The Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA) presented awards of the 9th International Artistic Photo Contest in Vietnam 2017 in Hanoi on December 2.

The biennial contest, sponsored by the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), attracted 11,448 entries submitted by 958 photographers from 36 countries and territories, featuring the sections of portrait, daily life and landscape, and the open section.

Eighty-eight outstanding photos were awarded. In each section, organisers presented one VAPA gold medal, one FIAP gold medal, two VAPA silver medals, two FIAP silver medals, three VAPA bronze medals, three FIAP bronze medals, five VAPA honorable mentions, and five FIAP honorable mentions.

Vietnamese photographers won four gold medals in the four sections.

In the portrait section, the FIAP gold medal went to “Phu nu Thai” by Vu Duy Boi (Vietnam). The VAPA gold medal was presented to “Papa Carlo” by Alla Sokolova (France).

In the landscape section, “Tuyet voi dao Truong Sa” by Nguyen A (Vietnam) and “Early morning” by Giuseppe Tomelleri (Italy) respectively won the VAPA gold medal and the FIAP gold medal.

In the daily life section, the FIAP gold medal was given to “Love in the snow” by Guanlai Ouyang (China) while the VAPA gold medal went to “Tu tam” by Bui Viet Dong (Vietnam).

In the open section, the VAPA and FIAP gold medals were respectively granted to “The swan” by Tran Tuan Viet (Vietnam) and “Relationship” by Alla Sokolova (France).

Also on December 2, an exhibition on the photos of the 9th International Artistic Photo Contest in Vietnam 2017 was also opened at the National Photo Archives and Exhibition Centre on Ton That Thuyet street, Cau Giay district. The exhibition will run through December.
     
Vietnam, Italy agree to boost friendship, legislative ties

A Vietnamese delegation led by Phan Thanh Binh, Chairman of the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children paid a working visit to Italy from November 29-December 3, aiming to promote friendship, diplomatic and legislative ties between the two countries. 

During the trip, the delegation had meetings and working sessions with representatives from the Chamber of Deputies’ Culture, Science and Education Committee, the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee, the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs, and Sapienza University – the largest university in Europe. 

The Italian side appreciated the Vietnam - Italy cooperation, especially after the two countries signed an Agreement of Strategic Partnership in 2013, saying that the bilateral ties have developed across fields from politics, economy, culture, education, tourism to diplomacy.

The two sides agreed to foster bilateral cooperation, especially in legislation, aiming to lay a legal foundation for stronger affiliation among social and economic sectors in both countries.

Experience sharing and information exchange in law making, and those in professional and academic works will be also enhanced. The Italian side has had a plan to provide more scholarships for Vietnamese students in the fields of Italian language and culture, architecture, preservation of cultural and historical sites. 

The two sides debated specific cooperation orientations in the fields of legislation, university education and youth-related works, while pledging to facilitate cultural exchange and tourism cooperation, and consider the opening of direct air route from Vietnam to Italy as well.

Italy will continue supporting Vietnam in implementing projects to preserve cultural and historical relic sites.

As planned, a delegation from the Chamber of Deputies’ Culture, Science and Education Committee will visit Vietnam in January 2018 to specifically discuss future possibilities of cooperation with the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children of Vietnam.

99th Great Union Day of Romania marked in HCM City

The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations and the HCM City chapter of the Vietnam-Romania Friendship Association held a ceremony on December 2 to mark the 99th Great Union Day of the European nation (December 1, 1918).

Chairman of the HCM City chapter of the Vietnam-Romania Friendship Association Nguyen Si Thang highlighted the Romanian people’s wholehearted support and assistance for Vietnam’s struggle for national reunification in the past and development at present.

He noted more than 4,000 engineers and experts in various fields of Vietnam received training in Romania, and they have been greatly contributing to national development. They are a priceless asset of the two countries’ friendship and also a bridge enhancing bilateral cooperation.

In recent years, cooperation between Ben Tre province and Tulcea country, Hue and Iasi cities, Da Nang and Timisoara cities, the PetroVietnam University and the Oil and Gas University of Ploiesti, along with trade promotion activities, cultural and people-to-people exchanges have helped intensified Vietnam-Romania relations in multiple spheres, Thang added.

Addressing the ceremony, Romanian Ambassador to Vietnam Valeriu Arteni thanked people of Vietnam, including HCM City, for their sound sentiments towards his country, adding that with many similarities, the Romanian and Vietnamese people are becoming closer, helping to bolster their multifaceted cooperation.

He appreciated activities of the Vietnam-Romania Friendship Association over the last 26 years. The organisation and its local subsidiaries, particularly the HCM City chapter, have continually supported the Romanian Embassy and actively helped to strengthen the two countries’ traditional friendship.

HCM City cooperates with RoK to improve education quality

The Republic of Korea (RoK) is willing to cooperate with Vietnam and particularly Ho Chi Minh City to increase education quality and lecturers’ capacity at all educational stages.

Chairman of the Korea-Asia Friendship Foundation (KAFF) Choi Jae-sung made the statement at a meeting with Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Tat Thanh Cang in HCM City on December 2.

He thanked the southern economic hub for supporting the building of an institute to enhance Vietnamese teachers’ capabilities, and hoped to build 2-3 models in Vietnam, including the first one in HCM City with the participation of Korean and international lecturers.

He suggested the two sides study cooperation programmes in education and enable the two countries’ lecturers to exchange experience in modern teaching methods.

For his part, Cang welcomed the KAFF’s initiative as a practical move to help the city improve quality of the teaching staff and develop high-quality human resources training.

He asked the KAFF to actively work with local agencies to study feasible and effective measures to carry out the project.

HCM City cooperates with RoK to improve education quality

The Republic of Korea (RoK) is willing to cooperate with Vietnam and particularly Ho Chi Minh City to increase education quality and lecturers’ capacity at all educational stages.

Chairman of the Korea-Asia Friendship Foundation (KAFF) Choi Jae-sung made the statement at a meeting with Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Tat Thanh Cang in HCM City on December 2.

He thanked the southern economic hub for supporting the building of an institute to enhance Vietnamese teachers’ capabilities, and hoped to build 2-3 models in Vietnam, including the first one in HCM City with the participation of Korean and international lecturers.

He suggested the two sides study cooperation programmes in education and enable the two countries’ lecturers to exchange experience in modern teaching methods.

For his part, Cang welcomed the KAFF’s initiative as a practical move to help the city improve quality of the teaching staff and develop high-quality human resources training.

He asked the KAFF to actively work with local agencies to study feasible and effective measures to carry out the project.

German duo perform “Piano Battle” in Hanoi

The internationally acclaimed pianists Andreas Kern and Paul Cibis from Germany enchanted music lovers with a variety of classical pieces in a concert show titled “Piano Battle” in Hanoi on December 2 as part of the European Music Festival 2017 in Vietnam.

German duo perform “Piano Battle” in Hanoi

The show was divided into several rounds, each featuring a certain musical style. The two artists, with distinctly different performance techniques, improvised on tunes that the audience requested.

All members of the audience were invited to vote on the pianists’ performances and crown the winner.

Originally created for the Hong Kong City Festival, “Piano Battle” has been performed for sold-out audiences in Europe, the US and Asia.

The European Music Festival 2017 is an annual cultural event organised by the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Vietnam, the Embassies of EU Member States and the European Cultural Institutes. Bringing together musical talents from all around Europe, the festival aims to celebrate the richness and diversity of European culture.

Vietnam improves community awareness about green work investment

Green works have become a global trend, especially when countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Canada consider it a strategy for sustainable growth. But in Vietnam, green works remain relatively new.

The green movement was launched in the 1990s to reduce greenhouse effects during the construction process. The development of green buildings will bring great benefits to the national economy, society, the environment, and added values, and create sustainable growth for the construction sector and real estate market. 

Economists say there are many ways to understand what a green work is. They might be green trees, architecture, materials, energy and natural resource saving, and waste recycling. Each factor can contribute to the formation of a green work.

Dang Hung Vo, former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said “It’s important to increase the production of solar and wind energy, and to produce and transport construction materials without causing greenhouse effects.”

The most obvious benefit of green works is to cut transport costs which often make up more than 80% of investment spending through which to increase the value of assets, speed up the time to return investment capital, and attract more customers.

The development of green buildings for housing for low and middle income earners  has become urgent in Vietnam, particularly when climate change and energies have been exhausted.

Nguyen Thu Nhan in charge of Vietnam Green Work Management Program said “Investors play the vanguard role. When work is completed, investment capital only grows 1.2% but they can save 20% of energy, materials, and water.”

Nguyen Tran Nam, President of Vietnam Real Estate Association, underlined the importance of promulgating specific mechanisms for investors to build more green buildings. He said “We need compulsory, mobilizing mechanisms as well as tax and land use, to share initial costs with investors.”

Vietnam, Italy agree to boost friendship, legislative ties

A Vietnamese delegation led by Phan Thanh Binh, Chairman of the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children paid a working visit to Italy from November 29-December 3, aiming to promote friendship, diplomatic and legislative ties between the two countries.

During the trip, the delegation had meetings and working sessions with representatives from the Chamber of Deputies’ Culture, Science and Education Committee, the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee, the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs, and Sapienza University – the largest university in Europe. 

The Italian side appreciated the Vietnam - Italy cooperation, especially after the two countries signed an Agreement of Strategic Partnership in 2013, saying that the bilateral ties have developed across fields from politics, economy, culture, education, tourism to diplomacy.

The two sides agreed to foster bilateral cooperation, especially in legislation, aiming to lay a legal foundation for stronger affiliation among social and economic sectors in both countries.

Experience sharing and information exchange in law making, and those in professional and academic works will be also enhanced. The Italian side has had a plan to provide more scholarships for Vietnamese students in the fields of Italian language and culture, architecture, preservation of cultural and historical sites. 

The two sides debated specific cooperation orientations in the fields of legislation, university education and youth-related works, while pledging to facilitate cultural exchange and tourism cooperation, and consider the opening of direct air route from Vietnam to Italy as well.

Italy will continue supporting Vietnam in implementing projects to preserve cultural and historical relic sites.

As planned, a delegation from the Chamber of Deputies’ Culture, Science and Education Committee will visit Vietnam in January 2018 to specifically discuss future possibilities of cooperation with the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children of Vietnam.

​Severe mountain pass mudslide blocks traffic in central Vietnam

A mountain pass in south-central Vietnam has become congested with traffic between provinces in the area because of serious landslides.

Repeated mudslides triggered by prolonged rain at the Khanh Le Pass since December 2 has blocked traffic between the tourist city of Da Lat in the Central Highlands and the beach city of Nha Trang in south-central Khanh Hoa Province.

Local authorities had to prohibit all vehicles from traveling on the route to ensure safety and deal with the situation.

According to Ta Thanh Tinh, an official from the Directorate for Roads in Vietnam, the rain started at around 5:30 am, causing rocks and mud to fall onto the pass.

Landslides occurred three times on December 2 and again in the evening, with the amount of rock estimated at 7,000 cubic meters, Tinh continued.

“As rain continued throughout the day, there are high risks of flash floods and landslips,” the official added.

The bad weather conditions have posed immense challenges for competent authorities to ease traffic congestion.

The Khanh Le Pass is 1,700 meters high and 33 kilometers long, being part of the over 120 kilometer long National Highway 27C, which is the essential route connecting Da Lat and Nha Trang.

The pass snakes around the mountain and consists of multiple curves and sharp turns.

On November 24, a couple were washed away by flash floods brought about by heavy rain as they were traveling on the mountain pass.

The body of the woman has been found while the man remains missing.

Due to an enhanced cold front, heavy downpours are forecast to continue from the north-central province of Ha Tinh to the south-central province of Phu Yen on December 3, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

Vietnam flower village hit by rumors of cancer-causing chemical

Farmers in a popular flower village in the southern province of Ben Tre now have to struggle to find customers for their products, after false rumors circulated that they had been treating them with a carcinogenic chemical.

Most villagers in Cai Mon Commune, Cho Lach District earn a livelihood by growing great bougainvillea, scientifically known as Bougainvillea spectabilis or ‘paper flower’ in Vietnamese.

However, their business has been adversely affected over rumors that one of the chemicals they use to tend to the crop can cause cancer.

“Such rumors are ungrounded and harmful,” head of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said on December 1.

According to Dr. Liem, the rumored chemical is a solution containing Triacontanol, a natural plant growth regulator.

The chemical is extracted from various plants by the Department of Applied Biotechnology of the Can Tho University and has been available for sale over the past five years to prevent petal abscission.

Dr. Liem asserted that the chemical is harmless to human and it has been approved by relevant state’s agencies.

“The groundless rumors just aim to drive down the price of great bougainvillea this year,” Liem said.

Many Vietnamese would buy great bougainvillea to decorate their houses to prepare for the Lunar New Year, or Tet.

Unlike this time last year, sales of the flower were slow as people were affected by the rumors, Liem said.

Nguyen Van Tan, a farmer in Cho Lach, said he was able to sell a few thousands pots of the flower at this time last year, but his current sales are fewer than 1,000.

Tan said farmers like him have invested several hundred millions of dong on their crops, but the rumors have taken their customers away. (VND100 million = US$4,400).

Some even had to save the flowers at a loss, asking for VND300,000 (US$13) a pot, only a half of the cost price, according to a local trader named Tran Van Hau.

114 Vietnamese students receive ROK scholarships

The Republic of Korea Chamber of Business in Vietnam (Korcham) presented scholarships worth VND1.14 billion to 114 Vietnamese students at a gala dinner on December 1 in Hanoi.

These underprivileged students who have maintained excellent academic records were chosen from universities nationwide by Vietnamese agencies such as the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Public Security, and Hanoi People’s Committee.

Since it was first launched in 2015, the gala dinner “Share Together” of Korean entrepreneurs has been held annually with the aim of supporting Vietnamese students. At present, more than 6,000 Korean businesses are operating in Vietnam.

National awards honour contribution of volunteers

Seven individuals and eight organisations dedicated to volunteering movements in Vietnam were honoured at a ceremony held in Hanoi on December 2.

The ceremony, in coincidence with the National Volunteer Festival 2017 was jointly organised by the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU), Vietnam Youth Federation Central Committee and the United Nations Volunteer Programme.

The national volunteer award was launched in October and received 100 nominations. 

Addressing the award event, HCYU Secretary Nguyen Phi Long said the voluntary movement, initiated by the HCYU in 2000, has involved 16 million volunteers with activities covering various aspects.

He expressed his hope that the awarding will inspire Vietnamese youths to make greater contributions to the national development.

The National Volunteer Festival 2017 presents an opportunity for Vietnamese youths to share experience and raise their sense of responsibility towards society, Long added.

Young people from across the country shared experience and good practices in voluntary activities during the festival in response to the UN International Volunteer Day (December 5).     

Autistic kids benefited from special library

A library was established in Ho Chi Minh City to make it easier for local autistic children to integrate into society. It has catered for the demand for such a service.

A lack of reading and playing spaces designated for autistic children has created a huge obstacle in helping the group integrate into society. Thus such a library is a friendly environment to help autistic children open their hearts and interact with other people.

A parent of an autistic kid shared: "First of all, it is a playground. Secondly, it is a place where they have friends to interact with, which is especially important to these special kids."

Le Thanh Tuy Vi, a volunteer revealed that volunteers' work is to instruct autistic kids through games to know how to do teamwork and talk to other people and their peers.

The library offers a space and designated document system which suits the demand of autistic children between six and 20 years old.

According to Dang Thuy Hong, founder of the Library, the library was established to address the lack of a reading space for the kids. Besides a book library,​ they also hope to build an equipment library so that parents can teach their children.

Besides benefiting the kids, the library also provides parents with books and documents on raising autistic kids, which are rare and expensive in Vietnam. It also creates an environment for them to share experience in the field.

A playground for autistic children to meet and develop while receiving more love is what this special library aims to do.

The model is expected to be expanded so that the community will have a more open and sympathetic view of people with autism.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities marked in Hanoi

More than 300 disabled people from Hanoi and neighbouring localities attended a meeting in Hanoi on December 2 to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

At the event, Dao Hong Lan, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and vice chairwoman of National Committee for Vietnamese Persons with Disabilities (PWD), said Vietnam has nearly 8 million PWDs, accounting for 7.8% of its population, including 1.2 million disabled children. Vietnam has one of the highest proportions of PWDs in the Asia-Pacific region. Many Vietnamese PWDs, especially Agent Orange/Dioxin victims, live in difficulty.

Over the past time, Vietnam has issued policies and implemented action programs to improve living conditions for the disabled. With support from the State, communities, and international organizations, PWDs have been provided with social allowances, housing, education, health care, vocational training, jobs, and preferential loans. However, available social supports have yet to meet many PWDs’ urgent and essential needs. Many PWDs are poor, illiterate, and unemployed and unable to access the necessary social services. They rely on assistance from their families and communities.

Mrs Lan said the meeting provided a good opportunity for State agencies, organisations and individuals to accompany PWDs and implement commitments to supporting them in having a better life.

Binh Thuan province to welcome large number of foreign tourists

The south-central coastal province of Binh Thuan has grown to become one of the top resort destinations in Vietnam, attracting millions of foreign tourists. The number of visitors to Binh Thuan has increased annually and is forecast to increase sharply during the high season.

The high season for foreign tourists visiting Binh Thuan province runs from November to May. Foreigners from colder countries find Binh Thuan one of the best destinations to enjoy their holidays. 

Even at the beginning of high season, Ham Tien, a luxury resort in Mui Ne, Phan Thiet city has welcomed many tourists. 

Mui Ne is a popular attraction of the province which is also called “Sand Paradise” because of its splendid sand dunes, blue sea and special foods. 

Erin Phillips and her boyfriend, both from Australia, enjoyed their stay at Mui Ne and said “When I googled, I was looking at places and towns nearby where I could have a stop and I found Mui Ne. I looked at it and it has sand dunes and beautiful beaches. It looks like nothing else we have seen in and around Vietnam.  I know that it is a perfect place for us.” 

Besides traditional tourists from North Europe and Russia Mui Ne has welcomed a large number of new foreign tourists from China. Ms Dao Thai Tuyet Nhung, head of the reception section of PoShaNu resort, in Phan Thiet city said that most of them booked their rooms online. 

Nhung said “Nearly 70% of our rooms were already booked. More tourists will come here next month and most of our rooms will be fully booked. We have welcomed the most tourists from North European countries and Australia.”

Seahorse resort is a favorite stay of Russian visitors. With 151 rooms, Seahorse can host more than 300 guests at the same time. 

Mr Tran Anh Thi, Managing director of the resort said that more and more foreign travel agencies have chosen Binh Thuan province as the holiday stay for their customers, and so tourist services should be increased. 

Mr Tran Anh thi said “Foreign travel agencies said that in order to attract more visitors to Mui Ne, there are many things that still need to be done, including improving our services, which means better tourist products and staff. This is a key factor for our success in developing tourism more effectively.”

Ms Nguyen Lan Ngoc, Deputy Director of Binh Thuan Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that based on the number of tour contracts signed with travel companies, this high season, Binh Thuan will welcome  more foreigners than at the same period last year. 

Ms Ngoc said “This is the high season for foreign tourists to Binh Thuan province. All businesses working in the tourism sector are asked to prepare well from infrastructure to human resource to offer the best services to visitors to Binh Thuan province.”

Binh Thuan has welcomed more than 4 million tourist arrivals of which foreigners reached more than 400 thousand arrivals, increasing 17% against the same period last year. Binh Thuan’s final goal is always to become a safe, friendly, and quality destination so that they can attract more domestic and international tourists.