VietNamNet Bridge – Sixteen projects were awarded prizes for Viet Nam Innovation Day 2011 yesterday, June 15, in Ha Noi.

Viet Nam Innovation Day 2011 aimed to seek and support small and innovative projects focused on energy efficiency, traditional herbal medicine and agriculture – based products and services for the benefit of the poor and disadvantaged communities.

With the theme "Innovation for social equity and sustainable growth," this year's competition attracted 332 project submissions from March 7 to May 5.

The final round of the competition and knowledge exchange activities were held over two days from Tuesday and included project displays and interviews with the 36 finalists.

Each winning project received a VND600 million (US$28,500) prize.

"It was very difficult for the jury to select the winning proposals out of the 36 finalists," said Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Nguyen Van Trung.

He expressed his expectation that the winning projects would be expanded and replicated to contribute to Viet Nam's sustainable development in the future.

The annual Viet Nam Innovation Day, first held in 2003, was co-organised by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the World Bank with co-sponsorship from many international organisations.

* Fifty-one works win awards in science

The HCM City Union of Science and Technology Associations, in co-operation with the Department of Science and Technology, Labour Federation and Communist Youth Union, yesterday held an awards ceremony for the winners of the 2010 Invention Awards and Science Technology Creative Contest.

The contest admitted 191 works in many fields, including construction, irrigation, auto mechanics, education, electricity-electronics, environment, biological technology and health.

A total of 51 works won awards, including five top prizes and five second prizes.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News