26 land projects planned for Hanoi’s downtown district

The People's Committee of Hanoi has promulgated a decision on the land-use plan in 2016 in the city's downtown Hoan Kiem District.

Accordingly, the district will have 26 land projects, including 19 unfinished plans of 2015, and seven new ones. About 15.76ha will be allocated for agriculture, while 521.99 ha will be used for non-agricultural purposes.

The city has been asked to review and evaluate the feasibility of the projects, as well as collect ideas from the people to report to the committee before the end of May.

Deputy PM asks for measures to brace for Zika virus

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has requested ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and localities to intensify the implementation of measures to proactively prevent Zika virus from entering Vietnam.

According to the Health Ministry, Zika virus, first detected in Uganda’s Zika forest in 1947, is transmitted to humans through the Aedes mosquito which is also the main carrier of dengue fever.

It causes mild fever, rash, muscle pain, joint pain, headache, pain behind the eyes and conjunctivitis. There is currently no cure for Zika virus, and no vaccine for it.

The virus has to date spread to 44 countries and territories across the world, mainly in Latin America. No cases of Zika virus have been recorded in Vietnam.

The Deputy PM asked the Health Ministry to strengthen inspection and supervision and coordinate closely with localities in these works.

Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry is responsible for dispersing funds to quickly carry out preventive measures, as well as measures to address the disease once it occurs.

Workshop seeks to promote tourism in central region

Measures to promote connection between the northern and southern part of the central region for stronger tourism development of the region as a whole were discussed at a workshop held in the central province of Nghe An on February 20.

Jointly held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Nghe An provincial People’s Committee, the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission and the Vietnam Bank for Investment and Development, the event aimed to evaluate potential and reality for tourism development in the region, thus suggesting ways to connect and diversify tourism products of regional localities.

Chairman of Nghe An provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Xuan Duong highlighted the great potential for tourism in the central region, which comprise of 14 provinces and cities.

However, he said that the localities have yet to make the best use of their strength for developing the sector.

Participants stressed the urgent need to form strings of specific tourism products based on the tourism resource of each locality.

They agreed that linkage among regional localities should be strengthened in parallel with ties with other regions and foreign partners, asking the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to early build a master plan of tourism development for the region.

Head of the Economic Commission Vuong Dinh Hue called for closer connection among different sectors, affirming that this is quite necessary to further promote tourism development in the regions.

Representatives from 14 provinces took the occasion to sign an cooperation agreement on tourism development.

Speed urged on key Ha Noi projects

Sectors, investors and contractors must speed up the progress of projects in Ha Noi this year, said the municipal People's Committee deputy Chairman Nguyen Quoc Hung.

The official made the statement at a meeting reviewing the projects last week.

"However, while speeding up the process, the quality of construction work must be ensured and little inconvenience should be caused to locals", said Hung.

The city's steering committee for ground clearance and local governments should co-operate to accelerate land clearance, he said.

According to the city's deputy director of Transport Department Hoang Van Tuan, his agency has pushed investors and contractors to fulfill key projects.

Tuan pledged to complete the widening of Le Trong Tan Road by late April.

Major parts of the project on belt ring No.2 would be completed in June, he said. However, the project had been facing difficulties related to ground clearance.

Tuan also asked the city for capital to carry out more 11 projects.

Vice chairman Hung asked the Transport Department to carrying out the projects on schedule.

"The city will consider granting capital which will be withdrawn from the city budget for the year 2017", he said.

Speaking at the meeting, the dwputy director of Construction Department Vo Nguyen Phong said the project of water drainage and environment improvement had been carried out.

Nine out of 16 bidding packs have been completed, and 7 packs are ongoing, said the deputy director.

The big hurdle affecting the project was ground clearance, he said.

He proposed that the municipal People's Committee ask district authorities to finish the land clearance work to ensure the project's progress.

At the meeting, a representative of the Ha Noi Health Department gave a report on the progress of the Pediatrics Hospital Project in Ha Dong District.

According to the representative, investors and contractors have completed procedures to soon realise the project.

As scheduled, construction will be finished late this year and the building put into operation next year.

Hung asked Ha Dong's People's Committee to apply effective measures to speed up ground clearance work to help complete the project on schedule.

"The city has released several policies on capital support and ground clearance. However, many investors and contractors have not made measures to speed up progress", he said.

"For ground clearance, the city needs strong measures in cases where land for projects isn't handed over".

Workshop on tourism promotion in north, south-central regions

A workshop on tourism promotion in the north and south-central regions opened in central Nghe An province on February 20.

The event is designed to evaluate potential and reality for tourism development in the region and find ways to connect and diversify tourism products of regional localities.

In his speech, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission Vuong Dinh Hue highlighted tourism potential of the north and south-central region.

He underlined the need to be well aware of local tourism potential and local infrastructure conditions and to learn experiences in tourism development from other countries.

"It is necessary to enhance inter-regional connectivity and take the best advantage of local tourism potential to develop tourism as a spearhead economic sector in the central region," he said.

Participants discussed ways to increase tourism cooperation in the next five years and on the importance of expanding international cooperation, improving transport connection, and strengthening human resource training to further develop the tourism sector.

Representatives from 14 provinces used the occasion to sign an cooperation agreement on tourism development in the future.

First central commune accomplishes targets of Programme 135

Huong Phong Commune in the central province of Thua Thien- Hue has become the first mountainous commune in the province to accomplish targets set by the government’s Programme 135 in 2015.

Huong Phong is among the 80 most vulnerable communes in ethnic minority and mountainous areas of 23 provinces and cities which are beneficiaries of the programme.

The locality has implemented dozens of socio-economic growth plans in combination with the new-style rural area programme, with a focus on expanding production to increase incomes.

Provincial People’s Committee Deputy Chairman Dinh Khac Dinh said the successful completion of Programme 135 reflects significant efforts by the entire political system and local residents to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, as well as build and develop the local economy.

He said the commune has allocated 36 billion VND (1.6 million USD), of which 13 billion VND was contributed by local residents, for housing construction and production expansion in order to promote resources for development.

In the past year, Huong Phong has invested in infrastructure, particularly its road construction, helping to boost transportation in the locality. It has also encouraged and multiplied effective production models in gardening, forestry, farms and general co-operatives in an attempt to improve living standards and generate income for locals.

Average income per capita in the locality rose from 10.5 million VND (477 USD) in 2010 to 25.5 million VND (1,160 USD) in 2015. Residents were able to use hygienic water, 50 percent of which met national regulations.

The proportion of people who participated in health insurance accounted for 78.09 percent, and only one household was living under the poverty line.

The 135 is a national programme for socio-economic development in the most disadvantaged communes in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. It began in 1998.

Upgraded vessels to be handed to fishermen

Nha Trang Shipbuilding Company have been busy since the lunar new year, rushing to complete increasing orders for more steel-clad vessels for local fishermen.

Many fishermen have been able to switch from wooden to steel-clad vessels thanks to Government Decree 67 on off-shore fishing development, which took effect in 2014. The decree stipulates policies in investment, credit, insurance and tax incentives in support of fishermen and boat owners who wish to build new fishing boats, upgrade existing boats and buy fishing and marine equipment.

Nha Trang Shipbuilding Company have received orders from various provinces including Danang, Quang Nam, Phu Yen and Ninh Thuan. The company successfully launched one logistics ship and three fishing vessels last year. The new vessels have faster speeds and can operate further from shore.

Le Van Chuong, vice director of Nha Trang Shipbuilding Company said between 10 to 12 vessels would be launched this year. The company was intending to employ up to 100 more workers to fulfil the orders.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh, Decree 67 will help modernise Vietnam’s fishing fleet.

Boat owners are eyeing better financial returns from the new vessels, while crew members can enjoy higher salaries.

Krong No 3 hydropower plant’s first turbine operational

The first turbine of the Krong No 3 hydropower plant officially commenced generating electricity to the national grid on February 21.

When fully operational, the turbine is expected to provide 176 million kWh of energy a year, contributing to economic development for the Central Highlands region in particular and the country in general.

The new facility is part of the Krong No hydropower project, located in the Central Highlands provinces of Lam Dong and Dak Lak.

The project includes two hydropower plants: Krong No 2 and Krong No 3.

The Krong No hydropower project is designed to have a combined capacity of 48 MW, with a total investment of VND1,850 billion (over US$82.7 million).

The project also aims to fuel the socio-economic development and help ensure security-defence in the Central Highlands region.

Hanoi: US$3.1 million for 2016 vocational training

Authorities in the capital city planned to earmark VND70 billion (US$3.1 million) for vocational training in 2016, with priority given to rural labourers and people with disabilities.

As part of the city’s plan to arrange vocational training for rural labourers from 2016 to 2020, the project is expected to benefit nearly 30,500 labourers in rural areas, more than 15,500 of whom will be trained in agriculture. Another 14,400 will receive training in other professions.

Beneficiaries will mostly be people with disabilities, those with low incomes, people from ethnic minority groups, families that rendered great services to the national revolution, and households whose agricultural land was taken for other use.

Municipal authorities have directed relevant sectors to work with vocational training centres in the city on the project.

Municipal People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung said the project is quite important. It will contribute to reducing the poverty rate in the locality, restricting waste of manpower, and ensuring security and social order.

He stressed the need to promote development and re-organisation of district-level vocational training units; plan the network of vocational schools; and encourage public and private universities, research institutes and enterprises to join the work.

Kien Giang must work to protect wildlife

As many as 21 animals and one plant in the southern province of Kien Giang have been classified as endangered species that need to be better protected, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The threatened species include the hopea pierrei in Phu Quoc District, flying lemur, white-cheeked douc langur, European otter, sirenia, great hornbill, king cobra, yellow-cheeked gibbon, sun bear and Asian black bear in Hon Dat District, among many others.

The province needs to set up scientific research and preservation programmes with the involvement of State and local authorities, aiming to manage and protect endangered species while conserving biodiversity, said department deputy director Quang Trong Thao.

The provincial authorities also detected some species belonging to primates, testudines and squamata and recommended them be added to the list of rare animals that need prioritised protection. That list comprises the crab-eating macaque in Hon Dat and Phu Quoc districts, macaca nemestrina, Mekong snail-eating turtle, yellow-headed temple turtle, Bengal monitor in Hon Dat District and Indochina silver langur in Kien Luong District.

Viet Nam's first safari zoo, featuring more than 150 rare and endangered species, opened late last year on Phu Quoc Island.

The zoo's unique natural environment is also home to 200 flamingoes, 100 rhinos and 60 giraffes. It is the only place in Vietnam breeding large numbers of wildlife herds.

The safari zoo will strengthen wildlife preservation and environmental protection through scientific research conducted in the park.

HCM City ensures social security to improve people’s living standards

In 2015 Ho Chi Minh City continued to lead Vietnam in ensuring social security and caring for local poor people.

This year, in addition to specific policies supporting disadvantaged families, Ho Chi Minh City is focusing on sustainable poverty reduction until 2020.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s economic capital and the driver of the southern region’s economy, gives high priority to infrastructure construction to improve people’s living conditions.

Recent construction projects include the Phu My Bridge, the Sai Gon River tunnel, East-West Avenue, and the upgrading of the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal.

To deal with city traffic, Ho Chi Minh City is accelerating its flyover project, improving the municipal bus system, and upgrading inner city traffic routes.

Du Phuoc Tan, who lives in Van Kien Street in Binh Thanh district, said, “Ho Chi Minh City has changed a lot. A number of new residential areas have been established. Residential areas are now master-planned with the Phu My Hung residential area recognized as the new urban model, boosting investment attraction and municipal growth.”

Many local residents have expressed their satisfaction with the targets set by the city’s Party Congress to make Ho Chi Minh City a more modern city with a higher quality of life.

Le Van Thanh, a resident of district 3, shared, “If we don’t have jobs, we will have no income and will become needy. Ho Chi Minh City has a low unemployment rate of a bit more than 4%. Job generation is the key to helping locals and migrant workers enjoy a better life.”

Ho Chi Minh City had an impressive achievement last year, which was to complete its poverty reduction program a year ahead of schedule. By the end of last year there were only 9,000 households with a yearly income less than US$720 – just 0.5% of the total households in Ho Chi Minh City.

To Dung in Da Kao ward in district 1 noted, “I’ve met many people in Ho Chi Minh City who are happy about the sufficiency of food and the improvements to roads, houses, and the urban landscape.”

Since 2016 the Ho Chi Minh City administration has been implementing the sustainable poverty reduction program until 2020 to help the poor access education, healthcare, employment, social insurance, housing, and information to improve their lives.

Passing the buck becomes common practice

It seems that trying to pass responsibility for their wrongdoings while claiming the good work of others have become common practice among many leaders in Vietnam.

Before leaving his post, transport minister Dinh La Thang recently dismissed the director of the Hanoi Railway Transport Company, Nguyen Viet Hiep, for a bad-value Chinese carriage purchase contract.

Earlier, the Hanoi Railway Transport Company announced its intention to buy more than 160 old train carriages from China's Kunming Railway Department. Of these, some 120 were manufactured 20 years ago, with the newest 12 carriages still 12-years-old.

Thang's decision was popular with the public.

However, further investigations by the media then discovered that the Vietnam Railway Corporation (VRC), the mother company, had given permission for the deal.

According to some local newspapers, the contract to buy old Chinese carriage had been agreed in 2013 but then was delayed following the tense situation in the East Sea.

There have been official documents with notes and signatures by VRC's general director, Vu Ta Tung, and VRC's chairman, Tran Ngoc Thanh, on the agreement to purchase the old train carriages.

In Document 229 dated, August 29, 2014, VRC's general director, Vu Ta Tung wrote: “I agree with the plan to buy old train carriages from China as proposed in the report..."

In Document 399 dated October 15, 2014, VRC's chairman, Tran Ngoc Thanh wrote: “I agree to quickly carry out the purchase of Chinese used train carriages...”

So, as director of Hanoi Railway Transport Company, Hiep only carried out the plan agreed by the mother company. And if he was punished, his bosses could not escape the responsibilities.

However, in an interview with DTiNews on February 4, VRC's chairman, Tran Ngoc Thanh, denied everything.

"I had no knowledge about proposed purchase of used Chinese train carriages," Thanh confirmed. "I will not buy a carriage which has been used for a year, let alone these 20 year-old carriages."

It is easy to see that Thanh did not tell the truth. What about the above documents with his notes and signatures? How can people believe that he, the top leader, didn't know anything about such an investment decision by the company he was responsible for?

And many of such cases involving leaders like Thanh are now not difficult to find in Vietnam.

Educational campaigns to be held on Party Congress’s outcomes

Holding educational campaigns on the outcomes of the 12th National Party Congress is among the key tasks that the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee has outlined for Party committees at all levels following the Lunar New Year Festival.

The document, signed by Politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat Dinh The Huynh, also urged the completion and publishing of documents of the 12th Party Congress, as well as the drafting of an instruction of the Politburo on studying and organising the implementation of the congress’s resolution.

The Secretariat required all the Party committees to lead the implementation of the Prime Minister’s public letter No.252/CÐ-TTg on promptly resuming work after the festival, while accelerating communications and preparations activities for the elections of the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for 2016-2021 term. The elections are slated for May.

Party committees are instructed to pay attention to urgent issues facing the central region, the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta due to severe droughts and salt water intrusion.

As spring festivals are being held across the country, it is important to strengthen the management of festivals to ensure social order, traffic safety, environmental hygiene and food safety at festival sites, upholding good traditional cultural values while preventing wastefulness, the document said.

The Secretariat’s document laid emphasis on strictly enforcing the ban of the use of public vehicles and working time for attending festivals among public workers and Party members.

At the same time, Party committees are to continue keeping close watch of the situation in all aspects in order to timely and proactively take measures to address any arising problems regarding national sovereignty, defence, security and external relations, among other tasks.

Russian students explore Vietnam

Russian students participated in a contest in Moscow on February 22 on Vietnam, its people and culture.

The students are learning Vietnamese at the Institute of Practical Oriental Studies, the Russian State University of the Humanities and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

Russian teachers of Vietnamese, representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia and Vietnamese students pursuing education in the European country attended the event.

The contest offered an opportunity for Russian students to explore the Southeast Asian nation’s customs and culture. They must answer in Vietnamese.

The activity helped Russian students better their Vietnamese, understand more about Vietnam, and tighten the friendship between the two countries, said organisers.

Campaign encourages men to protect women, girls

A communications campaign has been launched by numerous domestic and foreign offices to call on men to help stop family violence and protect women and girls.

The campaign spreads three messages to the public: “Protecting the safety of women and girls is men’s responsibility,” “Joining hands to build up the future by love and responsibility,” and “Getting strong to protect your woman”.

This is among a series of activities in urging joint efforts to eliminate all kinds of violence against women and girls, carried out by the Research Centre for Family Support and Community Development (CFSCD), the Centre for Women and Development (CWD) and the Honda Dream II Club.

The organisers expect that through the campaign’s messages, men will play a core and active role in the fight.

In Vietnam, most violent domestic incidents are conducted by men. Therefore, their voice against domestic violence is an important step to stop all kinds of violence against women and girls.

According to a national study on family violence announced in 2010, 58 percent of married women become victims of violence, which can cause them heavy physical and mental damage.

Violence also causes economic losses to not only women, but also their family and the nation.

Women, who are the victims of domestic violence, have an average income 35 percent lower than other women.

National measles-rubella vaccination campaign expanded

The national campaign on measles-rubella vaccination will be expanded to children aged 16-17 in a bid to prevent and stop the infectious diseases.

The expanded immunisation programme was launched at separate conferences held in the northern provinces of Ha Nam and Bac Ninh on February 22.

In Bac Ninh, more than 34,000 people aged 16-17 across the province will receive free measles-rubella vaccinations in April, while in Ha Nam, the figure is approximately 20,000.

The campaign, which began in mid-September, 2014, is the biggest of its kind and has thus far provided injections to 19 million children from one to 14 years old or 95.7 percent of the total population demographic.

These efforts have contributed to reducing the number of measles and rubella cases to only 36 from the outset of 2015.

Central Highlands: high alert for dengue fever

Nearly 900 cases of dengue fever have been reported in the Central Highlands of Vietnam from the beginning of 2016, up over 20 percent compared to the same period last year.

According to the Central Highlands Institute of Epidemic Prevention,the largest numbers of dengue infections were recorded in the provinces of Gia Lai and Dak Lak.

As said by health experts, rapid variation in weather conditions and erratic temperature fluctuations are resulting in a rise in dengue contracted cases

The institute has requested provinces to enact measures to prevent the disease’s spread, such as raising public awareness and spraying mosquito repellent in high-risk areas.

Localities have launched responses to the outbreak, including establishing inspection groups in high risk areas, providing necessary equipment, opening training courses for medical staff and destroying mosquito larva.

According to the World Health Organisation, around 100 million people are infected with the fever each year, mostly children below 15. The disease is circulating in more than 100 tropical countries worldwide with about 3.5 billion living in high-risk areas.

The disease is contracted through bites from dengue-infected mosquitoes; causing headaches, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen glands, vomiting and rashes. There is no medication to treat the disease, only to ease the symptoms.

Hue monument complex gets two defibrillators

The Hue monument conservation centre yesterday received two automated external defibrillators, granted by Korea, to help tourists who suffer sudden cardiac arrest.

The automatic external defibrillator is considered to be a useful and convenient device to save people who suffer a heart attack.

Korea's Radian Company has given the Hue monument conservation centre two devices, each costing US$2,500.

Hue Medical University will train the centre's staff in using the device and in emergency medical aid.

The Korean side will study other destinations and provide defibrillators to those commonly visited by tourists.

VFF Vice President receives leader of religious organisation

Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man has reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of respecting and ensuring citizens’ rights to religious freedom.

Hosting a reception for Deputy Secretary General of the World Conference of Religions for Peace Kyoichi Sugino in Hanoi on February 22, Man updated his guest about the activities of religious organisations in Vietnam, including the patriotic emulation campaign, humanitarian drives and calling for public involvement in pre-school education, health care and vocational training.

Sugino, in turn, said the 90-member World Conference of Religions for Peace is an international non-governmental organisation based in New York. It has been recognised by the United Nations Economic and Social Council and works to promote peace, sustainable development and environment protection via cooperation among religions.

He said his visit is meant to acquire the Vietnamese Party and government’s feedback on dialogues and coordination among religions in Southeast Asia and the possibility of developing a foundation for collaboration among Vietnamese religions.

The guest hoped for support from the VFF Central Committee in religious cooperation.

Vietnam has so far recognised 40 affiliates from 14 religions, which group nearly 80,000 dignitaries, more than 22 million religious followers, over 25,900 places of worship, 102 religious training establishments and 761 humanitarian establishments.

President visits Quang Ngai’s Ly Son island district

President Truong Tan Sang visited Ly Son island district – homeland of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) flotilla soldiers, in the central province of Quang Ngai on February 22.

In the Hoang Sa tomb relic complex, the State leader offered incense to the soldiers who laid down their lives to safeguarding national sovereignty.

He later visited a technical scout force of the Navy High Command, presented gifts to 20 poor households and learned about a cultivation model in An Hai commune.

The communal authorities updated the President about the local socio-economic development, saying that An Hai is currently home to nearly 8,000 people, 60 percent of them live on fishing with a total fish catch of 17,000 tonnes per year.

Fishermen at the event appealed for more State support in shipbuilding, environment protection and relic restoration.

The President expressed delight at his second visit to the island district and asked local authorities to pay attention to sustainable planning and provide further assistance for fishermen.

During a working session with the provincial authorities, the State leader suggested seeking the right ways to make economic breakthroughs, persisting with major projects in oil refinery, industrial infrastructure, sugarcane and tourism, reshuffling production and facilitating the private sector.

The province owns more than 5,480 vessels with a total capacity of 934,000 CV, and has 10 fisheries trade unions with 6,000 members. Last year, the total aquatic output surpassed 167,500 tonnes and more than 40,000 jobs were created.

Educational campaigns to be held on Party Congress’s outcomes

Holding educational campaigns on the outcomes of the 12th National Party Congress is among the key tasks that the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee has outlined for Party committees at all levels following the Lunar New Year Festival.

The document, signed by Politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat Dinh The Huynh, also urged the completion and publishing of documents of the 12th Party Congress, as well as the drafting of an instruction of the Politburo on studying and organising the implementation of the congress’s resolution.

The Secretariat required all the Party committees to lead the implementation of the Prime Minister’s public letter No.252/CĐ-TTg on promptly resuming work after the festival, while accelerating communications and preparations activities for the elections of the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for 2016-2021 term. The elections are slated for May.

Party committees are instructed to pay attention to urgent issues facing the central region, the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta due to severe droughts and salt water intrusion.

As spring festivals are being held across the country, it is important to strengthen the management of festivals to ensure social order, traffic safety, environmental hygiene and food safety at festival sites, upholding good traditional cultural values while preventing wastefulness, the document said.

The Secretariat’s document laid emphasis on strictly enforcing the ban of the use of public vehicles and working time for attending festivals among public workers and Party members.

At the same time, Party committees are to continue keeping close watch of the situation in all aspects in order to timely and proactively take measures to address any arising problems regarding national sovereignty, defence, security and external relations, among other tasks.

Con Son-Kiep Bac Spring Festival opens

The Con Son-Kiep Bac 2016 Spring Festival commenced in the northern province of Hai Duong on February 23, or the 16th day of the first lunar month.

The annual festival commemorates the death anniversary of monk Huyen Quang, who died in 1334 and was the founder of the Truc Lam Zen sect.

Also on the occasion, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan handed over the Prime Minister’s Decision to recognise Thanh Hu Dong stele (a commemorative standing stone) at Con Son Pagoda as a national treasure.

The Thanh Hu Dong stele dates back to Long Khanh era (1372 – 1377) under the reign of King Tran Due Tong. When Tran Nguyen Dan, a high-ranking mandarin of the Tran dynasty, converted Thanh Hu cave in Con Son Mountain to live in after his retirement, King Tran Due Tong wrote three words: Thanh Hu Dong (Thanh Hu Cave) on a stele erected at the cave’s entrance. The King’s father Nghe Tong also composed a poem which was inscribed on the back of the stele.

Prior to the opening ceremony of the festival, there was a ceremonial water-carrying parade staged by hundreds of people from Con Son Pagoda to Con Son Lake, where monks and nuns offered incense and released birds.

The festival, to run until March 1, will also feature a string of cultural and sporting activities such as incense offerings, worshipping rituals at Ngu Nhac Mountain, a mud banger festival (an ancient game involving tossing a large, shaped peice of clay, approx. 30kg and trying to make the loudest bag from it smashing apart) and a wrestling contest.

Covering a total area of eight hectares in Chi Linh district, the Con Son-Kiep Bac historical site is entwined with the life and cause of general Tran Hung Dao, the Supreme Commander of Vietnam during the Tran Dynasty, and it was where UNESCO’s Great Man of Culture of the World, Nguyen Trai (1380-1442), one of Vietnam’s most famous poets and writers, lived.

The site was a defence line built at the end of the 14 th century to protect the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. It witnessed important battles between the Tran Dynasty army and the Yuan-Mongol invaders in the 14 th and 15 th centuries.

Con Son-Kiep Bac was recognised as a national heritage site in 1962 and a special national heritage site in 2012. The next year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism named the Spring Festival a national intangible cultural heritage.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri