ASEAN Film Week 2022 in Vietnam is scheduled to take place in the second quarter of 2022 in three big cities of the nation including Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications.

As a part of activities to celebrate the 55th founding anniversary of ASEAN, the ASEAN Film Week aims to foster the connection of regional countries in terms of people, diplomatic relations and culture, contributing to the construction of a peaceful, stable, and dynamic community.

In Hanoi, the motion pictures will be shown at the National Cinema Centre. In Danang and Ho Chi Minh City, screenings will take place at Le Do Cinema, and at CineStar complex, District 1, respectively.

The tickets will be distributed for free at cinemas.

During the previous ASEAN Film Weeks, Vietnam sent a number of typical contemporary cinematic works that capture the hearts of international audiences, namely Yen’s Life by Dinh Tuan Vu (2015), Yellow Flowers On Green Grass by Victor Vu (2015) and Furie (Hai Phuong) by Ngo Thanh Van (2019), among others.

Fire kills family of five in Hanoi

A serious fire killed five people in a family living in a house on Pham Ngoc Thach Street in Hanoi earlier this morning.

According to the initial report from the police, the fire broke out at about 1am in a two-storey house near Kim Liên B9 Residential Block, alley No.65 Phạm Ngọc Thạch Street.

At the time of the fire, all those in the house were asleep.

A representative from Đống Đa District People's Committee confirmed that four died during the blaze and another died on the way to the hospital.

Two other people living in the house, Bùi Ngọc L., 39, and his son Bùi Quang H.,12, escaped the fire as they ran to the highest place in the house and managed to get to a neighbour's house. They were then rescued by firefighters.

The fire was put out at 1:23am.

The five victims are Đoàn Thị M, owner of the house, 82; Bùi Ngọc K., 37, M.'s son, and his wife Đỗ Mai H., 37; Bùi Nam P., 10; and 1-year-old Bùi Gia H.

P. and H. are both L.'s sons.

School attendance reaches 99.57 percent post-COVID-19

As of April 18, school attendance had reached 99.57 percent after all schools were reopened post-COVID-19, data from the Ministry of Education and Training shows.

All cities and provinces have developed scenarios and sufficiently prepared for the school reopening to ensure educational quality and the students’ safety.

The ministry has requested schools to flexibly offer catch-up lessons that fit each specific group of students and the local pandemic risk level.

Schools have also been urged to make the most of the time when the students are at school to provide core lessons to avoid putting more pressure on them.

Dak Nong preserving traditional long houses of Ede people

Buor hamlet in Tam Thang commune, Cư Jút district, in Dak Nong province is one of the oldest of the Ede ethnic people in the Central Highlands. But the hamlet is at risk of becoming a shadow of its former self as the number of traditional long houses continues to dwindle.

There are only about 20 traditional long houses in Buôr hamlet, of which only 6 have retained their original design.

The traditional long house, which accommodates several generations of the one clan, typifies the Ede ethnic minority group’s matriarchal structure. Whenever a woman from a house is married, the house is lengthened by one compartment.

There is a saying that compares an old house to the distance the sound of a gong travels, because when a gong is struck at one end of an old house its sound can barely be heard at the other end.

Cu Jut district is planning to promote tourism hotspots in the locality, including Bour hamlet.

Many traditional long houses in Bour hamlet in particular and in Dak Nong in general are falling in disrepair.

Preserving and conserving these houses of the Ede people will play an important role in maintaining traditional cultural values and in introducing a unique tourism product of the ethnic people in Dak Nong province.

Vietnam - Nepal friendship association established

A congress to announce the establishment of the Vietnam - Nepal Friendship Association  (VNFA) took place in Hanoi on April 19.

Former Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Tran Anh Tuan was elected as Chairman of the association for the 2022-2027 tenure. The VNFA's executive committee consists of 27 members.

During the tenure, the VNFA will coordinate with the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) to strictly implement the foreign policy set by the 13th National Party Congress, focusing on building a comprehensive and modern diplomacy, mobilising external resources for national development, improving the country's position and prestige, and developing the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Nepal.

SEA Games 31: Local organising committees encouraged to give free tickets to spectators

Organising committees of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) in localities have been encouraged to give free tickets to spectators during the event, thus spreading the sports spirit in line with the event's slogan “For a stronger Southeast Asia”.

According to a document on issuing invitations and tickets to competitions of SEA Games 31signed recently by Deputy Minister of culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong, the national Organising Committee of the event will manage, issue and distribute all invitations to the opening and closing ceremonies of SEA Games 31, the men’s football final match and the match for bronze medal at My Dinh National Stadium.

The local organising committees have been allowed to decide on the plan to manage, and issue invitations or tickets to events they will host in accordance with the principle of priority.

The preparation for SEA Games 31 is being actively implemented by the local national organising committees of 12 localities.

"Light up Da Nang” to spotlight central city’s nightlife

Street art performances themed “Light up Da Nang” will be held at Bach Dang Square in the central city of Da Nang on April 22 and April 29 as part of activities to restore tourism development in the locality.

This is a pilot model to develop the nighttime economy in Da Nang, which is implemented within the framework of cooperation between the municipal People's Committee and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Vietnam.

The event will bring together guests from all the three regions of the country in a series of activities for young people including Hiphop and Kpop Cover contests, a DJ show, and Flashmob dance.

The beauty of nature, culture and people of Da Nang and its nightlife will be spotlighted in a visual show using “Augmented Reality” technology.

Book exhibition highlights Vietnam-Cuba friendship

Books highlighting the loyalty and friendship between Vietnam and Cuba are being displayed at the headquarters of the Truth National Political Publishing House in Hanoi on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of Cuba’s Giron victory (April 19).

The exhibition, which opened on April 19, is jointly held by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association and the publishing house.

The nearly 50 publications displayed also feature Cuban heroes, as well as the nation and culture of Vietnam and its foreign policy. They include two books by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong on Vietnam’s national construction, which were published in Spanish.

Eighth National External Information Service Awards launched

The eighth National External Information Service Awards were launched at a press conference in Hanoi on April 19.

The annual awards aim to honour outstanding authors, books and publications in the field of external information and contribute to promoting the country’s development achievements in various areas.

Submissions can be in any language and must be published as an article in a print newspaper, online newspaper, or website (licensed by competent agencies), radio broadcast, TV broadcast, press photo, landscape photo, or book, from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. They must be sent to Nhan Dan newspaper – the standing agency of this year’s awards, before August 1.

The winners will be announced in August 2022.

Over 2.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 5-12 allocated

The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology has decided to allocate an additional 1,382,400 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine donated by the Australian government to provinces and centrally-run cities to vaccinate children aged from 5 to under 12 years old.

Together with 921,600 doses distributed on April 14, the institute has allocated more than 2.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate the target group.

Of the amount, Ho Chi Minh City will receive 193,800 doses and Hanoi will get 104,000 doses. The others will come to such provinces as Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Quang Ninh.

As of April 18, a total of 19,526 doses had been administered to children of the age group. The injection of the second shots for the kids is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of this year.

Lao Cai to host largest rose festival in northwestern region

The 2022 Fansipan Rose Festival is scheduled to be held at Sun World Fansipan Legend Tourist Area in the northwestern province of Lao Cai from April 23 to May 23, with the event offering visitors a unique and fresh experience.

The festival will span a total area of 50,000 square metres inside Sun World Fansipan Legend Tourist Area of Sun Group.

Roughly 100 varieties of roses from many countries, including the UK, France, and Japan will be featured at the event.

During the festival, there will be a rose parade consisting of 48 flower cars controlled by artists wearing traditional costumes of the various ethnic groups which reside in Sa Pa town.

Elsewhere, a horse race will take place from April 29 to May 2, drawing the participation of 30 racers from the northwestern region.

VN photographer wins prizes at Spring Clicks 2022

Local photographer Bach Ngoc Tu claimed a number of prizes at Spring Clicks Circuit 2022, an international photography contest held in Montenegro.

The Spring Clicks Circuit was held this year to honour artistic works in four categories, namely nature, open colour, open monochrome, and people. It attracted a range of professional and amateur photographers from 65 countries from across the world.

Bach Ngoc Tu, a Vietnamese photographer born in Quang Ninh province, grabbed two golds, one silver, one bronze, two honorable mentions, as well as two certificates of exhibitions on nature and people.

The contest is held under the sponsorship of world photograph organisations, including FIAP, PSA, FSM, GRADAC PGI, VICTORY P.W, FK OHRID, FSS, and FKK CACAK.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on May 10 in Montenegro.

Hundreds of Covid-infected children have MIS-C in HCM City

Hundreds of Covid-infected children in HCM City have been found to have Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) after recovering.

According to the HCM City Department of Health, as many as 315 children have been treated for MIS-C at local hospitals over the past nine months. They all had some problems with their heart, lung, kidney, eye, skin, and digestive system after 2-6 weeks recovering from Covid-19.

"Reports from local hospitals showed that between June 2021 and March 2022, some 315 among over 71,000 Covid-19 infected children had MIS-C," the department said. "The problem was mostly found in smaller children with those below five years old making up 47.3 percent and those of between 5-12 making up 46 percent. They often showed symptoms including high fevers, stomachaches, diarrhoea, and vomiting."

The department said that most of the children had recovered after being treated at hospital, adding that they may face serious problems with their cardiac system if not being properly treated.

"The best way to avoid MIS-C is still Covid-19 vaccination and preventive measures," the department said.

MIS-C was first announced in the US and the UK in April 2020. Reports said that some 0.6 percent of Covid-19-infected children experienced the problem in the US.

Quang Tri forest suffers illegal logging

More than 10 hectares of forest in the central province of Quang Tri’s Dakrong District have been destroyed.

Many trees, including those with diameters of up to 70 cm have been cut down at Dakrong Commune’s Cat Village. The trees have been cut into timber for transportation out of the forest.
 
According to Dakrong Commune People’s Committee, the forest was handed over to the community in Lang Cat to be managed in 2018.

Dakrong Commune People’s Committee Chairman Ho Thanh said local authorities had sent a task force to the forest for the check. Local people have been requested not to go into the forest without permission.

Tran Dai Duc, head of the Dakrong Forest Protection Board, said the damage to the forest was discovered on April 12 due to the large number of trees cut down.

Dak Rong People’s Committee Vice-Chairman Le Dai Loi said local authorities had instructed the relevant agencies to investigate the case.

Hue Imperial Citadel to open night street zone from April 22

A night street zone around Hue Imperial Citadel City, a UNESCO-recognised World Cultural Heritage, is set to be officially launched on April 22 at Ngo Mon Square, according to the Hue City People's Committee and the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre.

Following several postponements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the night street zone will open from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. every Friday and Saturday.

Organisers say the night street is anticipated to offer guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Hue royal space through unique art programmes. Coming there, visitors will also explore traditional craft products and Hue cuisine at various stalls located throughout the zone.

Vo Le Nhat, chairman of the Hue City People's Committee, said the night street zone will span across the August 23 Road and Le Huan street on a pilot basis, as well as connecting to other areas in the Hue Imperial Citadel. They include Tinh Tam Lake - Hoc Hai Lake, the Tang Tho Lau (Library), the Tran Binh Dai - Mang Ca garrison area, the Ngu Ha River, and the Thuong Thanh - Eo Bau space.

The local government will provide free admission to the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities at No 3 Le Truc street in Hue City from April 17 to the end of May 17.

Throughout the year visitors will be exempt from entrance fees to tourist attractions at the Hue ancient citadel relic complex during the Lunar New Year, Thua Thien-Hue liberation day on March 26 and National Day on September 2.

ASEAN Para Games delayed by a week

Hosts Indonesia have announced a one week delay of the 11th ASEAN Para Games, although preparations are going well.

The regional sports tournament for athletes with disabilities will be rescheduled from July 30 to August 6 in Surakarta City in Java.

The ASEAN Para Sports Federation's secretary-general Senior Colonel Wandee Tosuwan said the Games organisers were racing against time to ensure smooth delivery of the Games with almost 100 days to go.

However, the new dates of the Para Games may create trouble for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, who are set to send athletes to the 2022 Commonwealth Games from July 28 to August 8. 

Aday folk singing of Khmer people honoured as national cultural heritage

The art of Aday folk singing of the Khmer ethnic group in Xa Phen commune, Long My district, Hau Giang province has been honoured as a national intangible cultural heritage, announced by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism on April 19.

Aday singing is unique folklore performing art form dating from a long time ago. It is a kind of duet singing between Khmer men and women in the Southern region and is often staged at community festivals and family ceremonies.

Accompanied by musical instruments, the performers deliver songs praising love, nature, and the good.

Over 484 tonnes of rice provided to needy people in Ha Giang

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai has assigned the Ministry of Finance to provide more than 484 tonnes of rice to the northern province of Ha Giang during the between-crop period of 2022.

The rice, sourced from the national reserves, aims to support local residents to ensure no one suffers from hunger during the period.

In late January, the Deputy PM signed decisions on the free-of-charge provision of over 13,000 tonnes of rice sourced from the national reserves to nine provinces nationwide to support flood-hit and needy people during the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival and the between-crop period in early 2022.

Film screenings to be held to celebrate major holidays

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has issued a decision on the organisation of film screenings to mark Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30), Labour Day (May 1), Dien Bien Phu Victory Day (May 7), and late President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday (May 19).

The ministry assigned the Cinema Department to coordinate with National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio One Member Co.Ltd, Vietnam Animation Joint Stock Company, Mi Di A Joint Stock Company, People's Army Film and centrally-run cities and provinces in organising the screenings nationwide from April 30 to May 22.

Films to be shown include “Chu oi dung lay me con” (Please Don't marry my mother), “Dong khoi tu cuu minh” (Uprising to save ourselves), “Hanh trinh ao dai Viet” (Journey of Vietnamese long dress) and “Ba cua Do do” (Do do’s grandmother).

The screenings will be held in localities when the COVID-19 pandemic is put under control and comply with the Ministry of Health’s regulations on disease prevention and control.

Can Tho tops food safety management ranking

The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho topped the country’s food safety rankings for agro-forestry-fishery products in 2021, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The city ranked first with 94 points. It was followed by Hoa Binh and Bac Lieu which held 1st and 9th places in the previous rankings.

Notably, the southern province of Long An fell from third place to eleventh, while Hanoi moved from fourth to 31st on the list.

Last year, 36 out of 63 provinces and cities were considered to have “good food safety management”, while the rest were in the “qualified” group.

The rankings are based on a set of criteria and follows the assessment process issued by the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development in 2015.

Peacekeeping officers present souvenirs to Vietnam Women's Museum

The Vietnam Women's Museum in Hanoi held a ceremony to receive materials and objects donated by female officers of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations on April 20.

Jointly hosted by the VDPO, the “Trai tim nguoi linh” (Soldier’s Heart) club, and the Vietnam Women's Museum with the theme “Hearts For Peace”, the event spotlighted memorable and touching memories of Vietnamese officers and soldiers during the time they joined the UN peacekeeping missions.

The Vietnam Women's Museum has received 77 documents and artifacts, including 56 items, one video clip and 25 photos from five female soldiers who participated in the UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and Central Africa, which are closely associated with memories and personal stories about their tireless efforts during their duty.

The donations are personal items, work documents, commemorative gifts from family members, and souvenirs given by people at areas where the peacekeepers worked.

Exhibition features traditional lacquer art

An exhibition featuring over 30 lacquer paintings by 11 artists is open in downtown Hà Nội.

Sơn Ta + (Lacquer Resin +) is co-hosted by Dream Partner and S Plus to give audiences a glimpse of traditional Vietnamese lacquer art.

Sơn Ta has been particularly practised by a group of eight artists, recognised as well-experienced in the genre: Lý Trực Sơn, Đỗ Đức Khải, Nguyễn Trường Linh, Trần Đình Bình, Đặng Hiền, Trần Tiến Dũng, and Vũ Thu Hiền.

With many years in the art, painter Lý Trực Sơn noted the genre had played an important role in contemporary painting.

The exhibition will run until May 15 at S Plus at 66 Ngô Thì Nhậm Street.

Theme park to welcome tourists with ocean-inspired festival

An Ocean Festival with various activities will take place from April 30 to May 3 at Bảo Sơn Paradise Theme Park, Hoài Đức District, 12km from the capital's city centre.

Inspired by The Little Mermaid, the festival will treat visitors with many art performances such as an Ocean Carnival and the musical Chuyện Tình Biển Xanh (Sea Love Story), which promise to bring an exciting experience for visitors during the holiday.

The park will be decorated like a giant ocean with brilliant colours and decorative objects for photos.

This is the first time the Ocean King Palace will be opened, adding more colours to the theme park. The Sea Love Story musical will be held on the stage of the Ocean King Palace. The musical has been prepared for the past two years. It is a combination of circus acts, singing and dancing.

Meanwhile, the Ocean Carnival will see a parade of mascots and characters in fairy tales such as The Little Mermaid and the Ocean King.

During the four-day festival, the theme park will open from 8am to 6pm. Tourists can enjoy games in outdoor areas, indoor areas and the Kids Town.  Accommodation and dining services are available at the theme park.

Taste of Australia kicks off in HCM City

Taste of Australia, the annual celebration of Australia’s food and beverages in Vietnam, began on Wednesday (April 20) in HCM City.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is held for the first time in Vietnam since 2019.

The programme hopes to spread the word about Australian produce and products available in Vietnam, starting with a video series on a Melbourne-based Australian-Vietnamese chef Frank Pham that will feature premium Australian produce like beef, lamb, abalone, and rock lobster.

The programme will also present a web series to highlight Australian wine varieties and their pairing with Vietnamese foods.

It is partnering with nearly 40 restaurants in Hà Nội and HCM City to highlight the versatility and quality of Australian produce, fresh fruits and products.

There will be an extensive nation-wide promotional campaign to bolster the image of Australian products sold at major retail stores such as MegaMart, WinMart, BRG, Kingfood, and Annam Gourmet Market.

The event will run until May. 

Khanh Hoa hosts festival honouring Goddess Ponagar

The Goddess Ponagar Festival opened in Nha Trang city in the central Khanh Hoa province on April 21, with the occasion attracting thousands of pilgrims from surrounding provinces.

The annual event is held to commemorate the Goddess Thien Y A Na who is Holy Mother of the Cham community in the central region. According to Cham legend, the Goddess had taught local people how to cultivate and make handicrafts.

Many rituals will be planned during the festival running until April 23, such as a requiem, a release of lanterns, praying for peace and happiness, and incense offering, among other activities.

During the opening ceremony, local artists performed traditional dances of the Cham people, including a fan dance, in a bid to honour the beauty of Champa culture.

The 1,200-year-old Ponagar tower, designed in a unique Cham technique, is located on the Cu Lao hill next to the Cai river in Vinh Phuoc ward of Nha Trang city.

The tower was first recognised as a national historical relic site back in 1979, with the Ponagar Festival being recognised as part of national intangible heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2012.

Fireworks to light up skies of HCM City to mark Reunification Day

Ho Chi Minh City is set to hold several firework displays across the city between 9 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. on April 30 in celebration of 47 years since National Reunification Day.

The celebrations are due to take place above the Thu Thiem tunnel running across the Saigon river in Thu Duc City, as well as Dam Sen Cultural Park in District 11.

Furthermore, a wide range of cultural events will get underway to mark the occasion, including a photo exhibition to commemorate 47 years of the National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975-April 30, 2022) and the 136th International Labour Day (May 1, 1886-May 1, 2022), an incense offering ceremony at the statue of President Ho Chi Minh, and a number of art performances.

During the COVID-19 outbreak in 2021, Ho Chi Minh City was forced to cancel firework shows for the New Year, Lunar New Year, and National Reunification Day celebrations in order to limit gatherings.

This year the country will celebrate a four-day national holiday from April 30 to May 3, with this occasion marking the resumption of firework displays in Ho Chi Minh City after two years of disruption caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Young people collect old batteries for recycling in HCMC

Understanding that even a small battery can pollute 500 liters of water or one cubic meter of land in 50 years if not handling correctly, a group of young people in HCMC formed Green Puzzle to collect old batteries all over the city for proper processing.

Being a software developer, 28-year-old Pham Phan Khanh Trinh has to use a lot of batteries for his electrical devices. He feels at ease when discovering a dead battery gathering location on Vo Van Tan Street of District 3.

Also feeling relieved is 24-year-old Bui Thanh Phuong, an officer living in Binh Thanh District. She shared that to save the environment, she used to bring old batteries to another gathering point, but they stopped receiving them last year. Now that she finds a station of Green Puzzle on Nguyen Thi Dieu Street of District 3, it is so convenient for her as it is near her workplace, and she can keep her good habit to protect the environment.

Green Puzzle was established in December 2021 by a group of students in VietSeeds Scholarship Fund, aiming at raising the public awareness about harmful effects of battery to the environment and forming useful habits to handle dead batteries. It came from the spirit of ‘Pay It Forward’ to carry out meaningful activities for the community.

Funding for 12 members of Green Puzzle to maintain activities comes from VietSeeds Scholarship Fund and mobilizes from the members’ friends.

Its first project ‘Saving Old Batteries’ is launched in 16 gathering points citywide with the message ‘Dead batteries, when being disposed as household waste, can seriously pollute the land, water, and air. It is time to change our harmful habit of throwing old batteries in the trash bin. Please bring them to Green Puzzle’s gathering points for proper handling!’

Green Puzzle has many gathering points throughout HCMC, mostly sited at large organizations, businesses, environmental club of universities. Old batteries can be brought here before being transferred to Green Puzzle partner – A Chau Co., a renowned business in the field of waste handling – to process in accordance with hazardous waste disposal procedures.

Head of Green Puzzle Project Le Thi Thuy Duong, a student of Fulbright University, shared that at first, she felt the benefits of environment protection are too vague to be able to persuade people to take action. However, as a Gen Z person, she should be bolder and become a pioneer doing such a good deed. She hoped that Green Puzzle can help to shape a greener future with people – as a civilized citizen – ready to protect the environment with all their heart.

Over US$1 million allocated for nurturing math, artificial intelligence talents

The Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City and the Hung Thinh Corporation have just signed a contract to implement the program ‘Incubating math and artificial intelligence talents’ from now until 2026 with the estimate of VND25 billion (over US$1 million).

This program is an initiative of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City and Hung Thinh Corporation to encourage and nurture young talents in mathematics and artificial intelligence in Vietnam. It will be implemented in five years (from 2022 to 2026).

The program aims to develop the community in the field of math and artificial intelligence in Vietnam by supporting, fostering and training young talents to become prestigious scientists in the region and the world.

SEA Games 31’s mascot plush toys made to give athletes as presents

The organizing board of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) is pushing up the production of simulation Saola mascot plush toys to give athletes as presents and serve fans and sports delegates during the sports tournament. 

The production unit is accelerating the production of the stuffed toys for the 31st SEA Games following the order.

The simulation Saola mascot plush toy will be sewn with the image of a Saola animal wearing the 31st SEA Games medals and raising hand for the victory. It is known that the organizing board of the 31st SEA Games has authorized one exclusive partner to directly work with the production unit, which had ever produced the golden buffalo mascot plush toys of the 22nd SEA Games in Vietnam.

According to the regulations, each medaled athlete at the SEA Games 31 will be granted a medal along with a mascot. 

Currently, the price of the plush toys has not been unveiled yet, however, the organizing board has received pre-orders from fans and international friends.

Ho Chi Minh City needs five positions of experts, scientists in 2022

The People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City released an announcement on the recruitment for five positions of experts and scientists in 2022 who will directly join in the works of researching, consulting and giving advisory on mechanisms and policies for the Municipal People's Committee.

The recruitment specialist responsibilities include planning consultant and developing Ho Chi Minh City's socio-economic plan to 2030 with a vision to 2045; consulting mechanisms and policies to support small and medium-scale enterprises, collective and private economic development; experts in the sectors of environmental biotechnology, food biotechnology and animal biotechnology.

Experts and scientists selected by the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City will receive initial support of VND100 million (US$4,330); enjoy benifts of the monthly salary according to Decision No. 17/2019/QD-UBND and support policies on housing and means of transportation following the regulation of Decision No. 17/2019/QD-UBND. Besides, they can also enjoy an incentive allowance of one percent of the cost of each research project depending on each position.

Bac Giang province hosts exhibition on Hoang Sa, Truong Sa

Photos and documents on Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes are now on display in the northern province of Bac Giang.

The event, opened on April 20, is to mark the 47th anniversary of the liberation of the south (April 30), and the 68th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7).

On show are 80 images and 42 exhibits themed ‘Hoang Sa, Truong Sa belong to Vietnam: historical and legal evidence’ presented by the Ministry of Information and Communications, together with 180 photos featuring ethnic and religious groups, and mementos of Bac Giang’s soldiers and civilians during wartime.

They affirm Vietnam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagoes and highlight history and cultural identity of ethnic groups and Bac Giang province in particular, as well as contributions of the groups and religions in national construction and protection.

The exhibition will run until the end of May.

SEA Games 31: 80 athletes to compete in tennis events

A total of 80 athletes from various countries are to compete at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31)’s tennis events, which will take place in the northern province of Bac Ninh from May 12 to 22, according to the organising committee.

There are 31 Vietnamese players registering for the events. Among them, Ly Hoang Nam is competing in Thailand to strengthen his skills as well as create the best mentality so as to defend his gold medal at the men's single category.

In addition to Nam, the Vietnamese team is pinning hope on other players such as Trinh Linh Giang, Nguyen Van Phuong, and Tran Thuy Thanh Truc.

As planned, at the end of April, the squad will be in Bac Ninh to prepare for their performance at the biennial tournament.

Vietnam’s Top 7 Impressions 2022 voting programme launched

"Vietnam’s impressions through heritage areas” event and the "Vietnam’s Top 7 Impressions 2022" voting scheme were launched on April 20 in Hoi An city of Quang Nam province as part of the National Tourism Year 2022 themed ‘Quang Nam – A green tourism destination’.

According to the Quang Nam Tourism Association, the organisation of “Vietnam’s impressions through heritage areas” aims to ramp up activities as part of efforts to revive the local tourism sector as the country moves into the COVID-19 post-pandemic period.

The function will also contribute to popularizing the message of green tourism which is the orientation for sustainable development of the Vietnamese tourism sector in line with climate change adaptation and post-pandemic tourism trends.

Most notably, visitors are encouraged to take part in the ‘Vietnam’s Top 7 Impressions 2022’ voting programme that spans seven categories, such as tourist attractions with enchanting scenery, magical waterfalls, spectacular passes, unexpected scenic views from above, and ecotourism destinations.

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