Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day 2022, the first of its kind, will take place with various activities this month, especially from April 15 to May 1.

An opening ceremony is slated for April 19 on Nguyen Hue street, Ho Chi Minh City, according to the Authority of Publication, Printing and Distribution under the Ministry of Information and Communications. 

An online book festival will be held at Website book365.vn from April 19 to May 20. 

On this occasion, the HCM City People’s Committee will host a book fair on Nguyen Hue street from April 19 to 24. There will also seminars on reading culture in the month. 

Hanoi will also organise an array of activities in response to Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day 2022 from April 21 to May 1 at the Hanoi Book Street and the National Library of Vietnam. 

Ambitious goal of 5 million foreign visitors reachable though tough

The tourism sector’s target of welcoming 5 million foreign visitors and 60 million domestic tourists this year is ambitious, but still reachable, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

On March 15, Vietnam officially reopened tourism activities in the new normal, with specific regulations for inbound and outbound tours.

Localities nationwide have been requested to issue their own plans to resume tourism activities to suit their specific conditions. 

Major markets of Vietnamese tourism, including Southeast Asia, have shown interest in Vietnam’s reopening.

Bright signs have also seen in other markets such as Europe and North America, and visa policy for West European countries has been restored. 

The administration expressed confidence that with the positive efforts and engagement of businesses, ministries, sectors and localities, the target of 5 million foreign arrivals for 2022 is feasible. 

Doll collection created in honour of Mother Goddess worshipping

Inspired by Mother Goddess worshipping - a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage - designer Van Anh Scarlet created a collection of figurative dolls based on the ritual, called the “Painting of the Four Palaces”.

Busy with her work as the owner of the renowned Van Anh Scarlet design brand, Van Anh had to have had major inspiration and patience as well as love for Vietnamese culture to create such an impressive collection. 

It takes her around 2 days to do the make-up for each figurative doll. Although each is only 60 centimetres in height, the decorative stages take a lot of time. She said she spends two days on the make-up and four weeks to complete the complex patterns on the clothing. 

Each stage, from sewing and embroidering to making the accessories, requires great meticulousness and care. 

Her figurative dolls wear different types of clothes. For example, the De Tam Goddess wears white clothes while the De Nhi Goddess wears green clothes.

Through the “Painting of the Four Palaces” collection, Van Anh, with immense pride in Vietnamese culture, wants to make a contribution to preserving the country’s cultural quintessence for the younger generation while helping them gain a deeper understanding of its intangible culture heritage.

Pandemic-affected students receive scholarships

The Ho Chi Minh City Study Encouragement Association has recently granted scholarships to 20 students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The scholarships, each worth 6 million VND (262.44 USD) per academic year, were financed by the Vietnam Study Encouragement Fund under the Central Committee of the Vietnam Study Encouragement Association. The programme will last for five consecutive years. 

The beneficiaries are the children affected by COVID-19 and those who lost either their mother or father or both parents to the pandemic. 

Hoa Lu Festival 2022 opens

The Hoa Lu Festival 2022, the largest and most spectacular in the northern province of Ninh Binh, opened on April 9.

The event aims to commemorate and honour national hero Dinh Bo Linh (924-979), who defeated 12 warlords to unite the country. He ascended the throne with the title Dinh Tien Hoang. Under his reign, Hoa Lu was chosen as the capital of Dai Co Viet (Great Viet) - the first feudal state of Vietnam. 

Over the years, the traditional festival has had almost all of its traditional rituals restored, honouring the cultural values of the Dinh and Early Le dynasties (968-1010).

The annual festival is one of 100 national intangible cultural heritages. Together with the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, the Hoa Lu Festival is an important part of the World Natural and Cultural Heritage Site of Trang An scenic complex. 

Localities pay tribute to Hung Kings

Ho Chi Minh City’s authorities on April 10 held a ceremony to pay tribute to the legendary founders of Vietnam, the Hung Kings, on their death anniversary.

Apart from rituals, the event featured an array of activities like a Chung cake making contest, a book fest, a martial art performance, dragon dances, folk games and art programmes. 

The same day, the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang also organised an incense-offering ceremony in commemoration of the national founders. 

The ceremony took place at a temple built in 1957 in tribute to the Hung Kings, which is the first of its kind in the Mekong Delta. 

Meanwhile, the temple dedicated to the Hung Kings in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho has attracted tens of thousands of people each day since its inauguration on April 7.

A ceremony was held at the temple on April 10 to pay homage to the national founders. 

Hung King is the title given to the ancient Vietnamese rulers of the Hong Bang period (2879–258 BC). They were the Kings of Van Lang. The worshiping rituals of the Hung Kings was recognised as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.

U23 team to have two friendly matches with U20 RoK before SEA Games 31

Vietnam’s U23 team will have two friendly matches with the U20 team of the Republic of Korea (RoK) before the start of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), according to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF).

The first match will take place at 7pm on April 19 at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho province and the second one at 7pm on April 22 at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi, it said. 

The VFF will sell tickets ranging from 150,000 VND (about 7 USD) to 300,000 VND (13 USD) in both online and in-person forms.

Each customer is allowed to buy up to four tickets per match via VinID application for online registration and two tickets for in-person purchase. 

Viet Tri Stadium is the U23 team’s home ground at the SEA Games 31 so coach Park Hang-seo decided to organise training for the team there.

Vietnam’s honorary consulate in Japan’s Mie prefecture becomes operational

Vietnam’s honorary consulate office in Japan’s Mie prefecture officially came into operation on April 9, with Moriyuki Taniguchi, a Japanese national, as its head.

At a working session with Taniguchi, Vietnamese Ambassador Vu Hong Nam expressed his hope that the honorary consul will contribute to boosting the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership, and support Vietnamese in Mie as well as Japanese firms that want to invest in Vietnam. 

Taniguchi promised to make every effort to fulfill his assigned tasks and contribute to the bilateral ties. 

The same day, the office organised a seminar on cooperation between Vietnamese localities and Mie, during which Ambassador Nam stressed that the Vietnam-Japan relationship is at its best ever. 

Canada’s Foreign Minister heads to Indonesia, Vietnam to boost ties

Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly is travelling to Indonesia and Vietnam from April 9 to 14 to expand partnerships and reiterate the country’s commitment to engagement with nations throughout the region as part of the government’s forthcoming Canadian Indo-Pacific Strategy.

During the visit to Indonesia and Vietnam, the Canadian FM will also engage in discussions on pressing global challenges, including the need for a diplomatic solution on the unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine and the efforts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to address the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.

“Canada has been a strong, reliable and effective partner of Indonesia, Vietnam and ASEAN, and our celebration of several decades of cooperation is an excellent opportunity to reflect on our experiences and achievements,” Joly said. 

Joly also said she looks forward to visiting Indonesia and Vietnam to gain a better understanding of the region, to expand partnerships and to contribute successfully to a more secure, resilient, inclusive and sustainable Indo-Pacific for the benefit of all people. 

In Hanoi, she will meet with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien to underscore the long-standing bilateral ties between the two nations in the lead-up to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2023. 

She will also visit the northern province of Thai Nguyen to meet with ethnic minority women and learn more about how Canada’s development assistance is helping to strengthen women-led businesses in the context of climate change and COVID-19 pandemic. 

Vietnam is Canada’s largest trading partner in the ASEAN region. Bilateral trade continues to grow despite the economic downturn due to the pandemic with trade turnover exceeding 6 billion USD last year, up 19 percent compared to 2020.

National database to serve asset and income management to be developed

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai on March 28 signed Decision No. 390/QD-TTg approving a project to build a national database on asset and income, aiming to promote digitalisation and modernisation in the management of assets and incomes.

The project aims to modernise and digitalise the management of assets and incomes, thus providing accurate, full and updated information on assets and incomes and other relevant data to serve the prevention, detection and handling of corruption.

In the 2022-23 period, the project will build and put into trial operations technical system and software for data updating, integrating, connecting and sharing to ensure safe and smooth exploitation of the database on asset and incomes.

A mechanism for the operation and exploitation of the database will be built, including legal documents, organisation and personnel needed for the operation of the database.

In the 2024-2025 period, the project will focus on updating data and integrating the database with the national database managed by the Government Inspectorate. The database will also be connected with other information and public service portals and other national database systems. In particular, 100 percent of property and income declaration forms of people obliged to declare their assets will be digitalised.

Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Cambodia convenes third congress

Chau Van Chi was re-elected as President of the Khmer-Vietnamese Association (KVA) in Cambodia for the 2021-26 term at the association’s third congress held in Phnom Penh on April 9.

An executive board comprising 85 members was also elected during the event. 

In the previous tenure, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, the KVA worked with its chapters, the Embassy of Vietnam and localities to help Cambodians of Vietnamese origin get vaccinations and distribute supplies and aid packages to pandemic-hit families.  

Hung Temple mobile app makes debut

A mobile app named ‘Den Hung’ (Hung Temple) was launched on April 9, or the ninth day of the third lunar month and a day prior to the death anniversary of Hung Kings - the legendary founders of the nation.

Via the app, now available on App Store and CH Play/Google Play, users can search for information on the Hung Temple special national historical relic site illustrated by images, video clips with narratives. 

Maps and areas opened for visitors, venues hosting rituals and festivals this year, services and trustworthy accommodations, dinning, and shops, will be featured in the app. A hotline of the organising board is provided to receive feedback and reports regarding violations during the Hung Temple festival. 

People at home and abroad can donate to the repair of the relic site via the app. 

Netherlands supports Mekong Delta’s sustainable development

A business forum was held in Can Tho city on April 8, offering chances for Vietnamese and Dutch firms to meet and share innovation solutions and the Netherlands’ experience in water, agriculture and logistics for sustainable development of the Mekong Delta.

The Netherlands has to date channelled about 50 million USD into projects and initiatives in the Mekong Delta. 

In Vinh Long province, the Dutch government provided 19.5 million USD in non-refundable aid for a project totalling 202.2 million USD which aims to support the province’s climate change adaptation. 

Through ongoing projects in Mekong Delta localities, Dutch experts and scientists have devised measures supporting local people in climate change adaptation, sustainable agricultural development and water management, among others. 

The Netherlands is hoped to provide the Mekong Delta with solutions to tackle challenges in infrastructure as well as climate change, along with measures for agricultural development, while the Delta region will promote the application of scientific and technological advances from the Dutch side to uphold its advantages and potential in the coming time, heard the event. 

Geotourism development - A new direction

Vietnamese geologists have conducted investigation and research activities towards the establishment of geoparks in recent years, with a view to promoting geotourism development in the future.

To date, Vietnam has three global geoparks with the official recognition by UNESCO, namely Dong Van Karst Plateau, Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark, and Dak Nong Geopark.

Dong Van Karst Plateau in the northern province of Ha Giang obtained the UNESCO recognition in 2010, becoming Vietnam’s first geological park and the second in Southeast Asia. The plateau contains the fossils of thousands of species of prehistoric creatures from 400-600 million years ago.

Non Nuoc Cao Bang in northern Vietnam became the country’s second UNESCO-recognised Global Geopark in 2018. The geopark is well known for rich biodiversity and many indigenous fauna and flora species.

Dak Nong Geopark in the Central Highlands was the third in Vietnam to gain the UNESCO title. There are 65 heritage and geomorphological sites in the geopark, including volcanic craters, volcanic caves, and waterfalls. It is also home to the largest system of volcanic caves in Southeast Asia, with more than 50 caves and a total length of over 10,000m.

The development of geotourism has been contributing to the conservation and promotion of Vietnam’s cultural heritages and natural resources as well as to the nation’s economic growth.

US wants to join Can Tho in reducing climate change impacts: Ambassador

The US wants to join hands with Can Tho to practically and feasibly reduce climate change impacts, said US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper when visiting the Mekong Delta city on April 8.

Knapper said through the Mekong-US partnership, the US continues to assist countries in the lower Mekong region to promote stability, peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Vietnam is sponsoring a variety of programmes on forest management, diversity, and biodiversity conservation, helping the country reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change impacts, he affirmed.

Knapper said to effectively and sustainably mitigate climate change, it is necessary to focus on promoting green and renewable energy, as well as training cooperation programmes to raise awareness and improve human resources quality.

He informed that he had a meeting with the board of directors of the Can Tho University to reaffirm the US’s commitment to a partnership focusing on education via people-to-people exchanges.

He was delighted to know that many students from the Mekong Delta choose the US as their destination to study and research, particularly regarding the fields of environment and climate change.

The US is committed to always creating the best conditions possible for Vietnamese students and researchers, the diplomat stated.

On the same day, Knapper attended an opening ceremony of “The Interceptor 003” river cleaning system, a machine that uses solar energy to collect waste on the Can Tho River with a maximum capacity of up to 50,000 kg per day.

Vietnam lose to Thailand in AFF Futsal Championship semi-finals

Vietnam lost 1-3 to host Thailand in the semi-finals of the AFF Futsal Championship in Bangkok on April 8.

In the other semi-final, Indonesia defeated Myanmar 6-1. Vietnam will play Myanmar for third place.

The AFF Futsal Championship featured nine teams divided into two groups. The teams competed in a round-robin format that saw the top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals.

The top three teams will enter the AFC Futsal Asian Cup, scheduled in Kuwait from September 25 to October 20.

Hanoi's kindergarten pupils to return to school on April 13

Kindergarten pupils in the capital city of Hanoi will come back to schools on April 13 after a nearly-one-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city People’s Committee has given the go-ahead on April 8 afternoon following the municipal Department of Education and Training’s proposal to resume in-person learning for preschool students in all 30 urban and outlying districts and townships across the city.

About 80 percent of parents said they are willing to bring their children back to preschools, according to the education department.

Hanoi is the last locality among 63 provinces and cities nationwide to allow kindergartens to resume in-person learning.

Individuals spreading false information face strict punishments: officer

Individuals who use social networks to spread false and unverified information harming Vietnamese financial and stock markets will be strictly handled in line with legal regulations, Lt. Gen. To An Xo, Chief of the Office and Spokesman for the Ministry of Public Security, told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on April 8.

According to the officer, the ministry’s Investigation Police Agency has recently prosecuted and investigated several criminal cases involving healthcare, finance, banking, securities and real estate, including cases at Viet A Technologies JSC, FLC Group and Tan Hoang Minh Group. The investigations have drawn public concern and support, Xo noted.

However, a number of individuals have taken advantage of the incidents to publish false and unverified information through social networks, which are supposed to be violations of other individuals and businesses.

The posts have attracted a large number of views, comments and shares saying competent agencies will prosecute and handle these individuals and businesses, the spokesman added.

He noted that the posts have triggered public concern, made investors feel insecure, harmed the domestic financial and stock markets, adversely affected the reputations of investors and enterprises, and caused economic losses.

Given this, the ministry has instructed competent forces to consolidate evidence and resolutely handle those who have published false and unverified information, contributing to creating a stable and healthy business environment, the officer said.

The ministry has also asked people not to spread such information, he emphasised.

Unique hand fishing festival in Tuyen Quang

Hundreds of local people and visitors flocked to Nang Kha commune in Na Hang district, Tuyen Quang province, to take part in the recent annual hand fishing festival, part of a series of activities to promote Tuyen Quang tourism year 2022.

Hand fishing originates from ancient times, when the local Tay ethnics prepared for a new rice crop and villagers flocked to the fields to catch fish.

The festival takes place every year to wish for good health and a productive harvest.

Participants wade through ponds catching fish with their bare hands and nothing else. The water level can be as low as 50-60 cm. More than 500 kg of fish are released into the pond during the festival.

The hand fishing festival is a fascinating part of traditional culture and attracts many visitors. It also presents an opportunity for Tuyen Quang to promote its various tourism products.

Man suspected of killing Vietnamese woman in Japan handed over to prosecutors

Japanese police have handed over a man suspected of robbing and killing a Vietnamese woman to prosecutors.

Police arrested Yamaguchi Toshiya on April 6, Japan’s NHK television channel reported.

The 31-year-old Vietnamese woman. V.T.L.Q, was a part-time worker at a boxed lunch store on the first floor of an apartment building in Osaka's Yodogawa district.

Yamaguchi was cited by NHK as saying that he was struggling to make ends meet and lured the woman to his room on the second floor of the building to ask for money on April 3.

He also admitted that he killed her because she resisted, and then took her money.

A bag and a wallet believed to have belonged to the victim were found in the suspect's room.

Ha Giang: Two ceremonies become part of national intangible cultural heritage

The northernmost province of Ha Giang recently had two traditional ceremonies in Hoang Su Phi district inscribed on the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

The newly recognised are the praying-for-bumper-crops ceremony of the Red Co Lao ethnic group in Tung San commune and the Ban Vuong worshipping ceremony of the Red Dao ethnic group in Ho Thau commune.

Every year, after harvesting rice and corn, Co Lao people hold a praying-for-bumper-crops ceremony to express gratitude to gods and ancestors for blessing them with good weather and bumper crops. Apart from rituals, this ceremony also features festivities such as folk singing and folk games.

Meanwhile, the Ban Vuong worshipping ceremony aims to show the Red Dao people’s respect for ancestors and aspiration for a peaceful life, prosperity, good weather, and bumper crops. They believe that the worship of Ban Vuong, believed to be the great ancestor of all clans of the Dao people, is related to the destiny of each person, each clan, and the entire ethnic group.

HCM City welcomes nearly 130 holiday-makers from US

Ho Chi Minh City welcomed nearly 130 tourists from the US on April 8 under a tour organised by Citslinc International Inc in collaboration with Asia Life and Beauty Travel and Tour Services Co., Ltd.

As scheduled, the visitors, who came to HCM City for the first time, stay at Muong Thanh hotel in Phu Nhuan district, enjoy food at Rex Hotel Restaurants and Bars and Indochina Queen Rivercruiser.

During their trip, they will also visit Cu Chi Tunnels, Ben Thanh market, and the Mekong Delta region, and join activities in the framework of the 8th Ao Dai Festival in 2022 in HCM City.

Stronger policy needed to prevent youths from smoking e-cigarettes

It is essential to issue a stronger policy to prevent the use of e-cigarettes among youths, heard a meeting held by the Health Ministry’s Vietnam Tobacco Control Fund in Hanoi on April 7.

According to experts, the rate of e-cigarette smokers in the age group of between 13-17 is 2.6 percent, while that in the age group of between 15-24 years old is 7.3 percent. Therefore, without a strong policy to prevent the use of e-cigarettes and new types of tobacco, the figure will increase sharply in the near future.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes