Exhibition showcases artworks made from used plastic bags

In the lead up to the Green Consumers' Day, Australian artist Bianca Hoffrichter and 15 high school students in Hanoi have collaborated to produce RETHINK, an exhibition showcasing artworks made from used plastic bags.

With support from the Australian Embassy, Australian volunteer Nancy Zhou and the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, the exhibition is expected to help people rethink about the way they use plastic products and be more creative in re-using them.

The exhibits explore the materiality of plastic itself, its likeness to fabric and paper, but also bring a positive, beautiful perspective on what would have been trash. Main pieces of the exhibition also speak to the current fast fashion industry, which contributes to pollution across the world.

“There is a lot of great possibility in connecting with the traditional practices of the ethnic tribes in Vietnam, and the First Nation People in Australia, who lived far more sustainably with the land. I think we have so much to learn from every culture, and with a collective knowledge we can help solve this issue,” Bianca said.

The Australian artist also conducted a painting and embroidering on plastic workshop with students from a range of schools in Hanoi, giving them an insight into their relationship with plastics and creative ways to reuse plastics. Participants were also asked to take their own photos to document plastics in their everyday life.

According to Canadian Consul General in HCMC Kyle Nunas, 86% of plastic is used once and then discarded. Vietnam is reportedly among the top five source countries for the roughly eight million tons of plastic that ends up in the world’s oceans a year. Therefore, the country needs to step up efforts to combat plastic pollution.

The exhibition takes place at the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi from now until September 30.

Bianca is one of more than 1,500 New Colombo Program (NCP) students who will have studied in Vietnam by the end of 2018. NCP students are undertaking a range of different activities in Vietnamese communities, contributing to the enhancement of the people-to-people links between the two countries.

HCMC successful in processing thermal grease

A representative of SHTP Labs introduces DSA thermal grease at the launch ceremony on September 25

The Research Laboratories of Saigon High-Tech Park (SHTP Labs) on September 25 announced its success in researching and manufacturing thermal grease from carbon nanotubes and graphene used for electronic devices and LED lights.

SHTP Labs rolled out the DSA thermal grease at a launch ceremony on September 25, marking a milestone in putting a product processed by the park into commercial service. This is the first facility in Vietnam to research, manufacture and sell this product successfully.

The thermal grease contains carbon nanotubes and graphene that can be used to produce thermal interface materials for electronic devices, chips and LED lights to ensure productivity and enhance the lifespan of these devices.

Speaking at the launch ceremony of DSA, SHTP Labs Director Ngo Vo Ke Thanh said electronics, computer and LED light manufacturers in Vietnam have imported thermal grease to serve their production needs for a long time. SHTP Labs’ thermal grease product is highly competitive with these imports in terms of quality and price. The Vietnamese market is currently home to 10 thermal grease brands.

At the ceremony, SHTP Labs also signed an agreement with Chip Sang JSC to commercialize the product.

Thanh insisted that the potential for the expansion of thermal grease in the local market was enormous as a score of domestic and foreign electronics and LED light assemblers and manufacturers are in need of the product for their manufacturing processes.

A representative from Chip Sang Company said the product should also be promoted in foreign markets.

The product is the result of a pilot science and technology project aimed at supporting the commercialization of hi-tech products from Saigon High-Tech Park in 2017-2018 , in line with the HCMC government’s Decision 2431/QD-UBND.

HCMC students dominate data science competition

The Maverick team present their project at the competition 

Two groups of students from RMIT Vietnam University in HCMC have taken top two spots at the national round of the 2018 SAP ASEAN Data Science Explorer competition, co-organized by SAP & ASEAN Foundation.

Bachelor of Business students Nguyen Van Thuan and Mai Thanh Tung took first place with their presentation on the importance of sea trade for the ASEAN. They argued for improved connectivity, as well as enhanced port facilities and inland transportation networks, as remedies for the region’s infrastructure problems. The duo will now proceed to the next round of the competition, held in Singapore.

The Maverick team including students Le Phung Dan Thanh and Nguyen Ngoc Tram Anh, also Bachelor of Business students from RMIT Vietnam, came in second with their project on sexual harassment in the ASEAN.

“We joined this competition because it is focused on sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). The focus on data analytics is also interesting and helps us in other business-related areas as well as my assignments. It is not simply about reading numbers, but what you can conclude and recommend based on your analysis,” said the Maverick team.

“To solve complex problems such as the UN SDGs, our youths need to be familiar with the latest technology to uncover fresh solutions for current and future problems. The ASEAN Data Science Explorers (ADSE) is the very first step for Vietnamese youths to work towards resolving the world’s problems by using real quantifiable data and analytics,” said Eugene Ho, Head of Corporate Affairs (Southeast Asia), SAP, who was also on the judging panel for the competition.

The national round of the SAP ASEAN Data Science Explorer competition, was organized by the ASEAN Foundation and SAP at RMIT Vietnam’s Saigon South campus last week.

Titled “Today’s Youth for Tomorrow’s World”, the competition offers ASEAN youth the opportunity to help shape the future by harnessing data to highlight key issues in the ASEAN.

First introduced in 2017, ADSE is a data analytics competition that aims to enhance awareness and appreciation of the ASEAN community amongst young people through digital literacy intervention. By using the SAP Analytics Cloud, participants are encouraged to deliver data-driven insights which highlight issues in the ASEAN across six UN SDGs, namely good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, and sustainable cities and communities.

The assessment was based on three criteria, including the relevance and credibility of data, the quality of analytical insights, and the feasibility of recommended solutions to the problems addressed by each project.

Out of 11 finalists, the first place winner will proceed to the Regional Finals happening on October 25 in Singapore, where they will face the top winners from other National Finals rounds.

Dairy farmers turn to crossbred cattle

Dairy farmers in suburban districts in Ho Chi Minh City have turned their back to raising milk cow; therefore, the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development oriented them to raise crossbred beef in the empty farms.

According to the agriculture encourage center, the HCMC People’s Committee issued a plan to develop beef for the period 2016 – 2020 with the vision to 2030. However, just a few breeders feed beef as pilot scheme though beef production generate profit for them.

Deputy Head of the center Nguyen Thi Lieu Kieu said that Vietnam has bought 900,000 tons of frozen cattle meat from India in 2017 excluding cow and ox from Australia.

In 2017, Vietnamese people had around 260,000 tons, increasing 4 – 5 percent year on year. HCMC has raised more than 58,200 beef , a rise of 2.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

As per estimation, city dwellers consume 760 beef a day yet there has been a shortage in supply.

With the target to create crossbred cow suitable with farming condition in HCMC, the center decided to choose hi-yield cows such as BBB, Red Angus, Drought Master to breed with local to generate high profit for farmers.

Moreover, the center will provide breeding technologies to farmers for sustainable beef husbandry.

Farmer Dang Anh Duc in Cu Chi District said for past years, milk cow produce low yield with 10 kilogram of milk a cow daily; so farmers’ income is very low. After he was encouraged and consulted by the center, he was bold to turn to new cross bred beef.

The center for cattle development and research said that because there has been an increase in the number of cattle for years pasture just meet 20-30 percent of demand.

Ms. Lieu Kieu said beef can eat additional hay, corn, and sugar-cane dregs.

The branch office of agriculture development said that beef farmers are eligible for loan with low interest rate.

The beef raising plan in HCMC includes two phases. The first phase will select suitable beef for the city. In 2020, 30,000 beef cattle will be raised and supply 10,000 fresh meat for the market and 7,000 high yield cow will be bred in the phase. In the second phase, around 40,000 high yield cows are raised.

The plan targets to supply 15,000 tons of beef for the market and 10,000 breeding cows to satisfy farmers’ demand while it will increase more by 2030.

Agriculture related agencies will help to link production and enterprises to build up brand name of new beef.

Mekong Delta famers rush to harvest rice against complex flooding

Farmers in Vinh Gia commune, Tri Ton district, An Giang province harvest rice against the flood.

Facing the complicated developments of floods, farmers in the Mekong Delta are rushing to harvest their just-ripe winter-autumn rice to save the crops from damage caused by flooding.

In Long An province, the total area of winter-spring rice is approximately 22,576 ha. Of which, roughly 17,476 hectares of rice are within protective dykes and around 5,100 ha are likely to be affected by the floods.

Farmers in Tan Hung and Tan Thanh districts, as well as those in Kien Tuong township, have harvested 5,740 ha. It is expected that the harvest will be boosted by the end of September and finished by mid-October.

In Thap Muoi district, Dong Thap province, many dykes are likely to be affected by floods, so for the crops that have ripened to at least 80%, the local authorities have mobilised farmers to make an early harvest.

To date, more than 5,600 ha of rice has been harvested, concentrated in the communes of Thanh Loi, Hung Thanh, Truong Xuan, Phu Dien, Thanh My and My Quy.

In An Giang province, of the roughly 111,000 ha of winter-spring rice cultivation area, 8,000 ha are located outside the dyke system of Tri Ton district and are the most vulnerable to floods.

The Tri Ton authorities have mobilised means and human forces to reinforce embankments in an attempt to protect the rice crops. The staff concerned have joined the local farmers to harvest the ripe rice as soon as possible in order to minimise the damage caused by floods.

Ha Giang police seize 430kg of illegal firecrackers

Police in Dong Van District of Ha Giang province have arrested two men who were discovered to be smuggling 430kg of firecrackers from China to Vietnam.

According to the police, they stopped a suspicious car, coded 29C-695.99, on Highway 4C in Pho Cao commune and conducted a search of the vehicle.

The police discovered 14 large bags and 12 cartons containing more than 430kg of firecrackers.

The two suspects were identified as Nguyen Chi Tu,31, from Hang Bac Street, Hanoi and Hoang Thi Hong, 26, from Pho Bang Town, Dong Van District. They confessed to having bought the firecrackers from several Chinese traders at a price of VND24 million before transporting them over the border to Vietnam for resale.

The incident is still under investigation.

Transnational drug trafficking ring busted in Ha Tinh

Border-guard forces in the central province of Ha Tinh have coordinated with police in the Lao province of Bolikhamsai to bust an international drug trafficking ring operating in Laos and Vietnam.

They carried out a raid on September 23, arresting 6 suspects and seizing 15kg of methamphetamine, 20 bricks of heroin, two cars and other related evidence.

The case is under further investigation.

Six fishermen missing off Hoang Sa Islands

The boat left the mainland for the fishing from August 28.

Six fishermen in the southern-central coastal province of Binh Dinh have been reported missing off the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands.

The fishermen are from fishing boat BD 97640 TS owned by La Thi Chinh in Tam Quan Bac Commune, Hoai Nhon District.     

At 4 pm on September 13, the boat captain named Chau Thanh Hung contacted his family, saying that he was around 260 nautical miles from Woody Island in the Paracel Islands. He also contacted another fishing boat which operated for the same journey at 9 am the following day.

All fishing boats returned their hometown on September 23 except for BD 97640 TS.

After being informed of the case, the Marine Information System reported the missing boat to rescue agencies and called on ships and boats operating near the last reported area of boat BD 97640 TS in the search.

Mid-autumn festival brings joy to disadvantaged children

Miss Vietnam Tran Tieu Vy presents gift to a disadvantaged girl in Quang Nam province.

 

An array of activities were held on September 25 for disadvantaged children in the central provinces of Quang Binh and Quang Nam on the occasion of mid-autumn festival.

Quang Binh’s border guard joined hands with the women’s union in Quang Trach district to organise a mid-autumn programme for disadvantaged children at Thuong Hoa primary and secondary schools in the mountainous district of Minh Hoa.

Nearly 350 gifts, including candies, clothes, star-shaped lanterns and notebooks, were presented to local students. In addition, they were enabled to contemplate lion dances, traditional games, and mooncakes like sweet banh deo (sticky rice cake) and savoury banh nuong (baked cake).

Children living in other mountainous and border areas in Quang Binh province received nearly 2,200 gifts worth 400 million VND (17,200 USD) from the border guard force, and many charitable organisations nationwide on the occasion.

The programme helped bring a warm mid-autumn to impoverished children across the province.

The same day, the People’s Committee of Quang Nam province also organised a programme called “Mid-autumn festival 2018” for children with special circumstances in the locality.

On the occasion, local leaders and Miss Vietnam 2018 Tran Tieu Vy handed over 250 gifts, each worth 500,000 VND (21.5 USD) to disadvantaged children.

The province’s Children Protection Fund received 30 million VND (1,290 USD) from Vy and 20 million VND (860 USD) from the organising board of the Miss Vietnam 2018.

Reporters share experiences in writing about tobacco prevention

At the conference 

Vietnamese reporters and editors were equipped with skills and information to improve their writings about long-term harmful effects of tobacco and the need to raise the tax on tobacco at a conference held in Hanoi on September 25.

Jointly held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications and Healthbridge Foundation of Canada, the event was part of activities to realise Decision No.229/QD-TTg approving the national strategy on tobacco harm prevention and control until 2020, and Decision No.517/QD-BTTTT on issuing plan to organise conference providing information and skill training for reporters of both central and local press agencies.

International efforts to prevent tobacco harms, benefits of tobacco taxes, and the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s recommendations were updated at the event. In addition, public opinion on the increase in tobacco taxes as well as results of the research on the impacts of tobacco tax hike on business and jobs in Vietnam were also under spotlight.

Reporters joining the event shared their experience in approaches and ways to conduct effective writings on smoking prevention.

Tobacco prevention has received extensive coverage of the domestic media in the past years. However, many writings fail to update readers on the latest information on the issue.

Statistics from the WHO showed that tobacco is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing 7.1 million people a year, including 900,000 deaths by diseases caused by exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoking also costs the world around 1.4 trillion USD.

According to Jun Nakagawa, deputy chief of the WHO Office in Vietnam, 40,000 people die from smoking every year and the figure is forecast to reach 70,000 by 2033 if the country takes no strong measures.

In Vietnam, smoking also causes economic losses of more than 24 trillion VND (1.03 billion USD) in treatment and labour loss every year.

More than 47 percent of Vietnamese men smoke and as many as 30 million people are regularly exposed to smoking every day. The high rate of smoking was triggered by the country’s low tax levied on tobacco. The tax per retail price in Vietnam is 36 percent, compared to the world average of 56 percent and the WHO’s recommendation of 70 percent.

First Vietnamese students’ sport festival in Czech Republic

A tug of war competition at the event 

The 1st sport festival for Vietnamese students in the Czech Republic took place in Brno city on September 22-23 with support from the Vietnamese Embassy and the Association of Vietnamese people in the country. 

The event attracted Vietnamese postgraduates and students pursuing their studies in the Czech Republic, who competed in football, table tennis, badminton, and tug of war.

Nguyen Van Phu, Chairman of the Vietnamese students and youth association in the European country, thanked the embassy and the association for their support which, he said, contributed to the event’s success. 

The festival helped to encourage sport and exercise movements, as well as promote solidarity among Vietnamese youths working and studying in the country, he added.

Tho Xuan airport to be upgraded to international status

Tho Xuan Airport 

The Ministry of Transport has agreed upon the upgrading of Tho Xuan airport in the central province of Thanh Hoa to an international airport. 

The ministry also assigned the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAA) to study and adjust the detailed planning scheme, making it suitable with the master plan. 

Accordingly, the Tho Xuan airport’s capacity will be raised from 2.5 million passengers per year to 5 million in 2030.

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) was tasked with outlining the investment plan for the airport. 

According to the CAA, Tho Xuan is one of the airports that post the fastest growth in the country. With comprehensive infrastructure and equipment, and an internationally standard air traffic control tower, which was put into service earlier this year, the airport now can handle 105,000 flights each year. 

In 2017, the Tho Xuan airport served more than 850,000 passengers. 

Formerly known as Sao Vang airport, the Tho Xuan airport is located in Sao Vang town, Tho Xuan district, 45 kilometres away from Thanh Hoa city.  It plays an important role in aviation transportation and national overflight protection.

Friendship association fosters 25 years of Vietnam-China ties

Scene at the event (Photo: daidoanket.vn)

The Vietnam-China Friendship Association (VCFA)’s chapter in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho celebrated its 25th founding anniversary on September 25.

The association has worked along the lines of people-to-people diplomacy, contributing to the improvement of the Vietnam-China relationship, stated its President Ngo Quoc Tuan as part of his speech at the ceremony.

He said the VCFA in Can Tho has organised regular activities involving Chinese delegations, including exchanges, cooperation conferences, tourism promotion events, as well as joint economic, cultural, and charity projects.

Tuan pointed to some of the larger events, such as meetings with Vietnamese and Chinese patriotic personalities and the Vietnam-China people’s forum, noting that they have created opportunities for the public to increase mutual understanding, present their aspirations for peace, push for multilateral cooperation, and strengthen the peaceful and stable bilateral relations.

Lauding the association’s achievements in the past, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Van Tam noted that Can Tho and China are yet to fully exploit their full potential for trade and investment interaction.

Tam suggested the local VCFA collaborate with relevant agencies and sectors to attract Chinese investment in the city and the Chinese Consulate-General’s support for exchange activities.

Le Thi Thanh Giang, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations’ Can Tho chapter, recommended the association improve its orientations, performance, and communications work, as well as organise more trips for local trade and tourism promotion delegations. 

Dinh Bo Linh Foundation nurtures young talents

President Tran Dai Quang, Honorary Chairman of the Dinh Bo Linh Foundation, presented award to an outstanding student. 

The Dinh Bo Linh Foundation in the northern province of Ninh Binh, with President Tran Dai Quang as Honorary Chairman, has helped thousands of young talents in disadvantaged circumstances realise their dreams not only in academic fields but also in sports. 

Every September, the foundation holds ceremonies to present awards to Ninh Binh’s students and young athletes with outstanding performance on the occasion of the start of the new academic year. 

As Honorary Chairman of the foundation, President Tran Dai Quang has attended many ceremonies to personally present awards to the students and athletes. 

Since its founding in 2012, the foundation has raised nearly 31 billion VND (1.33 million USD) through donations of its founders, agencies, companies, donors, organisations and individuals both in and outside the country. The money was deposited in the bank, and the interest is used to pay for the awards. 

So far, the Dinh Bo Linh foundation has presented awards worth more than 5 billion VND (nearly 215,000 USD) to 1,200 students and athletes. 

Besides presenting awards to excellent students and young sport talents of the province, the foundation also gives financial support to local study encouragement funds, which came to 4 billion VND by now. 

In the time ahead, the Dinh Bo Linh foundation will continue to work to raise more donations for its activities and design plans to optimize the funding, thus encouraging and assisting local students and young athletes to strive to realise their dreams and contribute to society.  

The Luong Van Tuy senior high school for the gifted in Ninh Binh city has always led other schools in the province in the number of students receiving awards of the Dinh Bo Linh foundation. Last year, 115 students from the school won the awards. 

According to the school’s head teacher Dinh Van Kham, so far more than 500 students of the school have won the Dinh Bo Linh awards. 

The Dinh Bo Linh foundation has affirmed the significance and deep humanity of its activities, helping encourage local talents to make greater efforts and contribute more to the development of their home province and the country.

BioEcoN project launched in Hanoi

The launch ceremony of the project “European-Vietnamese Higher Education Network for Sustainable Forest and Bio-Economy” (BioEcoN)

The project “European-Vietnamese Higher Education Network for Sustainable Forest and Bio-Economy” (BioEcoN) has been launched by the Hanoi University of Science – Vietnam National University (HUS-VNU).

The project aims to promote ecological and economical sustainability in the bio-economy sector at the interface of academic concepts, existing graduate programs as well as required skills and professional expertise.

It will equip universities and future graduates with the required skills, methodologies and innovation in the growing bio-economy.

BioEcoN focuses on the levels of academic, methodology and institutional skills among all universities through the design and development of a new graduate blended or e-learning program.

Addressing the launch ceremony, Koen Duchateau, Head of Development and Cooperation at the EU Delegation, said the project's objectives are "highly relevant to what the EU is doing in Vietnam, supporting Vietnam’s efforts towards poverty reduction and sustainable development.”

BioEcoN is funded under the Capacity Building in Higher Education action of the Erasmus+ program with a total amount of 800,000 euros to be implemented in three years.

Representatives from partner universities and foreign partners have signed a number of memorandums of understanding on implementation of the project.

Overseas Vietnamese businessman launches “American dreams” book

Overseas Vietnamese businessman and writer Ly Thanh Phuong has launched his new book entitled “American dreams” which tells stories about the life of his own and other overseas Vietnamese in the U.S.

This is Phuong’s second book after “From Thoai Giang’s rivers” which hit the bookstore  shelves in 2017 and received many good reviews from readers.

While “From Thoai Giang’s rivers” brings readers to the peaceful life in the Mekong Delta where the author spent his childhood and teenhood. “American dreams” is a diary full of emotions of an overseas Vietnamese.

“Over 30 years living, studying, doing business and seeing many ups and downs in the U.S., I have never given up my dreams. From my bare hands, I had done lots of work like insurance, accountancy and taxation before creating the Nails Dynasty with facilities in California, Arizona and Alabama in the U.S. and in Germany,”  Ly Thanh Phuong said at the launch ceremony at Toong co-working space in HCMC on September 19.

The book is published by the Vietnamese Writers’ Association Publishing House and Saigon Books. Readers will be taken on a journey to explore life with many difficulties as well as successes of millions of Vietnamese individuals or families living in the U.S.

“This is one of the most interesting books among many books by Vietnamese and foreign writers about the American dreams that I have read. It is not only about Vietnamese people’s vicissitudes of life in the U.S, a promised yet harsh land, but also reveals secrets of the American dreams that hardly has anyone known,” said writer Tran Nha Thuy.