The State visit to Vietnam by Governor-General of Australia David Hurley from April 3-6 is expected to create new momentum for the bilateral ties, according to a scholar from the University of Queensland in Australia.

Nguyen Hong Hai, a researcher at the Centre for Policy Futures under the University of Queensland, said the visit, in the context of the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (February 26, 1973) and the 5th anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership (March 15, 2018) in 2023, demonstrates the importance Australia attaches to the milestones, as well as and the consensus in enhancing high-level meetings and contacts, thus consolidating the mutual political trust.

During his visit, Hurley is scheduled to meet with top leaders of Vietnam, hold talks with President Vo Van Thuong, and meetings with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, the researcher said, adding that NA Chairman Hue also met the Governor-General in his visit to Australia four months ago, during which the leaders expressed their support for upgrading the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Hurley’s trip is also hoped to contribute to enhancing people-to-people exchange and send a message to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the region at large that Australia pays great attention to its relations with Vietnam and ASEAN.

The message is quite clear – Vietnam holds a special position in Australia’s relations with the region – Hai said, citing former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison as saying during his visit to Vietnam in 2019 that Vietnam was a close friend.

The researcher noted his belief that the visit will contribute to strengthening the bilateral relations and opening up strong cooperation prospects between the two countries, while creating more foundations and momentum for them to soon achieve the goal of advancing the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership this year.

Moreover, the visit would give a boost to collaboration in other spheres like national defence and security, along with innovation, climate change response, energy transition, green energy and green economy, he said.

Lao, Cambodian students learn about Vietnamese revolution's history

More than 80 Lao and Cambodian students who are studying in Ho Chi Minh City took part in a programme to learn about the revolutionary history in the city held by the municipal Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) on April 2.

The programme entitled “Theo dong lich su- Biet dong Sai Gon” (Exploring History- Saigon Commandos) was intended to welcome the 55th anniversary of the Spring Mau Than General Offensive and Uprising (1968-2023), Laos' traditional Bunpimay (or New Year) Festival and the Chol Chnam Thmey festival of Cambodia.

HUFO Vice President Ho Xuan Lam said the event is designed to educate people from all walks of life, particularly young people, particularly students who are studying in the locality in the nation’s heroic revolutionary tradition.

Besides, the programme also helped international students to have a better understanding about the city - their second homeland so when they return home, they will help cultivate the friendship between people of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, he added.

The programme took the students to the secret underground room containing weapons of the Sai Gon commando force, the site used to be a secret liaison point of the force and the Saigon-Gia Dinh Special Forces Intelligence Museum.

Mekong Delta to increase forest cover

The Mekong Delta region is growing more forests to protect the environment from climate change and mitigate the impacts of natural disasters.

Nguyen Van Ut, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Long An province, said his province plans to grow 650ha new forests this year, including 150ha of special use and protective forests.

The special-use forests in particular help protect bio-diversity and conserve genetic resources and the environment, he said.

Forests also enable economic development and help create jobs and improve incomes, he said.

To achieve the afforestation target this year, the People’s Committee has instructed relevant agencies to strengthen advocacy to enhance public awareness of the benefits of forests.

It has also instructed districts and forest managers to ensure they have plans in place to prevent forest fires.

Long An has more than 21,800ha of forests, including 1,800ha of special use forests and 2,000ha of protective forests with the remaining 18,000ha being commercial forests.

In Tra Vinh, authorities aim to plant 800ha of new forests, mostly mangrove, in 2021-25 to increase the province forest coverage rate to 4.2%.

Tran Van Dung, deputy director of the province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the province has preferential policies for growing new forests and protecting existing ones.

It subsidises households and organisations who manage at least 0.3ha of forest land their seedling expenses up to 37 million VND (1,600 USD) per hectare, he said.

They are paid 500,000 VND (21 USD) per hectare annually for protecting forests of to up to 15ha in the case of individuals and 30ha in the case of households.

They manage 5,000ha of mangrove forests, also breeding aquatic spices such as shrimp, mud crabs and blood cockles there and earning 60-70 million VND (2,500-3,000 USD) per hectare per year from it.

Ben Tre province plans to grow 171ha of new forests this year to add to its existing 4,470ha of mostly mangrove.

The mangrove forests are not large but play an important role in coping with climate change and provide livelihoods to locals, according the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

But the mangroves are affected from coastal erosion and other factors, and so the province pays attention to afforestation, it said.

Last year, 140ha were planted.

Ca Mau province, home to the largest mangrove forests in the country, planted 300ha last year.

It has 94,000ha of forests, mostly mangrove.

Tran Van Thuc, deputy director of its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said authorities are allocating more forests to households, individuals and organisations to protect and exploit their resources.

Authorities in the Mekong Delta, home to Can Tho City and 12 provinces, also plan to grow more new trees in residential and other areas this year.

Can Tho plans to plant 1.4 million new trees along roads, rivers and canals and in parks, gardens, schools, industrial parks, and other areas.

Long An aims to plant nearly 1.6 million trees in residential and other areas.

An Giang plans to build major freshwater storage system

The Mekong Delta province of An Giang plans to soon build a freshwater storage system and infrastructure to serve agriculture in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle.

Speaking at a meeting with a working group from the Ministry of Planning and Investment to discuss the project last week, Tran Anh Thu, Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said, in an allusion to climate change, that the delta’s flooding season is no longer regular or consistent and so it is necessary to execute the project soon.

The storage system would supply irrigation water to the quadrangle, the country’s major food producing area, he said.

It would also help regulate and manage freshwater resources during the rainy and dry seasons, secure people’s livelihoods and protect the environment, he said.

The province has proposed to the ministry that the system should have a capacity of more than 32 million cubic metres, have an embankment of 42.6km and cover more than 3,050ha downstream of the Tra Su Sluice.

It is expected to supply water to around 30,000ha of farmlands in An Giang and Kien Giang provinces and Can Tho City, all in the quadrangle, a low-lying area in the upstream area of the delta.

With climate change, the delta is struggling with saltwater intrusion up its many rivers.

Pham Hoang Nam, head of the ministry’s foreign economic relations department, said the project was vital and would help develop the quadrangle and protect the environment.

The province should draft it in detail and submit it to the working group, he said.

It should maximise the storage system’s capacity and link it up regionally, he added.

Culture-tourism week underway in Phu Yen province

A culture-tourism week kicked off in the south central province of Phu Yen on April 1 night, expected to recover and spur local tourism.

The programme is organised by the provincial People’s Committee to celebrate 412 years of Phu Yen’s formation and development (1611-2023) and 48 years of its liberation (April 1, 1975).

There will be a festival for music bands and art troupes in and outside the province, a cuisine fair and art performances within the framework of the week, to last until April 7.

In his opening remarks, deputy head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Le Phuc said the programme demonstrates the local tourism sector’s efforts in promoting its image and raising its tourism values.

Lying on the south central coast of Vietnam, Phu Yen is endowed by nature with a peaceful and romantic environment that has attracted many visitors.

Phu Yen reminds many visitors of Ghenh Da Dia, overlapped rocky plates in An Ninh Dong Commune of Tuy An District. It is truly a strange geological scene and said to be second-to-none in Vietnam. Seen from afar, it is close to the coast and always splashed by sea waves, the rocky columns look like a huge beehive, built with many rocky plates of different shapes and sizes and interlocked in layers.

Meanwhile, O Loan Lagoon, also in Tuy An district and a national-level beauty-spot, attracts visitors due to its romantic feel. Seen from above, the lake looks like a big bird ready to fly to the sky with its huge wings. There are lots of special aquatic products living in the lake, of which the O Loan blood cockles are particularly well known in the region.

Built near the peaceful Ba River, the Mang Lang Temple with its nearly 120 year-old history, has preserved a national precious item, the Cathechismvs book, the first national language printed book of the Vietnamese made by Priest Alexandre de Rhodesin 1651 in Rome.

Going southwards, the Vung Ro Bay in Hoa Xuan Nam Commune of Dong Hoa district has deep blue water. The bay is surrounded by the Ca Pass, Da Bia Mountain and Hon Ba Mountain. Visitors can take tours to see the beauty of the ocean or climb Da Bia Mountain always covered in white mist.

Not too far from Vung Ro Bay is Dai Lanh Cape, the easternmost pole of the country’s mainland where the first rays of the dawn comes to the S-shaped country of Vietnam.

With its huge sea potential and natural beauty-spots that have been depicted in many poems, songs and movies, Phu Yen province has plenty of opportunities for further development.

Museum honours Italian doctor who identified SARS in Vietnam

Carlo Urbani Museum, which is named after an Italian doctor who identified severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Vietnam in 2003 and then died of the disease, was officially opened on April 1 in his hometown of Castelplanio, Italy’s Ancona province.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), called Carlo Urbani a hero of the world and a symbol for the world fight against diseases.

His contributions to preventive medicine and vaccination, as well as treatment in under-developed countries, are still valid today, Ghebreyesus said.

On this occasion, Ghebreyesus presented the museum with a commemorative board which was once located at WHO headquarters in Geneva.

Nguyen Thai Hoc from the Vietnamese embassy in Rome emphasised that the event once again pays tribute to doctor Carlo Urbani, honoring his great valuable contributions to world health in general and his dedication to the cause of protecting people’s health in particular.

Hoc said as a WHO infectious disease expert in Vietnam, Calos Urbani helped Vietnam analyze and identify the viral agent that caused the SARS.

“Through isolation and intensive care, he found a way to defeat SARS in a short time. His life is a testament to the deep friendship between Italy and Vietnam,” he said.

In 2022, the Italian Government gave the late doctor the Knight of the Order of Merit to honor his great contributions to the detection, identification and rapid response of new diseases.

Sick Philippine sailor brought ashore for treatment in Khanh Hoa

A Philippine sailor who had fallen ill aboard a Panama-flagged cargo ship was brought ashore for treatment at a hospital in Nha Trang city in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa on April 1 night.

The Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre said on April 2 that 33-year-old Francisco Menard Loyd Gica was on C. Free Dom ship en route from the Republic of Korea (RoK) to Singapore, when he suffered from symptoms of headache, bellyache, persistent cough and breathing problems.

The centre received a request for medical assistance from the captain on April 1 evening when the ship was navigating through waters about 60 nautical miles east of Nha Trang.

It dispatched ship SAR273 for the rescue mission, which brought the man to a local hospital later the same day.

Da Nang, China’s Guangxi strengthen cooperation

Vietnam’s central city of Da Nang and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China share many similarities and hold optimal conditions for cooperation via road and sea routes, a Chinese official said on April 2.

Speaking at a working session with Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang as part of his Vietnam trip, Liu Ning, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, highly valued Da Nang’s development potential and opportunities, and noted his hope that the two sides will step up cooperation in seaport services and open maritime tours linking localities of Guangxi and Da Nang.

For his part, Quang briefed his guest on the city’s socio-economic development over the past time, and agreed with Liu’s proposals, saying the distance between Da Nang and seaports in Guangxi is favourable to their trade connections.

According to the official, Da Nang has established friendship and cooperation with a number of Chinese localities. In 2017, the Chinese Consulate General was opened in the city, serving as a bridge between Da Nang and Chinese localities and partners.

Between 2016 and 2019, China remained one of the biggest sources of tourists to Da Nang. Last year, the city welcomed more than 15,000 Chinese visitors, and the number stood at nearly 4,900 in January this year.

Vietnamese embassy meets overseas Vietnamese in India, Nepal

The Vietnamese Embassy in India on April 1 held an online meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese communities in India and Nepal.

In his remarks, Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Hai affirmed that policies of the Vietnamese Party and State always consider overseas Vietnamese an integral part of the nation, and an important resource for national construction, development and defence.

The Party and State always encourage Vietnamese abroad to return and invest in business and production at home, contributing to national construction and defence, he continued.

The diplomat briefed the OVs on the homeland’s situation as well as the development of the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership.

Representatives of the Vietnamese communities proposed solutions facilitating payment between Vietnam and India, and expressed their hope that the Party and State will pay more attention to the export of Vietnamese farming and aquatic products to India.

Hai lauded the solidarity of the OVs and urged them to continue preserving the Vietnamese language for their next generations.

4th MRC International Conference of Stakeholders opens in Vientiane

The 4th Mekong River Commission (MRC) International Conference of  Stakeholders was opened on April 2 in Vientiane, Laos with the theme 'Innovation and Cooperation for a Water Secure and Sustainable Mekong'.

Lao Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Bounkham Vorachit, representatives of the MRC and its commissions in four countries of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, together with more than 600 regional and global experts in fields of water and related resources, energy, food, traffic, river basin management, and governance attended the opening ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Bounkham Vorachit said that Laos is fully committed to not only sustainable but also responsible development. The Lao government attaches great importance to supporting the cooperation with Mekong countries under the 1995 Mekong Agreement, affirming that the agreement helps Laos promote cooperation and sustainable and equitable development in the Mekong River basin.

She acknowledged the important contributions of the dialogue partners, development partners, and other partners inside and outside the region, emphasising that as the region is undergoing changes and transformations rapidly, the parties need to work together more closely through innovative technologies so that the region can change the way to manage water resource, improve data and information sharing as well as strengthen technology monitoring systems.

The Lao official also encouraged participants to actively exchange views, insights, knowledge, and data. According to Bounkham, the outcome of the international conference is very important because it will be presented at the ministerial conference and the MRC Summit in April 4-5.

During the two-day conference, representatives of the parties and regional and global experts will present and discuss the most up-to-date perceptions, and innovative solutions around the problems of the Mekong River and other river basins.

The MRC is an intergovernmental organisation that works with the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam to manage the shared water and related resources of the Mekong River for the sustainable development of the Mekong region. It was founded by the Mekong Agreement of 1995, building on previous cooperation through the Mekong Committee established in 1957.

Mekong Delta to expand shrimp-rice farming

Farmers adopting the shrimp-rice model in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta should seek to adapt to climate change by using advanced techniques and linking up with processing companies to develop value chains, experts have said.

The delta, the country’s largest producer of rice and seafood, has been using the model for decades since it is suitable for application in coastal areas, which are normally affected by saltwater intrusion in the dry season.

Farmers grow rice in the wet season and breed shrimp in the dry season on the same fields.

There were nearly 190,000ha under shrimp-rice farming last year, mostly in Bạc Liêu, Cà Mau and Kiên Giang provinces, according to the Directorate of Fisheries.

The coastal areas have optimal conditions for the model and farmers earn VNĐ60 – 70 million (US$2,600-3,000) per hectare from it annually.

Both the shrimp and rice harvested under the model are clean and preferred by consumers because farmers use few chemicals.

Speaking at a seminar held in Bạc Liêu last week, Nguyễn Trung Hiếu, deputy director of the province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the positive results notwithstanding there were lingering difficulties such as the impacts of climate change, small scale of production and lack of infrastructure.

Linkages had been created between stakeholders in the model but the process is tardy, he said.

Participants told the seminar about other problems like the lack of irrigation works, advanced farming techniques, brand names, and reliable markets.

The delta did not have a sufficient supply of shrimp seeds for the model and had to be bought from outside, they said.

Speaking about the expansion of the model, they said it depended on the Government’s plans, investment by local provinces and the participation of companies in developing value chains for it.

The delta, which comprises 12 provinces and Cần Thơ City, plans to have 300,000ha under the model by 2030.

Trần Công Khôi, deputy head of the directorate’s fisheries department, said to achieve the target, besides having quality seeds, farmers should also use quality farming techniques and have effective linkages with other stakeholders.

The provinces should build sufficient irrigation works to meet the requirements of the model, he added. 

Kid race set for April 8 in Tay Ho District

A kids race with the theme "Kids RUN the EARTH", the first free sporting event for the Kids in Tay Ho District, Hanoi, is expected to attract up to 1,000 runners between the ages of 4 - 15.

The event will be organised jointly by UNIS Hanoi, Tay Ho District People's Committee and Vu Media Company on April 8 as one of the activities to celebrate “Action month for the Earth” and the “Earth Day, April 22” this year.

In the context of Tay Ho Half Marathon 2023, for the first time in Tay Ho District, there is a free run for children - future owners of the Earth, with the spirit of running for health and wellness and raising public awareness about limiting the use of vehicles that emit harmful emissions and cause environmental pollution.

According to Ms Jane McGee, UNIS Hanoi’s Head of School, this event, with nearly 300 students from UNIS Hanoi from more than 20 different countries, together with more than 700 children aged between 4 and 15 from Hanoi, will form a common voice in educating others to protect the Earth - our common home. 

She also highlighted the need for more events like the Kids race to create opportunities for children in Hanoi, promote international cooperation and convey the messages about sustainable development to the community. She hopes the event will become an annual event held in Tay Ho District as a sustainable and long-term comprehensive partnership between UNIS Hanoi and Tay Ho People’s Committee.

In addition, UNIS Hanoi will also accompany the Run Organizers in reducing plastic waste into the environment. All single-use plastic bottles and stuff generated during the race after being collected by the volunteers will be cleaned, sorted and transferred to the UNIS Hanoi Recycling Hub and then transferred to the school’s recycling partner to produce useful products from recycled plastic such as tables, chairs, cabinets, trash bins, etc.

UNIS Hanoi is one of the first international schools of Vietnam, and one of the two UN schools in the world. The school was established in 1988 under the agreement between the Government of Vietnam and the UNRC.

Nowadays, UNIS Hanoi welcomes nearly 1200 students from 70 nationalities, speaking more than 40 languages every year. As a not-for-profit IB World School - the first established in Asia - the curriculum is international and appropriately challenging. At the same time, UNIS Hanoi places high value on the quality of relationships within the school, modelling behaviors that it hopes to see in students.

It is proud to be one of the only two UN schools in the world and as such, embeds the UN's sustainable development goals in school activities and the curriculum.

As a Strategic partner of the race, UNIS Hanoi’s children including students and staff/faculty’s children are given priority registration for up to 350 slots.

The race is free for all children with the age from 4 to 15.

The participant will be provided a race kit including a T-shirt and a medal for those who finished the race. 

Coach crashes into house, killing two

A coach crashed into a house in Gia Lai at noon on Sunday after colliding with a truck, killing two people on the spot and injuring many others.

The serious traffic accident happened at an intersection in Chi Lăng Ward, Pleiku City, Gia Lai Province when the coach was travelling from Đăk Lăk Province to Gia Lai while the truck was turning from Đak Đoa District to National Highway 19.

The authorities arrived immediately to help the victims and handle the scene.

The accident killed the coach driver and another on the spot. Among eight injured people sent to hospital, one is in critical condition.

The cause of the accident is being investigated. 

HCM City strives to improve pre-school education

HCM City education authorities are seeking to improve care and education for children under three years at pre-school educational facilities, especially near industrial parks and export processing zones.

A report by the People's Committee on education and training in 2011-22 and the tasks ahead says it has made efforts to guarantee education to all and eradicate illiteracy.

It has been gradually universalising pre-school education.

It hopes to ensure that by 2030 national educational standards are met at 60 per cent of kindergartens, 80 per cent of primary schools, 70 per cent of secondary schools, and 50 per cent of public high schools.

Thủ Đức City and the 21 districts in the city are trying to ensure 100 percent of local schools are developed under the smart school model.

They also hope to have at least two schools at each level offering high-quality education.

Schools at all levels will have no more than 35 students in a classroom while all primary schools, 70 percent of secondary schools and 80 percent of high schools will have two shifts a day.

At the pre-school level, the plan is to have at least one smart classroom in each school, all teachers to have the required educational qualifications and all students to get acquainted with English.

To ensure fairness, the city will give priority to the needs of students in island and suburban areas, orphans and those with disabilities or in difficult circumstances.

The city has ensured that at least 20 per cent of its budget is consistently spent on education and training. 

Lam Dong Province to expand organic farming

The Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng plans to increase the area of farms with organic standard certification by 575ha this year.

They are under vegetables, fruits, tea, coffee, cashew, and mushrooms, mostly in the cities of Đà Lạt and Bảo Lộc and districts of Lạc Dương, Đơn Dương, Đức Trọng, Lâm Hà, and Đạ Tẻh, according to the province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Lâm Đồng also aims to raise another 150 head of cattle this year to produce 18 tonnes of organic beef, 500 others to produce 1,250 tonnes of organic milk annually and 9,000 chickens to produce 1.44 million organic eggs.

It will offer training to farmers, co-operatives, co-operative groups, and businesses in organic farming techniques, and develop two organic farming models for tea and breeding chickens for eggs.

It will develop brand names for and promote organic agricultural products, and create linkages among stakeholders producing them.

It is expected to earmark VNĐ1.9 billion (US$800,000) this year for all this.

Lâm Đồng is the country’s leading province in hi-tech farming and its agricultural products are well-known domestically and exported.

It has 300,000ha of farms where coffee, fruits, vegetables, flowers, and others are grown.

It has extensive hi-tech farming areas but little for organic farming, according to the department.

Three years into its 2020-25 organic agriculture development plan, the province has created 13 farming models for asparagus, durian, rice, coffee, macadamia, shiitake mushroom, water chestnut, root vegetables, artichoke, and beef.

It had 1,311ha of certified organic farming areas as of the middle of last year.

It has trained nearly 900 farmers. 

Famous designer’s áo dài collection to be introduced in Phu Quoc

Vietnamese women and their beauty will be highlighted in a new áo dài (traditional long dress) collection by celebrated designer Thuỷ Nguyễn.

The collection will be presented on the catwalk by top models during Fashion Voyage #5 - a fashion show featuring Vietnamese designers organised annually on the island of Phú Quốc in the southern province of Kiên Giang this month.

Designer Thuỷ will introduce long dresses in traditional materials such as cotton, silk and satin in vivid colours of red and pink.

Each creation is linked to stories and dreams that the designer has learnt and discovered from local women after visiting many remote places around the country.

She graduated from the Việt Nam University of Fine Arts and got a master's degree from the National Academy of Visual Arts and Architecture in Ukraine in 2003. She went on to become a self-taught fashion designer.

She works as a visual artist, and is involved in painting, art installations, and movie and fashion design.

In 2011, she opened her first store in HCM City. Her designs revolve around topics such as motherhood, homeland, spiritual life and nature.

Thuỷ finds her endless inspiration from Vietnamese folk culture, including music, tales and legends.

In 2016, she was invited to be a costume designer for Cô Ba Sài Gòn (The Tailor), an award-winning romantic comedy produced by movie star and producer Ngô Thanh Vân.

The film features Vietnamese women living in Sài Gòn (now HCM City) in the 1960s. Its leading character, actress Ninh Dương Lan Ngọc, was named the Face of Asia at the 22nd Busan International Film Festival in South Korea in 2017.

Thủy created many áo dài for the actresses to wear in the film. She said she loves working with Vietnamese satin, silk and velvet.

She is still involved in painting and the arts. She is a founder of The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre, an institution in HCM City that encourages young artists in different fields.

In February, she opened a fashion exhibition Thuỷ Nguyễn - Mộng Bình Thường (Thủy Nguyễn – An Everyday Dream) in Hà Nội.

The event displays unique designs of embroidery, lace and brocade, along with fashion accessories from the designer’s áo dài collections.

Thuỷ’s latest áo dài collection will be displayed during Fashion Voyage #5, scheduled to take place on April 7 and 8 at the resort entertainment complex Sunset Town-Phú Quốc. 

Cà Mau seeks to lure tourists with new entertainment

The southernmost province of Cà Mau will organise the Cà Mau-Destination 2023 programme with a range of tourism, trade and entertainment activities throughout the year to lure domestic and foreign visitors.

The ceremony commemorating Hùng Kings, the nation’s legendary founders, from April 28-29 (the ninth and 10th day of the third lunar month), the southern traditional cake festival from April 28 to May 3, the hot air balloon festival on Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1), and the Cape Cà Mau marathon on November 25-26 are highlights of the programme.

The Cà Mau shrimp festival which is slated to take place in December will feature an exhibition on OCOP (One commune-one product) products, a culinary competition, and seminars.

Nguyễn Minh Luân, deputy chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the programme is aimed at boosting cooperation in trade and tourism with other cities and provinces and developing tourism as well as trade and services.

It will also help spur consumption of local specialties and Cà Mau OCOP products, Luân said.

Since its inception in 2021, the programme has promoted Cà Mau as a unique and alluring destination, according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Last year, the programme attracted 160,000 visitors and generated revenue of VNĐ108 billion (US$4.57 million). 

HCM City seeks to attract more international tourists

HCM City is focusing on investment to create new tourism offerings, upgrade tour packages, and promote tourism activities to attract more international tourists.

Liêu Thị Mỹ Hạnh, sales director of Les Rives Company said that starting from April to May 1, the business was fully booked by international tourist groups.

Most tourists choose tours to explore HCM City by river such as tours to Củ Chi tunnel, tours to Long An and Mekong Delta tours or half-day tours to explore the lifestyle along the Saigon River.

The company welcomed more than 200 international visitors this March and the number of visitors in April is expected to grow based on the number of tours booked per day.

Trần Thị Bảo Thu, Marketing and Communication Director of Fiditour Travel, said visitors to HCM City can book inner city tours.

The company is focusing on developing small tours around the city for groups of two or more people to meet the actual needs of tourists.

These tours focus on local cultural experiences for tourists, she said.

Recently, Bình Tây Market in District 6 has become an ideal destination which is popular with many foreigners due to its special architecture.

The market was originally built by a Chinese merchant, having been inspired by the traditional Chinese style.

Bình Tây is a site where outsiders can admire the ancient architecture, learn about the history of the market, as well as shop for goods at reasonable prices.

Stalls at the market stock a vast range of products in various shapes and sizes, thereby allowing visitors to experience part of the activities of a market, which is arguably the largest wholesale market of its kind throughout the southern city.

Many foreigners share that they are able to learn a lot about Vietnamese culture during their visit to Bình Tây market.

In addition, the city’s downtown District 1 is cooperating with the construction sector to draw up a plan to develop nightlife in HCM City until 2030 with a vision to 2050 and a scheme to boost services, come up with solutions to restructure Bến Thành Market in District 1, and rearrange trade and service activities on Lê Lợi Boulevard.

According to the city’s businesses, more Chinese tourist groups will arrive in the city in April after China decided to include Việt Nam in the list of countries to which Chinese group tours can be conducted from March 15.

HCM City expects to welcome 5 million international visitors this year.

Though this goal is relatively modest compared to pre-pandemic levels, the local tourism sector is working to improve entry and visa policies as well as air and road transport links, and to promote tourism activities to welcome back a large number of foreign holidaymakers. 

Female reporters honoured for reporting on environmental issues

At a recent event held in Hanoi, 11 female journalists and groups of female-led journalists received awards for their outstanding work in environmental reporting.

The 'Pioneering Women Journalist for Environment' award ceremony recognised these women's remarkable contributions to journalism.

In addition to the awards, a workshop entitled 'Enhancing role of the press in reducing plastic waste pollution' was also held on the same day.

The seminar brought together around 90 guests from various backgrounds, including state management agencies in the environment, businesses, organisations, researchers, networks operating in the environment, journalists, and other stakeholders from press and media agencies.

The results of the 'Female journalists with collective impact for reducing plastic pollution and plastic waste' project were presented during the workshop. The best journalism works were recognised and shared.

The project started in April 2022 with the cooperation of the For Vietnamese Stature Foundation (VSF), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Vietnam Business Alliance for the Environment (VB4E), Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment and TH Group with the sponsorship of Earth Journalism Network (EJN) and Tetra Pak Vietnam.

The project looks to combat plastic pollution in Việt Nam. Along with that, many female journalists have not had the opportunity to access information and participate equally in the field of environmental investigation.

The project's main objective is to improve the capacity, participation and leadership of female journalists (especially young journalists) in investigating and reporting on plastic pollution and waste.

At the same time, promoting cooperation between stakeholders such as government agencies, businesses, social organisations, experts, environmental researchers/activists, and press and media agencies in reducing plastic waste and pollution.

Plastic waste pollution (PWP) is one of the most serious and urgent environmental problems on a global scale.

According to the report identifying plastic pollution hotspots in Vietnam published by IUCN, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Life Cycle Initiative in cooperation with EA, Quantis, in 2018, Vietnam had 453 kilotonnes of plastic waste leaking into the ocean, equivalent to a leak of 4.7 kg/per person annually.

With just one search on the internet on plastic waste pollution in Việt Nam, up to 1.3 million news/article/reportage results are found within 0.43 seconds.

This figure shows that the amount of media information on plastic waste pollution is large and easily accessible.

However, it is still inadequate to address the problem of plastic waste pollution in Vietnam, so the impact on awareness and changes in the behaviour of a part of the community is still limited.

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