Ceremony marks 708th anniversary of King-Monk’s Nirvana attainment

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) held a ceremony in Hanoi on November 29 to mark the 708th anniversary of the attainment of Nirvana of King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong, the founder of Vietnam Zen Buddhism.

Tran Nhan Tong was born on December 7, 1258. He ascended the throne when he was 21. He is famed for defeating Mongol invaders twice in 1285 and 1288.

He abdicated the throne in favour of his son Tran Anh Tong at the age of 41 and then worked to unify different Vietnamese Buddhism sects into Vietnamese Zen Buddhism. 

He was also the founder of the Truc Lam Yen Tu School of Zen and laid the foundation for Vietnamese Buddhism thought.

The VBS has made the day of the attainment of Nirvana of King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong a national anniversary day for Vietnamese Buddhism.

The ceremony also commemorated the fifth death anniversary of Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu, Permanent Vice President of the VBS’s Executive Council.

Thich Thanh Tu was born in 1927 in Song Mai commune, Kim Dong district, the northern province of Hung Yen. 

He worked with Vietnamese Buddhism sects to establish and develop the VBS in 1981.

Buddhism was introduced to Vietnam around 2,000 years ago and is now a big religion with millions of followers across the country.

Electricity transmission projects to be completed soon

Five transmission projects will be completed soon to supply electricity from the Thai Binh Thermal Power Centre to the Red River Delta provinces of Thai Binh, Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh, according to the Northern Vietnam Power Projects Management Board (NPMB).

The projects include the Thai Thuy 220kV transformer station, which is scheduled for completion in December and the 220kV Truc Ninh transformer station, set to go into operation in February, 2017.

The construction of the Thai Binh-Tien Hai-Truc Ninh 220kV transmission line will be finished in April, 2017, while the Truc Ninh 220kV line going through Ninh Binh and Nam Dinh will be started in December and be completed in February next year.

The Ninh Binh – Nam Dinh 220kV transmission line, which began to be constructed in August, is expected to be completed in August 2017.

In 2017, the NPMB will launch construction of the Thuong Tin – Ha Tay 500kV transmission line with the aim of completing it in the second quarter of 2018.

Int’l conference on Vietnam studies slated for next month

The fifth international scientific conference on Vietnam studies, themed “Sustainable development in the context of global change”, will take place in Hanoi on December 15-18, according to the Vietnam National University – Hanoi (VNU-Hanoi). 

Similar events were previously held in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 1998, 2002, 2008 and 2012. 

Hosted by the VNU-Hanoi in partnership with ministries and research institutes, the conference aims to create an international academic forum to discuss and propose solutions to contemporary issues that Vietnam is experiencing. 

It also looks to promote the development of the global network of Vietnam studies and connect researchers and experts from different countries, towards establishing an international organisation on Vietnam studies. 

This year, discussions will be divided into six sections, which deal with foreign relations, international cooperation and integration; cultural resources; education and training and human resource development; technology and knowledge transfer; economy and livelihood; and climate change. 

The organising board has so far received 700 articles by scientists worldwide.

Prof. Vu Minh Giang, Chairman of the VNU-Hanoi’s Council for Science and Training, said the event will focus on the transfer of knowledge and technology, and climate change, which are posing great challenges to Vietnam, as well as topical issues./.

HCM City, German city boost affiliations

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Dinh La Thang met and discussed cooperation with visiting Mayor Burkhard Jung of Germany’s Leipzig city on November 29.

Thang said Ho Chi Minh City lays stress on joint projects with Leipzig in health, environment and education.

He added that the southern hub welcomes long-term operation of German investors, particularly in the sectors of wastewater treatment, water resources management and infrastructure development.

Hailing Leipzig’s collaborative ideas in mounting orthopedics exhibitions in Ho Chi Minh City and building wildlife animal conservation areas, Thang said both sides need further discussion to select and implement feasible joint projects.

For his part, Burkhard Jung said Leipzig businesses is willing to share experiences and transfer technologies to help Ho Chi Minh City improve its workforce as well as manage water resources and environment issues.

The mayor noted his city wants to implement a number of joint projects as soon as possible.

These projects include the construction of an orthopedics centre inside Military Hospital 175 in HCM City and others on medical training and environmental protection.

He said health, tourism and student exchanges will continue to be spearheaded sectors of bilateral cooperation in the coming time.

President attends historical sciences association’s 50th anniversary

President Tran Dai Quang attended a ceremony to mark the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences (VAHS)’s 50th founding anniversary in Hanoi on November 29.

In his speech, the President stressed that history is of special importanceduring the course of development. The VAHS has united historians nationwide and connected with research and training agencies, helping to promote the development of Vietnam’s historical sciences and obtain significant achievements.

He appreciated the association’s efforts in reforming history-related activities, popularising historical knowledge, and giving advice and feedback on structures and projects relating to Vietnam’s history and culture. It has also given opinions on school curriculum and textbook reforms, including on history teaching and learning methods.

Public awareness of the country’s history has improved thanks to VAHS’s studies on different historical periods, from prehistory and ancient civilisations to the struggles for national liberation, the national renewal and international integration, he noted.

The VAHS should keep its attention to summarising historical facts and theories on Vietnam’s revolution under the Party’s leadership, thereby drawing out experience in national development and protection while providing scientific basis for perfecting the Party’s guidelines and policies and the State’s laws.

President Quang also asked the association to continue engaging in disseminating historical knowledge to all people, helping to improve the teaching of history, and giving feedback on relic preservation and restoration.

It also needs to organise international forums and workshops on historical events and persons, and sea and island sovereignty to raise Vietnamese historians’ global standing and enhance cooperation with their peers around the world, he added.

At the ceremony, President Quang presented the Labour Order (first class) to the association to recognise its devotion over the past five decades. VAHS Chairman Prof. Phan Huy Le was granted with the Independence Order (third class).

The VAHS comprises 33 provincial associations, four specialised associations, and 22 others at central research and history training agencies, gathering more than 5,200 members.

Seminar studies Vietnamese ethnic dancing

A seminar was held in Hanoi on November 29 focusing on the influence of traditional dancing of Vietnamese ethnic minority groups on professional dancing.

The seminar titled “From ethnic minority dancing to professional dance” also looked into changes in ethnic dancing.

Prof. Ngoc Canh highlighted the fact that many of Vietnam’s notable dances over the past five decades have their aspiration from ethnic groups’ traditional dances.

He cited as examples choreographer Hoang Chau’s work titled “Tay Bac vui tuoi” (Delight Tay Bac), based on Thai ethnic dance and Le Ngoc Canh’s “Hung nang” (Catching sunshine), featuring Tay people’s dance, to name just a few.

Artist Hoang Hai said that traditional dances are frequently performed in public stage and villages, however, they are hard to find in professional stage, with low quality.

He noted that Vietnam’s temporary dance should use ethnic groups’ traditional dance as materials and themes, as they are the soul of Vietnamese culture.

Many participants agreed that it is not easy to integrate traditional materials in temporary works and emphasised the importance of understanding Vietnam’s cultural values and the essence of traditional dance.-

Can Tho gears up for 6th southern cake festival

The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho is preparing for the sixth southern traditional cake festival which is scheduled to take place from April 6-9, 2017.

The municipal People’s Committee along with the Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism, the Investment-Trade-Tourism Promotion Centre, and the International Exhibition Fair Centre held a working session in the city on November 29 to discuss preparations for the event.

The festival will house 150 pavilions featuring over 200 types of traditional cakes and specialities of different regions in the country.

In particular, 50 stalls will introduce traditional cakes of ASEAN member countries.

More than 160,000 visitors are expected to participate in the event.

Highlights of the festival will include cake-making performances and contests, folk games, southern folk music and dances.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Van Tam said the festival aims to promote the traditional values of southern gastronomy.

Project enhances nutrition for ethnic children in Gia Lai

The Central Highlands province of Gia Lai has carried out a project on enhancing nutrition for mothers and children in a bid to improve the population quality, particularly among ethnic minority groups.

The project focused on education for mothers on the importance of nutrition and how to improve quality of daily meals through the Livelihood Enhancement Groups (LEG).

In 2016, 66 LEG groups have been formed in the province, each of which has between 10 – 20 member households. All LEG members are women, particularly pregnant ones and mothers with children aged under five.

K’pa H’nga from Oi Briu village, Chu Mo commune, Ia Pa district, said she has four children, two of them are small and underweight. She shared that she used to think two meals with rice a day are enough for them. But after joining LEG, K’pa H’nga has learnt many things about nutrition and now she cares more about the quality of each meal to ensure nutrition for her family members.

Nguyen Thi Bich Hanh, a worker of the project, highlighted the remarkable improvement in awareness of the local community, particularly in the ethnic minority groups. Many now save some of their eggs and vegetable for the family meals instead of selling all of them for cash, she said.

The LEG members also help teach other women in their community how to better take care of their families, Hanh said.

Street performers face ban from Hanoi promenade

Hanoi authorities may ban street artists from performing in pedestrian areas around the capital’s iconic Ho Guom (Sword Lake).

The ban will be applicable to groups or individuals that make too much noise during performances, or those who do not report the content of their show to the municipal culture and sports department for approval, departmental head To Van Dong said on November 27.

Dong said residents living near the walking street have repeatedly complained about loud noise from street artists.

The culture department therefore decided to inspect activities in the area last week.

During their first patrol on November 27, the department’s inspectors found some performance groups to be making too much noise or performing at inappropriate locations.

However, those performers were warned rather than fined.

Dong said that while performers are not required to seek official permits, the culture department still orders that they be informed beforehand.

“We need to know what the performances will be about, where they will take place and whether they contravene appropriate noise levels, all to ensure that their activities will not affect the lives of nearby residents,” Dong explained.

The department's director added that in the longer term, his agency will have an official set of rules for street performers.

“In the immediate term, groups or individuals that repeat their mistakes more than twice will be banned from performing on the walking street,” he underlined.

The walking street near Ho Guom was opened to the public on September 2, on the occasion of Vietnam’s National Day.

Numerous street artists and performers have quickly turned the new venue into an opportunity to showcase their skills to the public.

While some performers may not be happy with the decision by the culture department, others agree that performances on the walking street should be under the control of authorities.

“In France, street artists are first required to perform in front of authorities in order to be permitted to then perform to the public,” claimed Nguyen Quang Long, a regular performer on the walking street.

Construction management training workshop held in Hanoi

The number of workplace accidents and worker deaths are on the rise in Vi?t Nam, and one third of them occurred on construction sites, said an official.

Nguy?n Tu?n Ng?c Tú, from the State Authority for Construction Quality Inspection under the Ministry of Construction (MoC), said the workshop, titled “Capacity enhancement in cost estimation, contract management, quality and safety in construction investment projects in Vi?t Nam,” held in Hà N?i on Friday.

There were 7,620 workplace accidents last year, killing 666 people, an increase of 911 accidents and 36 deaths compared with the same period in the previous year.

In the first half of this year, a total of 356 people were killed in 3,674 workplace accidents. 

Notably, the collapse of scaffolding at a construction site in the Taiwanese-invested Formosa Industrial Park in Hà Tinh Province’s Vung Áng economic zone killed 13 Vietnamese workers and injured 29 others in March last year. 

Tú blamed the increase in accidents on inadequate safety management in the workplace, including a lack of safety training or inspections of machines and equipment. The penalty was not strong enough to deter violations, he said.

To reduce accidents in construction spaces, he said, it was necessary to produce legal documents on safety management at construction sites and to intensify inspections of everything from design to implementation of construction projects. The creation of a database on labour safety in the construction sector is needed to improve safety awareness among contractors and workers, he said.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Construction Bùi Ph?m Khánh said the workshop offered an opportunity for participants to share their experience in project management. 

Thanks to cooperation from Japan, the capacity of staff and related organisations under the MoC that are directly involved in construction projects has been enhanced, he said.

Masafumi Yamauchi, an expert from Japan International Co-operation Agency, said the project’s ultimate goal was for public construction projects in Vi?t Nam to be managed in accordance with international standards and regulations.

The workshop, jointly organised by Japan International Cooperation Agency and the MoC, aims to introduce technical cooperation focus on specific laws and regulations on construction in Vi?tt Nam.

The workshop was held under the scope of a JICA-funded project, which has been in effect since April 2015 and will last until March 2018.

Similar training workshops will be held in Ðà N?ng and HCM City on December 2 and 8.

Man gets 15 years’ imprisonment for cheating

The Hà N?i People’s Court on Thursday sentenced a 44-year-old man to 15 years’ imprisonment for cheating people and appropriating properties.

As per the indictment, Lê Trung Kiên, former director of Hà N?i Real Estate Joint Stock Company (Hà N?i Land Company) , asked the director of Lilama Corporation, Ph?m Hùng, to found the Lilama Land Real Estate Company (Lilama Land Company) in early 2007.

Hùng agreed and invited investors for funding. Kiên then asked the investors to buy stocks of Lilama Land Company, though the company had not yet been set up. Between April 9, 2007, and May 16, 2007, Kiên collected VNÐ75.2 billion (US$3.3 million) from 72 investors. The money was deposited in the account of Hà N?i Land Company.

On May 9, 2007, Lilama Corporation held a meeting to discuss setting up Lilama Land Company, but Hà N?i Land Company was not part of the discussion. A week later, on May 17, a list comprising six shareholders of Lilama Land Company was announced, but the list made no mention of Hà N?i Land Company.

Investors who had given Kiên money met him and demanded their money back, but Kiên did not return the funds, instead investing it in other projects, after which he left the country. He was caught on July 17, 2015, after the police issued a wanted notice.

Kiên’s family had handed over more than VNÐ1 billion ($44,400) in an attempt to soften his sentence.

Central city to launch free school libraries

The central city’s education and training department will launch free open-air libraries at 102 primary schools for all students and local residents next month.

Department director Nguy?n Ðình Vinh made the announcement at a press conference on free reading programme at schools.

The department will offer free reading, gymnastics and martial arts training at all primary schools as a pilot project this summer (between June and August).

“We aim to open doors of all schools to local residents: adults, students and kids. There will be a free library, gym arena and play-ground, creating a more healthy entertainment space for people and children,” Vinh said.

“I hoped that the project would lure more kids and residents to school for free reading as a favourite habit and life-skill training sessions at schools.”

As scheduled, the department in co-operation with DHC Group will also launch field trip study course at the city’s Hot Spring Park in Hòa Vang District.

The course, which will be organised from late November to next March, will offer free trips for over 8,000 students and teachers from 155 primary and junior secondary schools in the city.

Students will join painting and writing camp contests on topics of environment and clean water protection at the park during a five-month course.

It’s the first ever field trip study that the department has organised for primary and junior schools’ students.

The city also debuted a first public book park for the community in Son Trà peninsula under sponsorship from the Korean International Co-operation Agency (KOICA).

Earlier, the Ðông Á College in the city also launched an open-air library for students and the community.

Ðà N?ng also plans to design a book street to boost the reading habit among young people.

VN National Song and Dance Theatre receives labour order

Vi?t Nam National Music, Song and Dance Theatre received a first class labour order at its 65th anniversary ceremony two days ago.

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Nguy?n Ng?c Thi?n praised the contribution that all artists have given to the People’s Army of Vi?t Nam and civilians during two resistance wars, and stressed the theatre’s mission in modern age.

“Under the pressure of market mechanisms and the fast developing entertainment forms supported by technology and public media, the theatre reserves the values of national folk arts of singing and dancing, yet it renovates itself to meet public demand. The theatre also needs to create an open environment for artists and young talents to develop and contribute to the country,” he said.

The theatre received the labour order first class from Deputy Prime Minister Vu Ð?c Ðam. Its five artists were awarded labour order second and third classes by minister Nguy?n Ng?c Thi?n, respectively.

Exhibition shows Hanoi people, soldiers fight for national resistance

Hanoi streets raged during the 60 days of fighting against French colonialists (December 19, 1946 – February 17, 1947), and evidence of the struggle is on display at an exhibition that opened recently.

Military officers and Capital Regiment fighters fought heroically, inspired by the words “give our lives for our nation’s life” to liberate the beloved capital.

The exhibition, themed Living Forever with the Capital, displays 200 documents, artefacts and photos from the French war (1945-54) provided by the Centre for Thang Long Heritage Preservation and the Hà N?i Museum.

The exhibition is divided into three parts: Vietnamese people have the right to live in liberty and independence, Hà N?i in 60 days of war, and the liberation of the capital.

“The exhibition aims to review the remarkable historical tradition of the capital’s soldiers and people,” said Truong Minh Ti?n, vice-director of the Department of Culture and Sports.

“The historical documents and photos depict truthfully the Capital Regiment’s heroic resistance, helping visitors, especially young people, feel proud of the tradition of protecting the country.”

Until mid-December 1946, the situation in Hà N?i and other regions from the 16th Parallel to the north Vi?t Nam became increasingly serious. After attacking and occupying H?i Phòng, the French decided to speed up its invasion by taking inhumane measures like occupying illegally the head office of Ministry of Finance and killing savagely at Yên Ninh and Hàng Bún streets.

In face of the conspiratorial and violent actions of the enemy, the Party and President H? Chí Minh led the army and people of north Vi?t Nam to prepare for combat and to move agencies, treasures, workshops, food, raw materials machinery out of cities. On the other hand, the Party and the President tried to take advantage of opportunities to reduce the probability of a war. However, that attempt came to nothing: French colonialists preferred a war.

On the evening of December 19, 1946, Vietnamese troops zeroed in their cannon at Láng Fortress, initiating the war. The next morning, the Voice of Vi?t Nam Radio broadcasted President H? appeal’s for national resistance. As a responce, Hà N?i’s army and people heroically fought for each of their houses and street corners during 60 days and nights. They managed to contain the enemy and to foil the enemy’s scheme for capturing main Vietnamese organs, which facilitated Vi?t Nam’s entrance into a long-term resistance war.

Visitors will understand more about the resistance through precious documents such as a notebook recording the content of a letter from President H? Chí Minh and official documents of the Ministry of Defence sent to the Capital Regiment during the resistance war in 1946-47.

The fierce war is reflected through cannon ball shot to Hà N?i’s Láng Fortress, a machine gun, poniard, knife and swords used by Hà N?i troops and people.

At the end of the exhibition, the joy of a new life is depicted through photos of people welcoming soldiers and the Government to take over the capital, a sight of declaration of independence ceremony at Ba Ðình Square on September 2. On behalf of the Government, President h? took an oath in the front of the National Assembly on March 2, 1946.

The capital Department of Culture and Sports organised the exhibition to mark the 70th anniversary of National Resistance Day (December 19).

In the framework of the exhibition, a fair with many rare and valuable books about Hà N?i will be open until November 27.

The exhibition will run until January 3, 2017 at the Thang Long Citadel, 19C Hoàng Di?u Street, Hà N?i.

Construction starts on waste treatment plant in Phan Thiet

Nhat Hoang Limited Company has announced that construction of the first waste treatment plant in the city of Phan Thiet began as planned on November 26 on a 10-hectare site in the commune of Tien Thanh.

Once completed, the facility will have a capacity to process 400 tons of waste per day, which is more than sufficient to handle the waste for the entire City, said Le Thanh Huy, general director of Nhat Hoang Limited.  

The facility, he said, will use Tam Sinh Nghia technology, which is based on a model of recycling organic sweepings for cultivation that involves separating garbage and transforming it into micro-organic fertilizer or recycled plastic.

This modernized process avoids burial of waste and helps ensure a sustainable and eco-friendly development of the City. The facility has a total budgeted cost of US$21.8 million (VND495 billion).

It is expected to be placed into operation in mid-April 2017.

ROK sets up Jeju representative office in Hanoi

The Republic of Korea (ROK) Jeju Tourism Promotion Department has announced it has established a representative office in Hanoi to market Jeju Island as a top travel destination.

In connection with the announcement, the Department in collaboration with the Korean Tourism Organization in Vietnam has unveiled that it is organizing a series of seminars to introduce the Island’s tourism in Vietnam.
  
UNESCO has recognized Jeju island as biosphere reverse, world natural heritage and global geopark.

Jade Buddha statue arrives in last Vietnamese destination

The world’s biggest jade Buddha statue has come to Thien Lam-Go Ken Pagoda in the southern province of Tay Ninh, the last destination during its tour of Vietnam.

A ceremony to welcome the statue, called “Jade Buddha for Peace”, took place on November 26.

Venerable ThienThuc from the executive board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Tay Ninh chapter said the statue is brought to the pagoda for local residents to directly worship and pray for peace and happiness in Vietnam and around the world.

The statue will be placed at Thien Lam-Go Ken until November 30, during which a number of activities will be held such as sermons on Buddha’s teachings, rituals and gift delivery to the disadvantaged.

It was carved from an 18-tonne block of gemstone-quality jade discovered in Canada in 2000. The carving was carried out in Thailand and finished in December 2008. 

The statue, 2.54m tall and over 4.5 tonnes in weight, has toured more than 100 cities in over 20 countries worldwide.

It was brought to Vietnam for the first time in 2009 and has been displayed in various pagodas in the country. 

After finishing its trip in the country this time, the statue will be permanently placed in Australia.

Quang Ninh: drug trafficker arrested

Authorised forces in the northern province of Quang Ninh on November 26 arrested a person carrying one kilogramme of methamphetamine while illegally entering Vietnam.

On November 25, border guards in Hai Hoa border post in Mong Cai city detained Le My Hanh, born in 1994 and residing in Hoang Thanh commune, Hiep Hoa district in the neighbouring province of Bac Giang, when she was transporting the drug to Vietnam.

Hanh then confessed that she bought the drug from China to sell in Vietnam.

Authorised agencies are handling the case in line with the law.

Students pledges to work to end gender discrimination

More than 3,000 students from universities and colleges in the central province of Da Nang gathered at the Da Nang University’s Foreign Language School on November 26 to respond to a festival to eliminate gender discrimination.

The event, jointly held by the Vietnamese Students’ Newspaper and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam as part of the “HowAbnormal” campaign, featured various activities such as film screenings, seminars on gender discrimination and an a food display.

Participants joined online commitments to eradicate gender discrimination, showing their determination to create new normal things for a more equal and fairer society.

The Law on Gender Equality of Vietnam clarifies that gender discrimination is the biased awareness, attitude and evaluation of characteristics, position, role and capacity of male or female, thus putting pressure to both genders, especially women.

It creates a gap between the two genders in various fields, including the enjoyment of interests.

Akiko Fujii, UNDP Vice Country Director in Vietnam said that the “HowAbnormal” campaign targets equality for all, not allowing social preconception to push anyone behind and ensuring everyone can optimise their potential.

The event also encourages the youth to pay more attention to gender discrimination, while calling students to make strong pledges to eliminate it for the interests of all, she said.

The festival in Da Nang is the 11th of its kind after those in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh Long, Lam Dong, Thai Nguyen and Hai Duong. 

A film-making contest on this topic has been also launched.

Samsung opens S.hub sharing space at Vietnam National Library

Samsung Electronics Vietnam and the Vietnam National Library has opened the S.hub sharing space, a space for young people of the city to meet and share ideas, gain knowledge and be inspired.

S.hub, spanning the lobby of the first floor and one part of the second floor, has several functional areas including an area for events, an area for exhibition, an area for audiovisual, an area for study by oneself and an area for group discussion. 
The total area is 1,200 square metres. Samsung equipped the place with LFD screen, many computers for quick look up in the lobby, tablets and desktops for study by oneself on the second floor, touch screens and speakers.

People can go to www.s-hub.vn to book the meeting room or the event space or the group discussion area and register to join events held at S.hub. The website will also be updated with summaries of past events. S.hub will host activities such as forum, presentations, and competitions in many themes such as creativity, startups and soft skills for young people to meet and learn from each other.

samsung opens s.hub sharing space at vietnam national library hinh 1 “I believe that S.hub at the National Library of Vietnam is going to bring a library service model that is new and creative, and be a safe space for young people to read and create,” said Kieu Thuy Nga, director of the library. “Together with Samsung, we want to create an attractive space to learn and share knowledge.”
“We want to combine the modern equipment of Samsung and the knowledge resource of the library in order to optimize a space to learn and share knowledge at S.hub. I believe that S.hub is going to help young people in Hanoi learn, connect, and be inspired,” said Kim Cheolgi, general director of Samsung Vina.

For the past 20 years, Samsung Electronics Vietnam has had many community activities, especially those in the field of education, helping in the training of skills and encouraging the passion for knowledge in young people.

The projects Samsung has been involved in include the Smart Library 1.0 project, which lasted from 2011 to 2015, in which Samsung gave 200,000 books, 300 computers, tablets and DVD players to middle school students, serving about 50,000 students. The Smart Library 2.0 project, of which the S.hub is the embodiment, was piloted in the Ho Chi Minh City Library of Science in 2015.

Another 500 kilos of African ivory seized in Vietnam

This is the fifth shipment stopped by customs officials in Ho Chi Minh City since October 6.

Customs officials in Ho Chi Minh City discovered around 500 kilograms of ivory hidden in wooden blocks in two containers imported from Africa on November 24 night.

The containers arrived at Cat Lai Port on November 18 with inventories stating they were carrying wood.

Customs officials suspected illegal goods had been transported in the containers and summoned the recipient, a logistics company registered in District 2, to the port. However, after the company failed to send a representative, officials went ahead and searched the containers.

The ivory shipment is the fifth to have been stopped at the port since last month. Between October 6 and November 1, customs officials at the port seized more than four tons of ivory concealed in timber shipments from Africa.

The trade of ivory, pangolins and rhino horn is officially banned in Vietnam, but their use in traditional medicine and for decoration remains widespread, making the country a major market and also a popular transit point for wildlife products destined for neighboring China.

During an international wildlife conference held in Hanoi last week, global activists called for tougher action from Vietnam’s government to help stop the trafficking and save many endangered species from the verge of extinction.

The Vietnamese government, on November 23, ordered police to take stronger action and help end wildlife smuggling into the country. Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh said the Ministry of Public Security needs to launch campaigns to wipe out criminal smuggling rings, step up investigation of recent smuggling cases and soon bring them to trial.

Vietnam National Drama Theatre stages The Tale of Kieu

Truyen Kieu (The Tale of Kieu), a masterpiece written by Vietnamese poet Nguyen Du in the late 18th century, has provided a wealth of inspiration for playwrights.

The Vietnam National Drama Theatre’s production of The Tale of Kieu has created a theatrical sensation.  

The Tale of Kieu has been staged in various traditional art forms: cai luong, (reformed theatre), cheo (popular opera), pantomime, and western-style opera. The Vietnam National Drama Theatre’s adaptation of this literary work combines singing and dancing, creating a new and exciting approach.  

Ngo Quang Nang, a spectator, said“I feel happy after watching The Tale of Kieu today. It appears to embody some of the Vietnamese characteristics: humanity and courage. We have a deep culture represented by The Tale of Kieu. Tu Hai, a character in the play, who died in a standing posture, reflects the people’s struggle for freedom against a feudal regime.”

People’s Artist Lan Huong, who plays the wife of a silk seller, has been passionate about this new adaptation of The Tale of Kieu “Many Vietnamese know The Tale of Kieu, whose characters have become stereotypes: So Khanh (the unfaithful lover), Tu Ba (the procurer), and Hoan Thu (the jealous wife). The director and playwright don’t want the play to simply retell the story, but to convey a certain message.”

The play portrays the beauty of physical appearance and soul: talent, loyalty, heroism, and filial love. The main character, Thuy Kieu, who used to be seen as a symbol of oriental femininity resigned to her fate, is totally different in this new adaptation. Actress Diem Huong said "Watching our play, the audience will be surprised because the heroine Thuy Kieu no longer accepts her destiny, but struggles to escape from a suffocating society. This Thuy Kieu differs from what people usually imagine.” 

Vietnamese culture is reflected in the costume details, dancing, and stage arrangements. The image of a lotus flower implies a human life which opens slightly, blossoms, and withers. Verses, which generations of Vietnamese have memorized, are repeated in the play’s lines and lyrics. 

Director and People’s Artist Anh Tu said “This adaptation retains one aspect of the original: a beautiful and talented woman facing numerous miseries. I like Nguyen Du’s The Tale of Kieu because it remains relevant today. When money and illegitimate power are championed, norms and ethics are threatened.”