and leave the city for their hometowns.

Now most businesses are facing a severe shortage of part-time and seasonal workers.

Most informal workers have not yet returned to the city because of difficulties in travelling or fear about a lack of accommodation.

Some prefer to work in their hometown until Tết (Lunar New Year), which is approaching.

Informal workers rarely enjoy benefits such as social insurance and bonuses for public holidays and Tết, and so it is difficult for businesses to attract them, especially to work for a long time.

Võ Thị Tiền of Tân Phú District said she used to be a waitress but decided to quit and look for another job.

“I have applied for a job at a garment factory in Bình Tân District and expect to start working early next week.”

The Youth Employment Service Centre of HCM City said over the past month it has received a huge number of requests for unskilled workers from many business that offered high salaries and benefits. 

Many need to recruit a large number of employees, or people working in shifts with salaries of ranging VNĐ15,000-25,000 ($0.65-1.09) per hour, even VNĐ30,000 ($1.3).

But the number of applicants has not met their demand.

So co-ordination between businesses and employment exchanges and appropriate remuneration policies are needed to attract workers, according to the centre.

Phạm Thanh Trực, deputy head of the HCM City Export Processing Zones and Industrial Parks Authority (HEPZA), said 95 per cent of enterprises have resumed production and 210,000 out of 288,000 workers have returned to work so far.

Since October 1, when the city reopened, they have not been operating at full capacity to ensure safe production amid the pandemic, he said.

But many enterprises are expanding production, and so the demand for workers would increase rapidly in the near future, he added. 

Can Tho to become an advanced city in ASEAN by 2045

Cần Thơ aims to become a modern, civilised city alongside other advanced cities in ASEAN, as announced in a meeting of Cần Thơ City Party Committee on Thursday. 

The meeting summarised the implementation of the Politburo’s resolution and conclusion on the development of Cần Thơ City, which identified the important role of the locality and its mission to become “a growth pole, the driving force behind the region’s development”. 

To achieve these goals, Cần Thơ will accelerate economic restructuring, shift the focus to depth in its growth model based on advanced technology, while enhancing productivity and effective use of resources, competitiveness and comprehensive integration with the regional and global economy. 

The city will also focus on its creative ability and application of 4.0 technologies in establishing e-government and smart city.

Cần Thơ is envisioned to become a major hub for inter-regional and international transportation, occupying a strategic location in terms of national defence, security and economy of the Mekong Delta and the country. 

The city’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) is expected to increase by 7.5 to 8 per cent in the 2020-2025 period, and 8 to 8.5 per cent in the 2025-2030 period, on a yearly average.

Cần Thơ’s GRDP per capita will reach VNĐ140 million (US$6,170) by 2025 and over VNĐ200 million ($8,820) by 2030. 

In regard to the local economic structure, in 2025 the agricultural, industrial and service sectors are expected to account for 6 per cent, 35 per cent and 60 per cent, respectively. By 2030, the service sector will increase to 61 per cent, the industrial sector 34 per cent, and the agricultural sector will decline to 4 per cent. 

The total State budget revenue is estimated to increase by 7.25 per cent per year for the 2020-2030 period and is expected to reach VNĐ22.79 trillion ($1 billion). 

Cần Thơ also set the goals to maintain its Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) among the Top 10 of the country, with start-ups accounting for 4 to 5 per cent of newly-established enterprises.  

Within the next 10 years, Cần Thơ will develop a system of expressways connecting HCM City - Cần Thơ - Cà Mau, and from Cần Thơ to other provinces in the regions, to the border with Cambodia through Châu Đốc City.

Cần Thơ International Airport will also open up new domestic and international flight routes to make use of its full capacity. 

The city master plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, will be built in a comprehensive manner that will maximise the city’s strengths and potential for the development of the Mekong Delta region. 

The Secretary of Cần Thơ City Party Committee also proposed that the Committee remain focused on COVID-19 prevention measures, and other policies and frameworks that provide support to farmers, workers, and businesses, especially small and medium enterprises and household businesses, to resume operation and overcome difficulties caused by the pandemic.

Experts discuss State budget estimate for 2022

State budget allocation should prioritise poor localities with a high number of migrant workers, said Dr Nguyễn Đức Thành, director of the Vietnam Centre for Economic and Strategic Studies (VESS) while attending a seminar discussing the State budget estimate 2022 on Friday.

The seminar “State Budget Estimate in 2022 - Ability to meet social security targets” was co-organised by the Budget Transparency, Accountability and Participation (BTAP) Alliance and chaired by the Centre for Development and Integration (CDI) and VESS.

Experts at the online seminar discussed the mobilisation and use of the State budget to achieve social security goals in 2022.

Nguyễn Minh Tân, deputy head of the State budget department under the finance ministry, said since early 2021, State monetary policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic had been adopted in a comprehensive and timely manner. The State has exempted a number of taxes and fees with a total exemption worth VNĐ140 trillion.

State budget spending has been mobilised for pandemic prevention and control work including the purchase of medical equipment, study of vaccines and domestic treatment medicine as well as supporting employers and employees. The total budget spending has so far reached VNĐ127 trillion.

As of October 2021, about VNĐ68 trillion was sourced from the State budget to contain the pandemic. More than VNĐ13.6 trillion was allocated for support packages.

Tân said the pandemic containment capacity of the Government had been strengthened thanks to experience but the resilience against COVID-19 of the State and people will seriously worsen.

According to a report on the State budget estimate in 2022 submitted by the Government to the National Assembly, State budget collection is estimated at more than VNĐ1.4 quadrillion, increasing by 3.4 per cent compared to the estimate of 2021.

The State budget spending in 2022 is estimated at more than VNĐ1.7 quadrillion, an increase of 4.5 per cent compared to the 2021 estimate.

The report is being published on the portal of the finance ministry for public feedback.

The report sets out a number of goals, including "mobilising, allocating and effectively using State resources for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic; making good use of opportunities to promote socio-economic recovery and development; continuing to maintain macroeconomic stability, control inflation, and ensure social security".

Dr Nguyễn Đức Thành, VESS director, said the draft State budget estimate for 2022 had reflected the spirit of sharing actions and mobilising resources to cope with difficulties during the pandemic. However, the budget estimate needs to be more specific and transparent by highlighting how the budget will be spent, how policies will be implemented, in order to target the most disadvantaged people who are migrant workers heavily affected by the pandemic and having to leave jobs in urban areas to return to their hometowns.

“It is a paradox that the poorest provinces are often home to the highest number of migrants. Those localities need the highest spending on supporting returning migrant workers.

“It is necessary to allocate budget to the most disadvantaged provinces under a special mechanism, and closely monitor the budget allocation,” he said.

Nguyễn Quang Thường, acting executive director of CDI, said the Vietnamese Government had launched a number of supportive packages for those heavily affected by COVID-19. However, the highest level of support, according to resolutions 68/NQ-CP and 116/NQ-CP, is still lower than the regional minimum wage.

Thường said each person received the support only one time while each wave of COVID-19 lasted for at least two months. He proposed the Government increase the level of cash support for people.

Nguyễn Thu Hương, senior programme manager of Oxfam Vietnam, said: "Việt Nam is moving towards the goal of ‘social Security for the entire population’ and to achieve this goal, Việt Nam should allocate a minimum budget for social security, maybe from 6-10 per cent of GDP.”

She proposed increasing State budget spending on voluntary social insurance policies to give freelance workers all the same benefits as compulsory social insurance beneficiaries. 

HCM City sees rise in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations

The number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations in HCM City has increased slightly over the past two weeks, with most hospitalised patients having mild symptoms, according to a survey conducted by the city’s Department of Health.

Eighty-six per cent of hospitalised patients have had either one or two vaccine doses, and the remaining 14 per cent of patients are unvaccinated. Ninety per cent of unvaccinated patients are under 18 years old.

The patients with mild symptoms, including some with underlying health conditions, have been sent to level-two hospitals, which are part of the five-level admission and treatment plan for COVID-19 patients.

Another survey conducted by the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases in October found that 45 per cent of 349 patients had mild symptoms, and the remaining 55 per cent of patients with severe symptoms needed ventilators or ECMO intervention.

In the unvaccinated group, 74 per cent of patients had severe symptoms and the remaining 26 per cent had mild symptoms. Fifty-one severe cases were on ventilators, and three severe cases required ECMO intervention.

In the vaccinated (one or two doses) group, 40 per cent of patients had severe symptoms and 60 per cent had mild symptoms. Twelve per cent of fully vaccinated patients and 49 per cent of people with one vaccine dose had severe symptoms.

Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh Châu, deputy director of the city’s Department of Health, said the number of new infections and hospitalisations in the city had bounced back in the past two weeks.

Châu attributed the number of rising cases to the return of unvaccinated migrant workers to the city and the lifting of COVID-19 related restrictions.

Most of the positive cases detected in industrial parks had not been not fully vaccinated, he said at a meeting on Thursday.

Although fully vaccinated people have a much lower risk of death or serious illness after infection, it is still essential to comply with social distancing, mask wearing, and hand santisation, among other 5K regulations to prevent infection, he warned.

Phạm Đức Hải, deputy head of the HCM City Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, said the number of deaths rose over the past few days, with 21 deaths reported last Saturday (October 30), 25 deaths on Sunday (October 31), 31 deaths on Monday (November 1), and 40 on Tuesday (November 2).

The number of hospitalised patients and deaths due to COVID-19 demonstrates a complicated and unpredictable pandemic situation in the city, Hải said.

Many people are still gathering in large groups at public venues and neglecting preventive measures.

As of November 3, a total of 11,446 people with COVID-19 were being treated in the city, including 240 patients with severe COVID-19 on ventilators, and 15 requiring ECMO intervention. 

Cao Bang Province reports first-ever COVID-19 case

The northern border province of Cao Bằng on Friday recorded its first-ever COVID-19 case since the pandemic hit the country early last year.

The infection was detected in Na Sai village in Yên Thọ Commune of Bảo Lâm District.

The patient is a 20-year-old man returning from the northern province of Bắc Ninh on October 31. He worked for a buffet restaurant in Nam Sơn District, Bắc Ninh Province.

On November 3, he received a call from the restaurant's manager who said he had close contact with a COVID-19-infected employee there.

After taking RT-PCT test, he was confirmed positive to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 on November 4.

Viet Nam reports 7,646 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday

An additional 7,646 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Viet Nam on Sunday, bringing the nationwide tally to 968,684.

A further 61 deaths were announced.

Out of the new cases, 15 were imported and quarantined upon arrival.

Compared to Saturday, the number of daily cases has increased nationally by 151.

HCM City tops the list with 1,009 new infections, followed by Đồng Nai Province with 997, and Bình Dương Province with 826.

The capital city of Hà Nội reported 72 new cases on Sunday.

The other infections were found in An Giang (427), Kiên Giang (398), Tây Ninh (393), Bạc Liêu (298), Đồng Tháp (289), Bình Thuận (279), Sóc Trăng (238), Tiền Giang (233), Cần Thơ (210), Cà Mau (184), Đắk Lắk (151), Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu (150), Vĩnh Long (128), Long An (119), Hà Giang (116), Bình Phước (114), Trà Vinh (75), Bắc Giang (70), Bến Tre (64), Khánh Hòa (60), Hậu Giang (56), Phú Thọ (51), Bắc Ninh (51), Nghệ An (50), Ninh Thuận (48), Bình Định (46), Nam Định (46), Thanh Hóa (45), Đắk Nông (44), Quảng Ngãi (41), Gia Lai (29), Thừa Thiên Huế (29), Hà Tĩnh (21), Quảng Ninh (21), Lâm Đồng (20), Đà Nẵng (18), Điện Biên (14), Quảng Bình (13), Hà Nam (13), Hải Dương (13), Kon Tum (13), Phú Yên (13), Hưng Yên (11), Quảng Nam (8 ), Quảng Trị (5), Vĩnh Phúc (3), Thái Nguyên (3), Hòa Bình (2), Hải Phòng (1), Thái Bình (1), Sơn La (1) and Cao Bằng (1).

Among the new COVID-related deaths, 31 were in HCM City. The other fatalities were recorded in Bạc Liêu (7), Bình Dương (5), An Giang (5), Tiền Giang (4), Đồng Nai (2), Kiên Giang (2), Đắk Nông (1), Bình Thuận (1), Cần Thơ (1), Quảng Ngãi (1), and Sóc Trăng (1).

A further 1,301 recoveries were reported on Sunday, taking the total number of patients given the all-clear to 840,402.

There are currently 3,280 people being treated in intensive care units.

More than 89.6 million vaccine doses have been administered to date, with just over 28.7 million people having received two doses. 

Building safer schools for LGBTIQ+ people

A safer education environment for LGBTIQ+ students is essential to create a more resilient and inclusive Việt Nam, said UNESCO Representative to Việt Nam Christian Manhart at an event in Hà Nội on Saturday.

The discussion between representatives from the education sector, international organisations, and activists, was part of the 2021 UN Free & Equal Campaign (UNFE) in Việt Nam.

It was run by the United Nations (UN) in Việt Nam, in partnership with the University of Education - Việt Nam National University (VNU-UEd) and the Việt Nam Network of Young Key Affected Population (VYKAP). 

The campaign embraces current and future teachers as important agents of change, making efforts to engage with hundreds of trainee teachers to enhance their understanding of SOGIESC (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics) concepts.

It also encourages educators to integrate these topics into their teaching, which will ultimately result in safer learning environments for all students.

"The event showed a strengthened partnership between the VNU-UEd, VYKAP and the UN in Việt Nam", said Christian Manhart, UNESCO Representative to Việt Nam. 

"United in a common belief that supporting a safer education environment for LGBTIQ+ students is one of the most important contributions to the development of education in the nation for a more resilient and inclusive Việt Nam."

According to a recent national survey on a safe, equal, and inclusive learning environment conducted by UNESCO in Việt Nam, approximately 50 per cent of LGBTIQ+ students reported being victims of bullying and discrimination at school.

Over 70 per cent of LGBTIQ+ students said they were either physically or verbally abused, and a quarter of them had had suicidal thoughts.

These were also the experiences shared by two guest speakers from the LGBTIQ+ community, Dương Tú Anh and Lèo Bích Kim. 

Vũ Trần Dũng, Founder and Network Senior Advisor of VYKAP, said: “Friends, teachers, and families make up a triangle of forces with direct and profound influence on adolescents and young students. 

"However, the reality in many education institutions is that sexuality education for secondary and university students is still under-prioritised and follows restricted standards."

This results in knowledge gaps and misconceptions about SOGIESC, and young people not having the knowledge or being unable to access adequate, comprehensive sexuality education (CSE).

Dr. Nguyễn Đức Huy, VNU-UEd Deputy Rector, said: "Each teacher in training is also an individual, a future global citizen, and a part of the inherent diversity of life.

"When equipped with a deeper, multidimensional and comprehensive view, these future teachers will contribute to promoting safer school environments, where all differences and diversities are respected."

As an LGBTIQ+ right and health activist, Dương Tú Anh also proposed that in addition to schools' support, students should also proactively participate in extracurricular activities to develop their own perspectives and experiences on SOGIESC and CSE.

UN Free & Equal is an initiative launched by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in 2013 as a global UN public information campaign aimed at promoting equal rights and fair treatment of LGBTIQ+ people. 

The 2021 United Nations Free & Equal (UNFE) campaign in Việt Nam includes a four-week targeted social media campaign and a hybrid public event.

After the event on Saturday, the online social media campaign will continue until November 10. 

HCM City deploys more mobile medical stations, quick response teams against COVID 

Areas in HCM City with a rising number of COVID-19 cases are having to deploy more mobile medical stations and quick response teams.

In the last two weeks, the number of new cases have been picking up again, with some days seeing more than 1,000, according to Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh Châu, deputy director of the Department of Health.

This is partly due to many unvaccinated and partly vaccinated people returning from provinces to work, he said.

The HCM City Centre for Disease Control (HCDC) sent officials to two wards in Hóc Môn District on November 5 to investigate the rising number of cases and has instructed the district medical centre to quickly handle its new COVID clusters.

The department sent 15 mobile medical stations to the district and instructed a field hospital and rehabilitation centre in Tân Phú District to admit severe cases from Hóc Môn.

The city is deploying more quick response teams and mobile medical stations at districts with a rising number of cases.

The department has instructed medical facilities around the city to be attentive and quickly carry out COVID-prevention measures.

Hospitals have been told to prepare a list of reserve doctors and nurses who can be dispatched to mobile medical stations to help districts care for patients at home and field hospitals.

They have also been instructed to reinforce their COVID treatment facilities, stock up on equipment and medicines, and be prepared to admit patients.

Medical centres and stations need to update the list of COVID patients in their jurisdiction and quickly inform the HCDC and the department, while hospitals need to focus more on monitoring visitors to identify positive cases.

Vaccinated people remain at risk of getting and spreading the disease, and so people should not let their guards down and strictly abide by pandemic preventive measures, Châu warned.

The city, the country’s COVID epicentre, began reopening on October 1.

Around 80 per cent of its adult population is fully vaccinated.

Sài Gòn Hi-tech Park sets up quarantine zone

Sài Gòn Hi-tech Park in Thủ Đức City has opened a quarantine zone to isolate asymptomatic workers without underlying health conditions.

It is funded by tenants, has medical equipment such as oxygen tanks, and WiFi so that workers can continue working if needed.

The free zone is staffed by medical workers from the Bắc Mỹ General Hospital and the Thủ Đức City Medical Centre.

Nguyễn Anh Thi, head of the park management, said that many workers cannot be self-quarantined at home since they live in small apartments without private rooms or with old relatives.

Around 75 infections were found in the park last week, he said. 

HCM City has administered the first COVID vaccine to nearly 630,000 children between the ages of 12 and 17 as of November 4.

It began the campaign on October 27, focusing on children aged 16-17 first and gradually moving down.

It is using Pfizer’s Comirnaty vaccine.

There were 54 kids with slight side effects.

Cancer warrior finds purpose in helping others

Nguyen Xuan Hoan has been battling for cancer for years, but he never stops helping people.

In the past three months, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hoàn has driven his pickup truck carrying rice, vegetables, and eggs to help those in need. Even during chemotherapy treatment, he has helped his team keep the work going.

Hoàn was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer in 2016. Luckily, he was given the all clear a year later after undergoing 40 therapy sessions.

The treatment transformed him into a more positive person. Hoàn realised the importance of good health to lead a meaningful life. He plunged into jogging and participated in many marathons. In 2018, he won a race of 42.2 kilometres in four hours and 38 minutes at the China Marathon.

When his health improved, he challenged himself with another mission: helping other people. In 2019, Hoàn became a member of the Pickup Vietnam Club, which was part of the Việt Nam Youth Union in Hà Nội, and joined different charity activities with other members.

Hoàn never missed any charity activity. He, together with other members of the club, brought gifts to children in mountainous areas for the Mid-Autumn Festival, and transported food to disadvantaged people in remote or flooded areas.

He led a volunteer group to cook porridge for patients at hospitals in Hà Nội almost every day. The pickup truck has become a useful vehicle and a companion, helping him in hundreds of charity trips across the country.

Since 2020, Hoàn has become an active member in charge of transporting medical equipment and necessities to the pandemic epicentres in Bắc Giang and Bắc Ninh provinces. Hoàn, in his protective clothing, he volunteered to help people in quarantine and locked down areas in Hà Nội and patients in Bạch Mai Hospital and the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

Hoàn has been in charge of helping more than 40 new members of the club in charity activities. These new members must pass the ‘rookie’ challenge to become official members of the club.

"I remember the trip to deliver necessities and medical supplies for COVID-19 hit Bắc Giang Province. I and other members in the team were given a bag of lychees as a gift from local residents. I felt very happy because that’s the gratefulness of local people towards us," he told Lao động thủ đô (Urban Labour) newspaper.

When Hà Nội applied strict social distancing due to the fourth wave of COVID-19 in July, Hoàn was told nasopharyngeal cancer had metastasised to his lungs.

Hoàn faced this new challenge in a different way. He didn’t want to keep being afraid or depressed, but calmly accepted it, and prepared for long chemo treatment.

He drove himself to the hospital, took care of himself during each chemo session, and helped other patients.

"This time I’m not as tired as I was five years ago, maybe because I have exercised regularly,” he said.

His long hair, which was down past his shoulders, fell out and he became thinner due to the chemotherapy. He has found it hard to move his tongue and can’t communicate well.

However, nothing can stop him from being the leader to help the needy. He is optimistic and full of the spirit of a warrior. Lying on the hospital bed, he still keeps in touch with other members and supported them when they were in need.

There was a day he went to lead the team to help people when he just finished his chemo treatment.

“The rookie team was on duty to deliver meals to poor unemployed workers in Dịch Vọng Ward in Cầu Giấy District on that day. I was not sure they could manage it due to the heavy workload, which could lead to a shortage of food for the needy. So I went with my team as I felt better,” he said. 

Hoàn said PVC Club gathered drivers who shared the same goals and passion for volunteering, and the leader needed to inspire his ‘rookies’. Hoàn has trained hundreds of ‘rookies’ to take part in charity work for the club.

Hoàn said his team would go to Trà Leng in central Quảng Nam Province to support local people this month.

“Every trip, I have a chance to meet many different people facing different hardships, so I’ve found myself really lucky. This is the motivation for me to participate in volunteering activities as it gives me positive energy,” he said.

“I’m just doing what makes me happy and makes other people happy, too,” he said.

Season 3 of “Whose Chance?” reality show on jobs airs on VTV3

Following the success of first two seasons, season 3 of the reality TV show on employment “Whose Chance?” (Cơ Hội Cho Ai?) is back with attractive interviews and job offers.

The show, with an absence of audiences due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be aired on Việt Nam Television’s channel 3 (VTV3) at noon every Saturday from November 6.

Hosted by MC Thành Trung, it will feature real interviews and negotiations between candidates and C-suite level leaders from leading businesses and corporations in commercial, retail, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), technology, telecommunications, and media.

The entertainment show connects employers and job seekers and offers opportunities for young talented people to get good jobs.

This year candidates will appear on both online and offline channels to meet and present themselves to six leaders from top businesses for major positions with competitive salaries and benefits at their companies.

In the first two seasons, 37 candidates got jobs with attractive salaries and benefits. The highest monthly offer was VNĐ68 million (US$3,000). 

HCM City Book Street to open e-commerce website

The HCM City Book Street Company is planning to launch an e-commerce website to meet reader demand.

The company’s director Lê Hoàng told local media that the book street on Nguyễn Văn Bình Street in District 1 reopened on October 9 but many people from outside HCM City have been unable to visit because of COVID-19 restrictions.

The e-commerce website will help readers buy books easily, he said, adding that the company is seeking a partner to develop the website soon.

After only 10 days of re-opening, the book street welcomed nearly 4,000 visitors and earned revenue of more than VNĐ500 million (US$22,000).

The book street company has worked with its partners to organise events to promote a reading culture and has asked people to be safe and optimistic during the "new normal".

The company, along with the southern representative agency of the Việt Nam Publishers’ Association and the Saigon Entrepreneur Weekly, will launch a contest called “Sách Tôi Tâm Đắc” (My Favourite Book) until November 19.

The event aims to identify 10 must-read books on entrepreneurship, which will be announced on December 7.

The company will also hold an event called “Entrepreneur and Book Week 2021” on December 1-7.

It will include a photo exhibition “Tôi và Sách” (Books and I), a showcase of books about entrepreneurs, a conference on promoting reading culture in businesses, book introductions, and talk shows with authors.

"Through the event, we want to encourage entrepreneurs to write and introduce helpful books, as well as promote reading culture among entrepreneurs and labourers,” Hoàng said.

The book street opened in January 2016, with 20 stalls offering new and best-selling publications from the country’s leading publishing houses and book distributors.

It has organised dozens of book exhibitions and more than 100 cultural and book-signing events, attracting leading domestic and foreign publishers, distributors and agencies.

In the first six months of 2021, the book street earned turnover of VNĐ15.5 billion (US$681,300), an increase of 4 per cent compared to the same period in 2020.

More than 352,800 books on different topics were sold during the period, up 19 per cent over the same period last year. 

Netflix launches film fund worth VNĐ5 billion for Vietnamese filmmakers

As the entertainment industry stages a gradual recovery from the pandemic and domestic funding sources remain limited, Netflix has launched a film fund with the aim of supporting lesser-known filmmakers in Việt Nam, creating more opportunities for their voices to be heard.

This community includes female filmmakers, creators living in localities far from the hubs of Hà Nội and HCM City, as well as people in difficult economic circumstances. The fund is worth up to VNĐ5 billion (US$192,300).

The fund was announced in a livestream event titled "Cinema Beauty – Việt Nam Creative Economy Fund" on October 31 with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, representatives of the Hồ Chí Minh City Film Association and many Vietnamese artists.

YeahOne Entertainment Company in Việt Nam will manage the fund on behalf of Netflix.

Speaking at the event, Nguyễn Phương Hòa, director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that film is the “mental vaccine” for audiences in the difficult context of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the film industry plays an important role in developing the creative economy.

Hòa highly appreciates Netflix's initiative in forming a support fund, enabling filmmakers and disadvantaged groups to have the opportunity to tell their stories while contributing to diversifying individual voices in cultural-artistic life.

Sharing the reason behind the fund to support Vietnamese filmmakers, Amy Sawita Lefevre, Netflix Director of External Relations for Asia-Pacific, said that creating an opportunity to listen to voices from the disadvantaged community is very important.

“Việt Nam is a wonderful country with many talents in different fields. From this spirit, we are taking the first steps towards creating a more inclusive space where every story is reflected. Along with that, we launched Netflix's first 'Cinema Beauty – Vietnam Creative Economy' fund in Việt Nam to support the creative economy at scale and help local filmmakers from lesser known groups," she added.

According to Vietnamese filmmaker and actress Kathy Uyên, it is really important to create a launch pad for lesser-known filmmaking groups, helping them access resources and professional training, towards the goal of building a creative and diverse film industry.

The actress appreciates how the fund is able to support indie filmmakers in difficult circumstances and give them a chance to shine.

Following the announcement of Netflix's ‘Cinematic Beauty – Vietnam Creative Economy’ fund, filmmakers and artists attended two seminars on the role of entertainment in improving mental health, the need to support the recovery of the creative economy after the pandemic, as well as the reality and diversity of Việt Nam's creative economy. 

Theatre stages new puppet play after lockdown

The Phương Nam Theatre will offer a new puppet play in HCM City every weekend in November.  

The play, Lòng Mẹ (Mother’s Love), will make its debut next week. More than 20 artists will be included. 

The play features characters from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales. Themes of a mother’s love, bravery, self-respect and honesty are highlighted. 

After every show, talks about Vietnamese puppetry and its history will be featured. 

The producer invited composer Ái Cầm to compose music and songs based on Vietnamese folk music for the play. 

Lòng Mẹ was scheduled to be released in July to serve children during summer and celebrate the Mid-autumn Full Moon festival in September. It was postponed after cinemas and theatres in HCM City closed when the fourth wave of COVID-19 started in late April. 

“Phương Nam Theatre artists are ready for audiences after our suspension due to the COVID-19 outbreak,” said puppet artist Thùy Trang, who plays a leading role in Lòng Mẹ. 

Trang and her staff are also working on two water puppetry performances called Trâu Vàng Nghinh Tiếp (Golden Buffalo) and Cá Chép Hoá Rồng (Carps Turn into Dragons). 

These shows tell stories about patriotism and national heroes based on Vietnamese fairy tales. They will be staged at a mobile theatre with 150 seats located at the HCM City Museum of History. The theatre’s construction was completed in February.

Puppetry artists use colourful puppets made of wood, controlled from the chamber next to the stage by strings and underwater nets, to tell stories. 

“Water puppetry has been performed on a stage in a pool of water for about 1,000 years in Việt Nam,” said Phương Nam Theatre director Lê Diễn, who has more than 20 years of experience in theatre. 

“We hope to encourage museum visitors, particularly young people, to learn about the country’s history, culture and lifestyle through Vietnamese puppetry,” he added. 

The puppet play Lòng Mẹ will be staged at the Phương Nam Theatre, 374 Trần Phú Street, District 5. Online tickets are offered at the theatre’s website www.nhahatphuongnam.com.

Water puppet shows will be staged every Saturday and Sunday, starting in December, at the HCM City Museum of History, 2 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm Street, in District 1. 

Counter attacking could be key to beating Japan

Midfielder Lương Xuân Trường said he confident the national team will be able to score goals against Japan when they face off next week in the World Cup qualifiers.

And despite their opponents being one of the top teams in Asia, Trường feels they could be vulnerable on the counter attack.

The two teams meet on November 11 at the Mỹ Đình National Stadium with Việt Nam still to register any points in this qualifying campaign.

"The coaching staff and players have been watching videos of Japan's matches," said Trường.

"They are a top-class team from this continent. Facing Japan at home, I think we need to play tight, defend resiliently and wait for the right time to counter attack."

The midfielder from Hoàng Anh Gia Lai Club has played three of the four matches in the campaign so far against Saudi Arabia, China and Oman.

"Việt Nam team haven’t got any points in the last matches, but we did score goals. This will be a difficult game against Japan but it is not impossible to get a result. We remain optimistic and we hope to be able to get the first goal," said Trường.

Midfielder Đỗ Hùng Dũng has returned to training with the national team after he recovered from an injury. 

Trường said his presence has lifted the spirits in the camp.

"I am very happy because Dũng trained hard to overcome his serious injury," he said.

"The whole team are also very happy to welcome him back. As for the competition for positions, of course every player wants to play. Those who are in good form will be in contention to play." 

Việt Nam will have the addition of eight players from the U23 team after they successfully qualified for the AFC finals.

Trường was part of the youth team that made history in 2018 when they reached the final. He said he believes that tournament will help him and other players grow.

He said: "For me, the AFC U23 event is a very meaningful tournament to help young players to grow up more. Players doing well in the AFC tournament will have a good future.”

After facing Japan, Việt Nam will play Saudi Arabia on November 16. Both matches will kick off at 7pm at the Mỹ Đình National Stadium in Hà Nội. Around 12,000 fans will be allowed inside the stadium. 

President praises Buddhist Sangha’s dedication to country

The Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha celebrated its 40th founding anniversary on Sunday.

The ceremony was held in Hà Nội and online with 63 cities and provinces across the country.

In attendance were President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Secretary of the Party Central Committee Đỗ Văn Chiến, head of the Central Mass Mobilisation Commission Bùi Thị Minh Hoài, other country’s leaders, and venerable monks representing the Sangha.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, President Phúc presented a First-class Independence Medal to the Sangha.

Speaking at the event, the President praised the dedication of Buddhist disciples to the country throughout the religion’s 2,000-year history in Việt Nam.

Whether in wartime or peacetime, the Sangha has had many shining examples of individuals who helped to gather people and build national solidarity, he said.

“Thousands of Buddhist monks, nuns and disciples became patriotic soldiers who fought alongside people against the enemy. Many temples became revolutionary bases. Many monks fought and died for the country’s freedom,” President Phúc said.

In modern times, especially when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Sangha has strictly complied with prevention regulations and stopped all religious activities to ensure safety for the monks, nuns, followers, and society, he added.

“The Sangha has also donated a major financial resource to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund and helped to purchase a large amount of medical equipment, food and essential items for those in need,” he said.

Many monks, nuns and disciples volunteered to work in hospitals and field hospitals in the pandemic hotspots such as HCM City and other southern provinces. A lot of temples and places of worship were turned into care centres for COVID-19 patients, or places to keep cremated ashes of patients that died from the pandemic.

The President stressed that it’s in the Party’s and State’s interest to always respect and ensure the people's right to freedom of belief and religion, right to freedom of non-belief and religion, and to ensure religious activities in accordance with the law.

He expressed his hope that the Sangha, monks, nuns, and Buddhists across the country will continue to demonstrate their role and credibility in building great national unity, developing the nation, connecting Buddhist followers in and out of the country and with other religions.

The State leader asked the Central Committees, ministries, Party committees, local authorities and the Việt Nam Fatherland Front to always pay attention to promote and implement the State’s policies on religion.

This means having actions such as guiding, helping, and creating favourable conditions for religions, Buddhism included, to operate in compliance with the law, which will help to create a stable and healthy environment for religious and belief activities throughout the country, he said.

Venerable Thích Trí Quảng, head of the Executive Board of the Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha in HCM City, delivered a message from the Patronage Council of the Sangha, which called on all the monks, nuns, disciples, and people to continue upholding the incarnation tradition of Vietnamese Buddhism, train themselves, and cultivate dignified spirituality.

They should also further promote the tradition of protecting the nation and the people, accompanying the nation of Vietnamese Buddhism, as well as consolidating national solidarity and international religious connections, the message reads.

The Sangha should also take care of the overseas Vietnamese Buddhist community, and through them, introduce the Vietnamese history, culture and people to international friends to help the country maintain peace, stability and protect Việt Nam’s sovereignty. 

Quang Ninh gears up to resume tourism post-pandemic

Quảng Ninh Province is one of the localities that have well-controlled the COVID-19 pandemic, with almost no cases of infection in the past 3 months. Utilising many solutions to catch up with the “new normal”, it is gradually recovering its tourism industry by making domestic travellers a focus.

In order for the tourism industry to regain its growth momentum, Quảng Ninh is using many methods.

Visitors are entitled to free tickets to visit Hạ Long Bay, the Yên Tử tourism site and Quảng Ninh Museum from now until the end of 2021, as well as subsidised bus fares from Vân Đồn airport to Dốc Đỏ, Uông Bí City, and vice versa.

Local tourism and travel businesses are preparing the necessary conditions to resume operations as soon as possible and developing programmes to promote safe tourism.

According to the director of the provincial Tourism Department Phạm Ngọc Thủy, 50 events are going to be held across the province to stimulate travel demand from now to the end of 2021.

The highlight will be events to welcome visitors to “Yên Tử -- An Autumn Journey to Buddha Land” festival, Hạ Long Bay Heritage Marathon and Winter Carnival 2021.

In addition, the province will also organise events for tourism at the district, town and city level and announce stimulus products to increase tourism.

Thủy said the provincial People’s Committee had a plan for tourism recovery in the fourth quarter. It has also completed a provisional set of criteria for COVID-19 safety evaluation based on a safe travel model devised to minimise pandemic-related risks.

The Yên Tử Monuments and Landscapes Complex in northeastern Quảng Ninh is one of the tourist destinations currently chosen by many domestic tourists.

In addition to strictly implementing safety measures to prevent the pandemic such as wearing masks, disinfecting, and making medical declarations, the use of closed-loop services in Yên Tử is being looked at to ensure safety. For cable car services, visitors are encouraged to use separate cabins in order to limit contact and ensure regulations on distance.

According to Lê Trọng Thanh, deputy general director of Tùng Lâm Development Joint Stock Company, this is the right time for travel to restart with the involvement of relevant parties.

“We will implement many promotional programmes and discounts for visitors under the conditions of strictly complying with regulations on pandemic prevention and control,” he said.

“For example, in September, the Legacy Yên Tử Resort offered room rates from VNĐ2.9 million per person on Fridays, afternoon tea and other free services. In the area of Yên Tử Village they will apply a price combo for two guests or more for only VNĐ 499,000 per person. In addition, the company will continue to deploy many tourism products to attract visitors to Yên Tử, including free early morning yoga lessons, bell meditation, relaxation meditation and Nương Village festival night.”

At Hạ Long City, the cultural, economic and political centre of Quảng Ninh, many entertainment and resort complexes such as Vinpearl Hạ Long, FLC Hạ Long and Sun World Halong Complex, have readied infrastructure, personnel, and plans on pandemic safety to welcome visitors back.

Famous for its many unique caves, Hạ Long has become a destination chosen by many tourists for discovery and relaxation. — Photo courtesy of visithalongbay.com
Tourist destinations are prioritized to welcome visitors who have been fully vaccinated, as well as offer closed-loop sightseeing services and stays on the bay with small groups of guests.

All cruise ships are fully equipped with masks, antiseptic, and facilities for medical declarations by scanning QR codes for visitors at attractions near Hạ Long Bay. They are also encouraging night tours on the bay that use all-in-one services and do not cause pandemic risks.

Along with that, the province has also organised a large-scale vaccination campaign in all localities.

As a result, more than 1 million doses of vaccine have been given, reaching over 85.47 per cent of the target, making Quảng Ninh become one of the earliest localities to complete the first shot in the country.

Tourism is the industry hardest hit by the pandemic, but also one of the fastest to recover. However, in order for tourism to fully recover, one of the prerequisites is to ensure a safe environment.

Recently, Vân Đồn International Airport has obtained Airport Health Accreditation from the Airports Council International. This is an important foundation to open up new opportunities for Quảng Ninh tourism to get back on track.

Bamboo Airways resumed its service between Vân Đồn airport and Hồ Chí Minh City on October 27 with three flights a week. Vietjet resumed flights on the route on October 31 with one flight every day. Vietnam Airlines is re-opening flights on the route on December 1 with three flights per week.

Welcoming guests from outside the province will be done with strict regulations, specific solutions and careful steps.

To reactivate tourism in the “new normal”, the authorities of Quảng Ninh and neighbouring Hải Phòng City held a meeting in late September to discuss cooperation in tourism development.

The two sides agreed to keep working together to boost tourism, build a mechanism for managing passenger and tourist transport vehicles on Hạ Long and Lan Hạ bays, and complete a dossier seeking the UNESCO recognition of Hạ Long Bay - Cát Bà Archipelago as a world natural heritage site.

They are expected to sign a set of regulations on tourism activities with pandemic safety taken into account from October, to reopen the industry.

Quảng Ninh identified safety and risk control as the prerequisite for the local administration, travel businesses and residents to succeed in implementing the tourism recovery plan.

As a safe destination, the province is spreading the message “Quảng Ninh Tourism: Safe - Friendly - Alluring” with the aim of welcoming about 2 million tourists and earning VNĐ 4 - 4.5 trillion (US$175 - 197 million) from tourism services in the last quarter of 2021.

Domestic air travel to return to normal from December

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) on November 5 submitted to the Ministry of Transport a draft plan to resume all domestic flights from December.

The CAAV suggested an increase in the frequency of three domestic routes, including Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi-Da Nang, and Da Nang-Ho Chi Minh City to a total of no more than 19 round-trip flights per day in November. This is equivalent to 30% of the total frequency recorded back in April.

The schedule would see Vietnam Airlines conduct six flights each day, while VietJet Air will be able to run six flights per day. Bamboo Airways and Pacific Airlines are to be allowed to conduct three flights per day, while Vietravel Airlines can operate a single flight each day.

For other air routes, the Aviation Authority suggested increasing the frequency to nine flights each day, including two flights a day each for Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways, Pacific Airlines, Bamboo Airways, and Pacific Airlines, along with a single daily flight for Vietravel Airlines.

Airlines have gradually restored several domestic routes since late October when Vietnam entered a new normal. From October 21 to November 3, four Vietnamese airlines had operated a total of 42 domestic routes to 22 airports, transporting 170,270 passengers.

The Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route made up the busiest domestic air route with 80 return flights, carrying 35,508 passengers.

For passengers departing from Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City, or from high-risk areas, they are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to departure.

France ready to work with Vietnam to restore French colonial architecture relics

France is ready to cooperate with Vietnam in restoring and preserving cultural relics related to architectural works built by France in Vietnam through such activities as sharing information and training human resources for these works, said Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin, French Minister of Culture.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong (centre) and French Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin (second from right) pose for a group photo (Photo: VNA)
Speaking at a working session with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong on November 4 (local time), she emphasized that France is willing to cooperate with Vietnam in the field of cultural industry through specific projects proposed by sides.

Bachelot-Narquin affirmed that France always considers culture a priority area in bilateral cooperation activities. She hoped that the two sides would connect to preserve relics and architectural heritages to attract tourists, and revenue from tourism would continue to be used to reinvest in the conservation work, adding that France is also interested in promoting the development of creative cultural industries of mutual interest.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Cuong shared about conservation works in Vietnam, including the project on restoring villas built from the French colonial period in the capital city of Hanoi such as the Opera House and the Presidential Palace.

He suggested the two sides consider the possibility of organising the Vietnam-France Exchange Year based on the success of the model which was implemented in 2013-2014 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam-France strategic partnership in 2023.

He also expressed his wish to build a cultural and cultural exchange programme between the two countries on this occasion. 

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to hold a series of cultural activities in combination with tourism promotion in various forms in Paris and some cities of France, Cuong said. Similar activities will also be organised in Hanoi and other localities by the French Embassy in Vietnam.

The two sides agreed to coordinate in organising events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations and 10 years of the Vietnam-France strategic partnership in 2023, contributing to enhancing the strategic partnership in a practical and effective manner in all areas where the two sides have potentials and interests.

Vietnamese houses win prizes at Architecture MasterPrize competition

Vietnamese houses in Ho Chi Minh City and the ancient town of Hoi An have recently won the Residential Architecture - Single family category in the Architecture MasterPrize (AMP) competition.

The Ho Chi Minh City house, known as Villa Tan Dinh, was designed by MIA Design Studio to cover an area of nearly 300 squrare metres in District 3. It appears like a miniature park and features a lake and green trees. The project took four years to complete.

As opposed to simply arranging a few small patches of green trees at the entrance or steps like in many other townhouses, architects were keen to create a large garden, meaning that they were able to come up with the idea of ​​​​giving homeowners the feeling of walking on bridges.

All indoor activities are linked together through various spaces of green trees, water surfaces, and natural light.

Meanwhile, the house in Hoi An is the work of lequang-architects. It not only accommodates four people, but also serves as a shelter for birds, spiders, and insects thanks to its green garden.

It can also be used as a small community centre for the host, an environmental activist, to meet with neighbours.

Along with the two projects, Vietnamese architecture works also bagged high prizes in several other categories in the competition.

The AMP is an international architecture award initiated by Farmani Group in Los Angeles, the United States. It is within the system of international awards for design, architecture, and photography.

2021 marks the sixth year that the AMP has been held, attracting thousands of entries from 65 countries and territories worldwide.

Entries were divided into a total of 41 categories and were evaluated by a jury panel of more than 70 experts in the fields of architecture, design, and photography.

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/SGGP/Nhan Dan