VNA keen on cooperating with AFP in reporter training

General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Nguyen Duc Loi has asked for the French news agency AFP’s cooperation in personnel training at a meeting with AFP Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Hoog in Hanoi on March 31.

The General Director said VNA has several French-language publications such as the French version of the online Vietnamplus e-newspaper and the Le Courrier du Vietnam, hence the need for language training for reporters and editors.  

He proposed considering cooperation possibilities between VNA and the AFP in training in the fields of multimedia and French language.

The VNA leader lauded the effective cooperation of the AFP through the provision of quality media products to the VNA in the past years, noting that the AFP is an important source of world news for the VNA, and other media agencies in Vietnam.

Loi also briefed his guest on Vietnam’s hosting of the APEC Year 2017, affirming that the VNA is willing to provide the AFP with information in various forms on events throughout the year, as well as to assist AFP reporters in covering those events.

For his part, Hoog said that his visit is a chance for him to get VNA’s feedback on the quality of AFP products.

He informed the VNA leader on the expansion of AFP’s network in Asia, aiming to diversify its information products.

He agreed with Loi’s proposal in collaboration in training French-language editors and reporters, asking the VNA to give more specific details on possible cooperation contents in the coming time.

Hoog said that he hopes the two sides will continue expanding the bilateral partnership to more media products and forms.

The VNA and AFP have cooperated in the form of information provision contracts involving English and French news and news photos. The AFP has also shared professional experience with the VNA and helped the Vietnamese State-run news agency study the organisational model of international media agencies.

The VNA is now the media agency with the largest number of products and forms in Vietnam with more than 60 media products: bulletins, photos, dailies, weeklies, monthlies, magazines, pictorials, books, a TV channel, infographics, audio programmes, e-newspapers, and information programmes on mobile platforms and social networks.

The agency also delivers news in the largest number of languages. In addition to official Vietnamese-language news provided for domestic and foreign media outlets, stories for foreign services are written in English, Chinese, French and Spanish – not to mention print and e-newspapers in eight other foreign languages, the four above plus Lao, Korean, Japanese and Russian. This is why the VNA is now regarded as the most important Vietnamese external news centre.

The VNA maintains bilateral and multilateral partnerships with more than 40 international media organisations. It is a member of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA), the Non-Aligned News Agencies Pool (NANAP), and the ASEAN News Exchange (ANEX).

Arts-literature drive launched on Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia solidarity

The General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army on March 31 launched a drive to encourage the creation of arts and literature works on the solidarity in combat of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.   

The drive, which targets all those who serve in the armed forces of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as well as veterans, aims to promote the friendship and cooperation among the three countries and popularise the glorious tradition and close bonds among the three armies through valuable works of literature, songs, posters, photos and documentary scripts. 

The entries should depict the solidarity in combat among the VPA, the Lao People’s Army and the Cambodian Royal Army as well as among the people of the three countries during their resistance wars against foreign invaders and national construction and defence. The glorious traditions and the close and faithful bonds are also possible themes. 

The drive, which will last until December this year, is one of activities to mark the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, the 55th year of Vietnam-Laos diplomatic ties and the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic relations. 

At the drive’s launch, deputy head of the VPA General Department of Politics Lieutenant General Nguyen Trong Nghia stressed that this is the first time the VPA has organized an arts and literature contest on such a large scale with the participation of the armies of the two neighbouring countries. 

Therefore, the event is an important milestone in the solidarity, friendship and cooperation among Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia in the field of arts and literature, he said.

Tra Vinh assists local Khmer population

The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh has spent nearly 2.5 trillion VND (110 million USD) to aid local ethnic minorities, according to the provincial Ethnic Affairs Board.

Under Programme 135, since 2006, more than 236 billion VND (10.38 million USD) has been used to build and upgrade 363 social works and provide preferential loans for some 7,200 Khmer ethnic households.

The province has also provided land for 2,010 Khmer households and preferential loans for nearly 4,000 households, worth more than 101 billion VND (4.44 million USD).

Between 2009 and 2015, some 20,000 local Khmer households were connected with the national power grid, while about 13,000 poor ethnic households received water for daily use.

Between 2009 and 2012, about 15,000 houses were built for disadvantaged Khmer households under the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 167/2008/QD-TTg.

From 2007 – 2015, the province disbursed nearly 20 billion VND (880,000 USD) in preferential loans to more than 4,000 households under the Prime Minister’s Decisions No. 32/2007/QD-TTg and No. 54/2012/QD-TTg.

Other support has been offered to local Khmer groups, in terms of health insurance, training for rural labourers, poverty reduction and magazines and newspapers, among others.

Head of the Board Kien Ninh said the province has a population above one million, of which Khmer ethnic people account for 31.5 percent.

The province’s poor household rate dropped to 7.61 percent in 2016 from 23.63 percent in 2011 while income per capita reached 33.4 million VND (1,470 USD) per year.

Art show celebrates anniversary of Vietnam-RoK diplomatic ties

Famous dance drama “800 nam hen uoc” (Promise of 800 years) were staged by artists of Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) in Seoul’s Gangdong district, on March 31, as part of activities to mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between two countries.

The performance was the harmony of dancing, drama and live music. It centred on the life of the last prince of Vietnam’s Ly dynasty, Ly Long Tuong, who left Dai Viet in 1226 to look for a new land. After a long voyage, he landed at Ongjin land on southern Korea Peninsula, known as the Goryeo nation at that time.

In addition to enlarging land for cultivation, Tuong also helped local people repulse Mongolian troops. Although he served the Goryeo dynasty in a high ranking position, he still turned his heart to the homeland.

Some 2,000 descendants of the Ly dynasty have lived in the RoK in the past 800 years.

The dance drama will be performed in other RoK localities. It was brought to the Vietnamese audience for the first time in 2015 and re-staged in 2016 in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

On the sidelines of the performance, Vietnamese Deputy Ambassador to the RoK Tran Anh Vu had a meeting with Gangdong district’s officials to find out about the livelihoods of Vietnamese expats. 

Besides briefing of the local socio-economic situation, the district’s representative also expressed hope to set up twining relations with a Vietnamese locality.-

Festival commemorates soldiers of ancient Hoang Sa Flotilla

Hundreds of locals and tourists flocked to the “Le khao le the linh Hoang Sa” (Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoang Sa Soldiers) ceremony in Ly Son island district in the central province of Quang Ngai on April 2.

The annual event is to pay tribute to soldiers and sailors of the Hoang Sa Flotilla under the Nguyen Dynasty, who obeyed the imperial order to travel to Hoang Sa (Paracel) islands every year to exercise national sovereignty over seas and islands.

Following a traditional offering ceremony was a boat race with the participation of nearly 100 people divided into four teams.

About three to four centuries ago, each year the Nguyen Lords selected 70 villagers from An Vinh and An Hai wards in Ly Son island to go to Hoang Sa to exploit marine resources. 

Later, at the end of the 16th century, the Hoang Sa Flotilla was set up. Tens of thousands of sailors overcame storms and roaring waves to measure sea routes and erect steles on islands to affirm territorial sovereignty as well as to harvest seafood and other maritime resources.

Ly Son island covers an area of less than 10 sq.km but it has nearly 100 relics, most of which are related to the Hoang Sa Flotilla, such as the empty graves built for Hoang Sa soldiers who never returned to land, the temples dedicated to Pham Quang Anh and Vo Van Khiet who were captains of the Hoang Sa Flotilla, and a showroom displaying the items of the Hoang Sa Flotilla sailors who also controlled Bac Hai and Ba Ri Lagoon.

In particular, “Le khao le the linh Hoang Sa” which is held every April on the island was recognised as part of the national intangible cultural heritage by the State in 2016.

A monument and memorial house dedicated to the Hoang Sa Flotilla stand near the main road of the island.

Project improves healthcare services in coastal, island areas

After four years of implementation, a project to develop healthcare services in coastal and island areas through 2020 has showed good outcomes with remarkable improvements recorded in quality of medical services for local people, heard a conference in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau on March 31.

Hundreds of training courses have been held for fishermen in 28 coastal localities, while thousands of medicine cabinets have been set up in offshore fishing vessels, along with the construction of hospitals in island districts, including those in Con Dao, Phu Quoc and Ly Son, participants were told at the event.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health launched a pilot project to send young volunteer doctors to mountainous, remote, border and island localities as well as regions with extreme difficult economic conditions.

Highly-qualified doctors from central hospitals were sent to local healthcare facilities to help with further training, while all residents in island localities were provided with health insurance.

However, delegates also pointed out a number of difficulties facing the project, including a lack of investment from the central budget, forcing the targeted localities to mobilise capital from various sources.

Deputy Minister of Health Pham Le Tuan underscored the need for closer coordination between ministries, sectors and localities in the implementation of the project.

Tuan proposed that the Ministry of National Defence act as a coordinator in transporting emergency cases at sea, while upgrading and building modern ships, enabling medical staff to give first aid in coast guard and military vessels.

He also asked for closer cooperation among military and civil healthcare facilities, as well as measures to enhance capacity of healthcare centres in coastal and island areas.

Photo contest for high school students launched

A photo contest for high school students throughout the country has been launched.

The competition themed “The Prides of My Town” is open for students aged 15-18 years who have had interest in photography and the ability in English speaking and writing skills.

Candidates can send a photo set and an essay to the organization board. Each photo set must not exceed 6 photos. Photos must be digital (both colored and monochrome), saved as JPEG files and less than 6MB in size. Pictures have a clear exemplification, time, location, theme/name, and characters.

Submissions describing destinations, culture of cities and resident’ daily life can be sent to the email: bahan.images@yahoo.comfrom now until May 1.

Three winners who have the best photo sets will receive an opportunity to participate in the 3rd International Photo Festival for High School Students that will be held in July in Japan.

Authors of the best 10 photo sets will be offered a certificate from the Ho Chi Minh’s Photography Association and valuable awards.

Vietnam fêted at Southeast Asian Night Market

The 5th Southeast Asian Night Market along the sprawling Wellington, New Zealand waterfront was full of family excitement and the spicy aromas of food from throughout the ASEAN region.

Ten member nations of the ASEAN region combined to bring delicious food, colourful crafts and non-stop entertainment from Indonesian gamelan to Malaysian tea pulling at the event along with a stunning array of international performers.

This year for the first time, the biennial Night Market ran over two nights, April 1-2, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations with both ASEAN and Vietnam and was truly a Night Market to remember.

The event was organized by the Asia New Zealand Foundation in partnership with the Wellington City Council.

The 10 countries represented at this year’s night market included Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei Darussalam.

Activities held for World Autism Awareness Day

In line with the World Autism Awareness Day on 2 April, a seminar on policies to support disabled people including autism people took place from April 1-2.

The event is one of activities in response to the Vietnam Autism Awareness Day (VAAD) celebrated by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City aiming to raise public awareness about autism and find the solutions to help people with autism integrate into the community and society.

The seminar introduced the current models for early identification, early intervention, inclusive education and vocational training for individuals with autism.

Children with autism from schools in big cities and provinces including Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Bac Ninh, Da Nang, Vung Tau, Tien Giang and HCMC performed musical numbers during the event.