Twelve Vietnamese universities have placed in the world’s top 3,000 in the University Ranking by Academic Performance by Turkish non-profit organisation URAP.

This year, URAP ranks 3,000 universities around the world, 500 higher than the figure of 2019.

Among 12 Vietnamese educational institutions, Ton Duc Thang University in Ho Chi Minh City remains in the first place as it is ranked 639th of the world.

It is followed by Duy Tan University and Vietnam National University-Hanoi.

Last year, Vietnam had eight universities in the list.

URAP, established in 2009 at the Informatics Institute of Middle East Technical University, measures academic achievements of universities around the world based on the number of articles published in journals, the number of citations in journals, total number of research papers published internationally in the last five years, and international cooperation./.

Italian Cuisine Week opens in Hanoi

The 2020 Italian Cuisine Week opened in Hanoi on December 7.

Themed “A taste of Italy everyday”, the event introduces to Vietnamese people many traditional dishes and drinks of the European country such as wine, ice cream, tomato sauce, noodles, olive oil, coffee and biscuits.

The week-long event will include other activities such as cooking demonstrations, guidance on how to taste Italian cuisine, and music concerts.

This is part of The Extraordinary Italian Taste project initiated by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and held in over 40 countries over the world.

In Vietnam, the programme is organised in seven cities and provinces./

Excavator drivers re-open blocked roads despite danger

Trần Văn Dũng drives his excavator to re-open a blocked road in in Phước Sơn District, the central province of Quảng Nam. — Photo baogiaothong.vn

Trần Văn Dũng, of Đại Lộc District, spent over a month in an attempt to re-open sections of roads that were blocked by landslides, triggered by storms and torrential rains, in Phước Sơn District, the central province of Quảng Nam, in late October.

Dũng, a worker with the Quảng Nam Transportation Construction Joint Stock Company, who has over 10 years of experience driving an excavator, said he was sent to the district on October 30 to help re-opening the blocked roads.

At that time, Dũng’s house also suffered during the torrential rain. With his roof blown off, his wife and children had to live in his parents’ house.

“When I receive the order to work in the district, I was worried because my house was also damaged and more landslides could occur,” he said.

"However, I still decided to go the district, worked to re-open the blocked roads and saved isolated people," he said.

"Because they really needed us," he added.

"Having over 10 years driving an excavator at construction sites in the most dangerous mountainous areas, I was still surprised about the terrible level of landslides in the district,” he said.

Some roads were completely cut off, other sections were buried by a huge amount of rocks and soil, he said.

Sometimes, they just re-opened a section of road, and the next day it was blocked again because of another landslide, isolating even more people.

Thousands of others worked to re-open blocked roads and save isolated people despite the danger in the district.

Nguyễn Đặng Đức, of Hòa Vang District, Đà Nẵng City, another worker of the company, also went to Phước Sơn District to help in clearing blocked roads.

When Đức received the order to come to the landslide-affected areas, it was raining hard and his wife told him to wait for the rain to stop.

“I told her that all workers who received the order are ready to go, so I could not wait,” he said.

Đức said the work was hard. He and his colleagues often had to eat their meals in the excavator. When the night came, they even slept in the excavator.

Their meals were only instant noodles and milk, he said, the Giao Thông (Transport) online newspaper reported.

A representative of Phước Sơn District said when the roads connecting communes of Phước Kim, Phước Thành and Phước Lộc were blocked by landslides, the communes were isolated.

“So the most urgent task is to re-open the roads to initiate rescue activities,” he said.

Local administrations of the district sent companies operating in mineral mining in the district to re-open the blocked roads, he said.

However, the companies’ workers gave up due to hard work after several days.

Then, the provincial Transport Department mobilised workers of Quảng Nam Transportation Construction Joint Stock Company to do the job.

Lưu Huyền Thoại, chairman of the People’s Committee of Phước Lộc Commune, said after 20 days of being isolated, residents only wanted the blocked road connecting the commune with other areas to be quickly re-opened.

After the road was re-opened, food and drink were supplied for the people.

“They all are happy,” he said.

Văn Anh Tuấn, director of the provincial Transport Department, who spent all day and night directing the workers to re-open the blocked roads, said the transport sector was ready to help despite the danger.

"Our officers and workers always worked on the front line to re-open the blocked roads," he said.

On November 23, chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Lê Trí Thanh gave certificates of merit for the transport sector and its workers to recognise their silent efforts in the attempt to re-open blocked roads in the province.

Over 1.5 trillion VND raised for Agent Orange victims in last five years

Presenting gifts to dioxin victims

The Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) has raised more than 1.5 trillion VND (64.44 million USD) in the last five years to support victims, according to association Vice President Dang Nam Dien.

Dien was addressing a meeting of the VAVA Central Committee in Hanoi on December 7 to review five years of implementing Directive No 43-CT/TW from the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat on the strengthening of the Party in the settlement of consequences of Agent Orange/Dioxin (AO) used by the US during the war in Vietnam, and to sketch out orientations for the association in 2021.

He said that, this year, despite the difficulties posed by COVID-19 and natural disasters, the VAVA’s chapters at all levels have managed to complete all tasks assigned.

During the year, some 367 billion VND was mobilised for AO victims, which was used to build 1,041 houses for the needy, and provide capital to more than 1,300 people, scholarships to nearly 3,100 students, and nursing care to more than 4,000 people. Healthcare services, dioxin detoxification, and Tet gifts were also presented to thousands of victims.

Activities to claim justice for the victims, meanwhile, have been moving in the right direction, he said.

The VAVA will organise an event in 2021 marking 60 years of the AO disaster in Vietnam while implementing people’s diplomacy activities and giving advice to the Party and the State on suitable policies for AO victims and their offspring.

The VAVA central committee has launched an emulation movement, “For AO victims in 2021”, while honouring collectives and individuals displaying outstanding performance in 2020./.

Workshop seeks way to raise SMEs’ awareness in plastic waste management

A workshop on increasing awareness in plastic waste management for the private sector in Vietnam was held in Da Nang on December 4 by the Center of Education and Development (CED) and the Da Nang branch of the Vietnam Chamber of Industry and Commerce (VCCI).

The workshop is part of the “Increase awareness in plastic waste management” project funded by PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo Inc., one of the world's leading food and beverage companies. It is part of PepsiCo’s global approach to support the development of a circular economy and make progress towards the company’s vision of a world where plastics need never become waste.

The project is funded through Give2Asia and is implemented over two years by CED in collaboration with partners in Vietnam. One of its objectives is to increase awareness of SMEs in Vietnam about plastic waste collection and treatment management in order to apply a model of circular economy for sustainable business development.

100 SMEs in the central region, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Legal Department - VCCI, and representatives of other organisations attended the workshop, which focused on three main objectives: i) Providing information to SMEs about the impact of plastic waste pollution and solutions to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic products. ii) Shaping a world where plastics need never become waste by raising awareness and new consumer behaviors through initiatives in collecting, treating and recycling plastic waste; iii) Discussing more specific policies on EPR and the roles of business associations based on the newly revised Law on Environmental Protection passed by the National Assembly in November 2020.

The workshop built on the November 6, 2020 project kick-off at the Vietnam National Economics University, which trained 35 young Vietnamese environmental leaders who came from universities and colleges in Hanoi, aiming to create next environmental leaders to strengthen plastic recycling education in communities, enhance young people’s awareness of single-use plastic waste and inspire more sustainable behavior changes, particularly focusing on students and youths.

“At PepsiCo, we are working to accelerate our sustainability efforts across our entire business, from how we grow our food and make our products, to how we inspire positive change in our communities,” said Sudipto Mozumdar, General Manager of PepsiCo Vietnam.

He said PepsiCo shares the concern over the growing threat that packaging waste poses to communities and marine environment, and the company is striving to build a world where plastics need never become waste.

He went on to say that the company has strong global commitments to achieve its sustainable packaging goals.

“In 2019, we announced our goal to reduce our virgin plastic content across our beverage business by 35% by 2025. We are also working to make 100% of our packaging recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable by 2025, and we are about 90% complete. We are increasing recycled content to 25% in our plastic packaging,” Mozumdar said.

He stressed that no single organisation or industry can solve the plastic waste challenge on their own. “That’s why we’re working with our peers, competitors, and other industry leaders through initiatives like these workshops with SMEs to educate and actively empower consumers for sustainable plastic management,” he said.

CED Director To Kim Lien shared: “The project focuses on increasing awareness of plastic waste management for two main target groups: SMEs and young leaders. For businesses, CED cooperates with VCCI and business associations to increase awareness of the growing issue of plastic pollution and encourage companies to work towards reducing this, through workshops to educate companies and their employees; partner with business associations to help companies change technologies and/or create innovative alternatives to packing to reduce and reuse plastic waste in this sector, and Create a dialogue between the government and companies”./.

Staff shortages causing problems in supervising fishing vessels: anti-IUU fishing conference

Offshore fishing vessels dock at Ninh Chu fishing port in Ninh Hai district, the south-central province of Ninh Thuan.

A shortage of personnel has been creating problems for coastal areas in supervising fishing boats, an agricultural official told a conference on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing held recently in the south-central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

The imposition of administrative penalties to handle fishing vessels illegally entering foreign waters has been inconsistent in localities, while there are still reports of vessels without licenses and others turning off tracking devices, Nguyen Van Chien, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in the south-central province of Binh Thuan, told the gathering.

The conference was held by the Directorate of Fisheries and attended by representatives from departments of agriculture and rural development, sub-departments of fisheries, and major fishing ports in 28 coastal cities and provinces nationwide.

It shared the outcome of a visit by a European Commission (EC) delegation to Vietnam to inspect the implementation of its recommendations against IUU fishing earlier this year, and also reviewed the realisation of its recommendations.

Addressing the conference, Nguyen Quang Hung, Deputy General Director of the Directorate of Fisheries, said coastal cities and provinces have made clear progress in realising the EC’s recommendations against IUU fishing after three years of effort to remove its “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood.

Vietnam is focusing on enacting four recommendations put forward by the EC in November last year: revising the legal framework; increasing the monitoring, control, and surveillance of fishing activities and fishing fleets; catch certification; and legal enforcement.

The determination of localities to prevent their fishing vessels from illegally entering foreign waters is decisive in making the EC reconsider its “yellow card”, he said.

He cited the fact that Vietnam has seen sharp declines in seafood exports to the EU since receiving the “yellow card” three years ago, plunging 6 percent and 15 percent, respectively, in 2018 and 2019.

Shipments this year are forecast to total just 340 million USD, down 10 percent against 2019 year and 28 percent against 2017.

To fulfil the EC’s recommendations, the Directorate of Fisheries has expanded its international cooperation with counterparts from Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei, China, and Cambodia, among others, in combating IUU fishing. This has facilitated the exchange of information on illegal fishing vessels and the establishment of hotlines.

As of November, 82.92 percent of fishing vessels with a length of 15 metres or more in Vietnam had had tracking devices installed. The country detected 274 fishing vessels more than 24 metres in length illegally encroaching upon foreign waters, and 1,348 boats losing their tracking signal for more than 10 days, both down against previous years./.

2,300 delegates to attend 10th National Patriotic Emulation Congress

The 10th National Patriotic Emulation Congress is scheduled to take place at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi on December 9-10 with the participation of 2,300 delegates.

Head of the central emulation and rewards committee Pham Huy Giang told the media on December 7 that the event will see the presence of leaders from the Party, State, National Assembly, Government, and Vietnam Fatherland Front; veteran revolutionaries; Heroic Vietnamese Mothers; and exemplars in various sectors, from economy, society, security, and defence to industry, agriculture, and science-technology.

Among the participants are 2,020 official delegates and 280 guests, he said, noting that the eldest delegate is Heroic Vietnamese Mother Ngo Thi Quyt, 95, from HCM City, while the youngest is 10-year-old Phan Nguyen Thai Bao, a fourth grader at the Binh Phong Primary School in Chau Thanh district, southern Tay Ninh province.

With the theme “Solidarity, creativity, and emulation to build and safeguard the Fatherland”, the congress will review the outcomes of patriotic emulation movements and rewards activities during 2015-2020, set targets and orientations for 2020-2025, and honour role models in patriotic emulation campaigns over the last five years.

It looks to promote the great national unity and create new momentum for the realisation of economic, cultural, social, defence, and security tasks and the resolution from the 12th National Party Congress.

The congress will also see the launch of emulation movements in different fields and also call for the continued acceleration of four other key movements: “The whole nation joins in efforts to build new-style rural areas”, “The whole nation joins hands for the poor - Leaving no one behind”, “Vietnamese businesses integrate and develop”, and “Cadres, civil servants, public employees emulate in the execution of workplace norms”, according to Giang./.

Two Chinese caught for entering Vietnam illegally

A guesthouse in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, has been locked down for Covid-19 prevention after two Chinese men were found illegally-staying there.

The police in Quang Ninh announced on December 8 that they are dealing with the case.

On December 5, the Immigration Management Department found out that two Chinese men were staying illegally at Hoa Binh Guesthouse in Bai Chay Ward. After initial inspection, the men said they were Wei Zhong Nan, born in 1994, and Wei Zhen Xiong, born in 1985, from Guang Xi, China.

The men admitted that they took advantage of the rough terrain of the mountainous area to hide from the border guards and entered Vietnam's Lang Son Province on November 27 and 30. They want to find jobs in Ha Long City.

The guesthouse has been locked down and the two men have been tested. Other people in the guest house were also quarantined and tested. The local authorities will disinfect the guesthouse. After the first test shows that both of the men were negative for SARS-CoV-2, the authorities have transferred them to quarantine areas.

According to the police in Quang Ninh, as the Covid-19 outbreak has become complicated in Vietnam again, the illegal entrants will be further monitored and tightened. The Immigration Management Department has built a plan to deal with this problem and ensure public health in case there are important events held in the area.

The local authorities were asked to review the foreign residents in key cities like Ha Long, Mong Cai, Uong Bi and Cam Pha and quickly deal with any violators.

Over 240 Vietnamese citizens brought home from Singapore

More than 240 Vietnamese citizens in Singapore were flown back to Vietnam on December 7 on a flight of Pacific Airlines at the arrangement of Vietnamese and Singaporean agencies.

Passengers on the flight included under-18 children and those with health problems or in extremely disadvantaged circumstances.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore sent staff members to the airport to help the citizens with boarding procedures.

To ensure health for the citizens and prevent the spread of COVID-19, strict security, safety and epidemiological measures were applied during the flight. After landing at Can Tho airport in the southern city of the same name, all crew members and passengers on the flight were given health checks and sent to quarantine in accordance with regulations.

The repatriation of Vietnamese citizens in disadvantaged circumstances abroad will be arranged based on citizens’ wish, the developments of the pandemic and domestic quarantine capacity./.

Indonesia submits vaccine request form to global COVID-19 vaccine allocation plan

Indonesia had submitted a vaccine request form to COVAX Facility, a global COVID-19 vaccine allocation plan that aims to help buy and fairly distribute vaccines, co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), said the country’s Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi on December 7.

Retno said during a press briefing that aside from bilateral efforts to secure vaccines, her ministry along with the Health Ministry and Finance Ministry “were in contact with Geneva” for multilateral vaccine procurement.

The submission has been done on December 7, on the imposed deadline, she noted.

With more steps to be carried out before the end of 2020, she expressed hope that vaccines secured through this multilateral initiative could arrive in stages in Indonesia next year.

Indonesia is among the 92 nations listed in the GAVI COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), an innovative financing instrument that will support the participation of 92 low- and middle-income economies in the COVAX Facility.

Retno said this would allow Indonesia to receive vaccines from the facility for 3 to 20 percent of the country's population.

This vaccination programme involves 10,134 community health centers, 2,877 hospitals, and 49 port health offices.

Meanwhile, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said he has instructed the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economy to prepare a budget to buy COVID-19 vaccines to be administered to Cambodians free of charge.

As now some countries have produced and put the vaccine into use and will be selling to other countries as well, he said he has recommended the Minister of Health to discuss with development partners, especially the World Health Organization, to determine from which country Cambodia should buy the vaccine.

He added that he has instructed the Minister of Economy and Finance to prepare a budget for the purchase of 1 million vaccines in the first phase to be given to those who work in high-risk areas and front liners.

As of December 7 evening, Cambodia’s national tally of COVID-19 rose to 349, of which 33 are connected to the latest community outbreak./.

Upcoming fair to introduce studying-abroad opportunities for local students

Vietnamese students can search for opportunities to enjoy overseas education at the “Study in Europe” Education Fairs 2020.

Local students and their families will get introductions to the education systems, culture, traditions and attractions in European countries.

At the fair, participants will attend a discussion session where they are given valuable information and listen to real-life, actual experience from alumni speakers.

These alumni are representatives of outstanding Vietnamese students who have been or are still studying in EU countries.

In addition, education consultants from many countries will share and answer questions around applications and studying in Europe safely and effectively during the pandemic.

Throughout the events, public visitors can find detailed information and consult with country representatives at the information booths of the attending countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, France, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Finland, Portugal, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden.

Participants can also enjoy fun quizzes, interactive games, and bring home souvenirs from Europe.

The event is held in Hà Nội on December 12 at Daewoo Hotel in Ba Dinh District, followed by HCM City on December 13 at the Gem Centre in District 1 by the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam and its Member States.

“Studying in Europe, you will have the opportunity to learn new languages and intercultural skills. Academic mobility will be facilitated by real mobility throughout Europe,” said Giorgio Aliberti, Ambassador of the European Union to Việt Nam.

“Once you are in the Schengen area you will be able to travel all over the continent and discover the beauty of Europe. Studying in Europe can be affordable and in most European countries, tuition fees are very low compared to the top quality education that you will receive,” he said.

Europe is known as one of the biggest destinations for Vietnamese students. Around 15,000 of total 170,000 Vietnamese students going abroad are being trained and educated in Europe.

In the five-year period between 2014 and 2020, more than 190 students have received full scholarships from the Erasmus+ Programme to study Master's courses in Europe.

In addition, hundreds of other students are attending exchange courses or pursuing PhD studies under the International Credit Mobility or via the ongoing 51 cooperation projects between European and Vietnamese higher education institutions. 

Exhibition of Epidemics in a Connected World opens in Hanoi

Young visitors attend the exhibition in Hanoi on December 7. (Photo: USAID)

This Outbreak exhibit marks the 25th anniversary of collaboration between Vietnam and the US.

The Smithsonian Institution’s “Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World” Exhibition was officially held on December 7, with the attendance of US Ambassador Daniel J. Kritenbrink, Prof. Dr. Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health, and Dr. Ta Thanh Van, President of the Hanoi Medical University.

Being opened at Hanoi Medical University, the exhibition is a customizable “Do-It-Yourself” (DIY) version of a larger display at the US National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.

It highlighted how pathogens can spread to people from wildlife and livestock, why some outbreaks become epidemics and how human, animal and environmental health are connected as “One Health.”  “Outbreak DIY” includes pre-designed and template panels. 

The exhibition covers topics such as Tuberculosis and COVID-19, which will last until December 14.  

“This Outbreak exhibit marks the 25th anniversary of collaboration between our countries, and reminds us how the US, Vietnam, and all countries of the world must work together to meet the continuing challenge of infectious diseases,” Ambassador Kritenbrink said.

“Vietnam has risen to this challenge in stopping the spread of COVID-19, but we will certainly face new outbreak threats in the future. The US will continue to stand together with Vietnam in meeting the challenge.”   

More than 100 venues in over 30 countries have displayed “Outbreak DIY,” including universities, libraries, hospitals, airports, embassies, community centers and museums. It is available in multiple languages, including Vietnamese, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese. 

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History is one of the most-visited natural history museums in the world. “Outbreak” opened at the museum on May 18, 2018, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the influenza pandemic in 1918. It will run until 2021.

Nearly 350 citizens brought home from UAE, India

Nearly 350 Vietnamese citizens in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India were carried to the homeland in a flight conducted by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on December 7-8.

On the repatriation flight, which was arranged by relevant agencies of Vietnam and the two countries, and the airlines, were children aged below 18, the elderly, pregnant women, workers with expired visa and labour contracts, and other especially disadvantaged cases.

Safety and preventive measures against COVID-19 were rigorously enforced during the flight to protect the passengers’ health and prevent the spread of the disease.

All passengers and crew members received medical checkups and were sent to quarantine in line with regulations upon their arrival at Cam Ranh international airport.

The repatriation of Vietnamese citizens in disadvantaged circumstances abroad will be continued in line with citizens’ wishes, the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, and quarantine capacity in the homeland./.

HCM City ranked third among best Asian cities to live in

Ho Chi Minh City has been listed among the leading cities in Asia for expats to live in, according to InterNations, a massive expat network that publishes annual rankings featuring the world’s best and worst countries.

The latest list sees the southern Vietnamese city come third, behind only Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

In terms of the global rankings, Ho Chi Minh City came 19th out of 66 locations.

Elsewhere on the list, Singapore was placed in fifth, followed by Kuala Lumpur in eighth, Shanghai in 21st, behind Bangkok in 30th, Tokyo at 53rd, and Beijing being ranked in 55th place.

The majority of expats agree that it’s easy to find housing in Ho Chi Minh City, while members of the community can also enjoy a relatively low cost of living, according to InterNations.

HSBC has recently ranked Vietnam as one of the best countries for expats to live and work in.

Yuendumu Doors introduces Australia’s aboriginal culture to Hanoians

'Yuendumu Doors' exhibition (Source: https://hanoigrapevine.com/)

An exhibition entitled “Yuendumu Doors” is scheduled to open at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology on December 8, showcasing Australia’s important cultural and art collections.

The exhibition, held by the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, is expected to help visitors understand more about the indigenous culture painted by Warlpiri people, one of the largest aboriginal communities living for thousands of years in Central Australia.

On display are 15 out of 30 paintings drawn at the Yuendumu community school in 1984.

The exhibition will remain open to the public until January 31, 2021.

During this period, the museum will organise activities to help visitors learn about paintings and symbols of Australian aboriginals./.

Jakarta extends large-scale social restriction

The local government of Jakarta has decided to prolong the transitional period of the large-scale social restrictions by another two weeks from December 7-21, amid the increase COVID-19 cases in the Indonesia’s capital city.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said that the number of COVID-19 infections in the capital has increased since the long vacation in late October with hundreds of new outbreaks in the city.

He said that between November 23-29, there were 410 family outbreaks with a total of 4,052 positive cases. So far, the city has reported 5,662 family outbreaks with 53,163 confirmed infections.

The new infections in Jakarta rose 13.4 percent in the past month to 145,427 cases as of December 7.

The fulfilment of inpatient beds in city hospitals rose from 56 percent in November 7 to 79 percent in December 5.

However, Anies Baswedan said that the rate of positive cases in the city has reduced from 9.1 percent in November to 8.2 percent currently. He added that the city is ready to apply emergency state if necessary./.

Canada supports women empowerment in Southeast Asia

Canada is providing 8.5 million CAD (6.6 million USD) over 5 years, beginning in 2020, to UN Women to empower women, prevent violence and promote social cohesion in Southeast Asia, Canadian Minister of International Development Karina Gould announced on December 7.

The minister made the announcement at the virtual high-level global conference “Strengthening Women’s Role in Building and Sustaining Peace: From Commitments to Results”, hosted by Vietnam and the United Nations.

Canada’s financial commitment will help address gender equality and discrimination against women and girls in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states, advance Canada’s women, peace and security agenda, and build sustainable peace and security in Southeast Asia.

Canada’s support will advance the empowerment of women in peace and security efforts by promoting their participation and leadership in peacebuilding.

In selected countries, activities will include engaging communities and youth to challenge social norms and boost community-led initiatives to prevent and address conflict and contribute to building sustainable peace.

She said that women’s voices and leadership make a difference and bring lasting change that benefits everyone in their communities.

The global conference in Vietnam includes the participation of senior UN officials; representatives of UN member states, international and regional organisations, international financial institutions and women’s organizations; and other stakeholders. Participants touched upon current gaps and challenges and made commitments to accelerate action for sustainable peace beyond 2020./.

Vietnam, Qatar boost cooperation in building youth-related policies

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on building and implementing youth development policies in the 2021-2025 period was signed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Qatar’s Ministry of Culture and Sports on December 8.

The signatories were Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Tran Anh Tuan and Ambassador of Qatar to Vietnam Mohamed Ismail Al Emadi.

The two sides will create favourable conditions for information and experience sharing between State management agencies relating to youth, and will work together to establish a framework for cooperation programmes in the field.

They will promote the exchange of delegations from policy-making and enforcement agencies, relevant organisations, and experts in the field.

Cooperation will focus on jobs and entrepreneurship for youth, youth and citizenship, youth and project management, youth and the voluntary spirit, and strengthening young people’s capacity in all activities.

The MoU is valid for four years and will be automatically extended for another four years.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Vietnamese official and the ambassador highlighted the increasingly developing relations between the two countries over the last 30 years, expressing a belief that the MoU will be implemented successfully and create a foundation for bilateral cooperation into the future, contributing to strengthening the solidarity and friendship between the two Governments and people.

In a previous meeting with the ambassador, Tuan affirmed that the Vietnamese Government wants to expand cooperation with Qatar in building and implementing national human resources development policies and those for disadvantaged youth groups.

For his part, the ambassador said he hopes the two sides would further promote cooperation after the COVID-19 pandemic is brought under control./.

Da Nang set to host various events to welcome in 2021

A wide range of unique cultural and tourism events are due to take place over a number of days in the central city of Da Nang to celebrate the New Year and the start of 2021.

Numerous cultural and entertainment events will be held at the Asian Park to mark the New Year 2021.
According information released by the Da Nang Department of Tourism, to mark the New Year, local people and tourists will be given the chance to participate in an array of cultural and entertainment events at the Asian Park on Phan Dang Luu street in Hai Chau district of Da Nang between December 30 and January 3, 2021.

Some of the activities on offer include a cyclo parade, free boat tours around the Han river at night, a street music festival, and a noodle festival, all of which will be held as part of the occasion.

Most notably, a music gala with the theme of “Da Nang welcomes the New Year of 2021” will be running from the evening of December 31 until 1 a.m. on January 1, 2021. During the course of the function both residents and visitors to the central city will be able to enjoy the exciting atmosphere of dances, songs, and colourful costumes that will be on display.

In organising the event, the Da Nang Department of Tourism has taken into account the risk posed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Therefore, participants are required to wear face masks while strictly following COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

Winners of photo contest on Vietnam’s border areas awarded

Delegates admiring entries sent to the contest (Photo: laodong.vn)

A total of 21 prizes were presented to best entries of a photo contest entitled ‘Pride in Vietnam’s border areas’ at a ceremony held in Hanoi on December 7.

The contest was launched in May by the Party Commission for Communication and Education, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, and the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists.

It was open to Vietnamese people at home and abroad as well as to foreigners who are living and working in Vietnam. The organising board received nearly 7,000 entries, including around 4,100 single photos and roughly 400 photo collections by 745 entrants.

The entries vividly capture the landscape and life of ethnic groups in Vietnam’s border areas as well as the armed forces who are working days and nights there to defend the country’s territorial sovereignty and border security.

Two first-place, three second, six third and 10 consolation prizes were awarded to the most excellent entries at the event. The organising board also selected 196 outstanding photos to exhibit on the occasion.

Addressing the award ceremony, Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich hailed the organisers for hosting the event, which he said was a practical way to popularise information on border demarcation and marker planting as well as border gate management.

He also said that the encouraging results of the contest is a vivid illustration of public attention, particularly of photographers, in the protection of the national sovereignty and territorial borders.

Source: VNA/VNN/VNS/SGGP/VOV/NDO/Dtinews/SGT/VIR