Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang made the statement on August 26 in reply to a reporter's query about comments on the activities of Fulbright University Vietnam.

Vietnam welcomes the activities of Fulbright University Vietnam as affirmed in the Joint Statement on upgrading Vietnam-US relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2023, Hang said

We hope and believe that Fulbright University Vietnam's activities will continue to make practical contributions to the development of the increasingly growing friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and the US,” she added.

Train an attractive choice to tourists on National Day holiday

Amid rising airfares, many travelers are shifting to train to travel in the coming National Day holiday, according to Bui Thanh Tu - Marketing Director of BestPrice Travel Company.

Trains offers travelers a relaxing experience as they can enjoy stunning scenery throughout their journey, Tu said.

Therefore, instead of opting for expensive air travel, many tourists choose this unique experience with notable routes such as Da Nang - Hue, Da Nang - Quy Nhon, and Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang, the official said, adding that this is an ideal choice for those who want to explore natural beauty and enjoy a relaxing journey.

Reports show that there has been a noticeable shift in travel preferences based on the pocket and demand of travelers, particularly as domestic airfare prices remain high.

About a week before this year's National Day holiday, which will last from August 31 to September 3, airfares increased by around 20% compared to normal days.

According to Nguyen Van Hieu, General Director of Vitamin Tours, high airfares have significantly affected the demand for air travel among the tourists.

Groups of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourists, and travelers tend to choose nearby destinations and travel by road.

Domestic travelers are still focusing on sea destinations such as Ha Long, Sam Son, Hai Tien, and Cat Ba in the northern region, and Vung Tau and Ho Tram in the southern region. Mountain tours to escape the hot weather, such as Moc Chau, Sa Pa, and Ha Giang, are also chosen by travelers. The number of holiday-makers has also increased significantly compared to last year due to the long holiday period.

Tu said that rising domestic airfare prices have also led many travelers to change their plans from domestic travel to outbound tours.

With comparable costs, travelers are increasingly opting for international tours, particularly to Asian countries, which offer appealing experiences. Vietnamese tourists are interested in destinations in Thailand, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, with an average spending of around 7 - 25 million VND (282- 1,007 USD) per person./.

Photo exhibition highlights Hanoi's development, innovation, integration

A photo exhibition themed "Hanoi Development - Innovation - Integration" will be held in October as part of the activities to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the capital city's Liberation Day (October 10, 1954 - 2024), and the 100 years of the Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 – 2025).

The event will be jointly organised by the Hanoi Journalists Association, the municipal Department of Culture and Sports, the Hanoi Art Photography Association, and the Press Photo Club under the Vietnam Journalists Association.

It aims to meet the requirements of communication work of political, economic, cultural-social, national defense and security tasks, and international foreign affairs of the capital city.

The exhibition will bring images of Hanoi's social life to the public, showing the development of the thousand-year-old capital, the City for Peace and the Creative City.

The activity also aims to spark a creative movement among reporters, photographers, and photography enthusiasts to produce valuable works.

The exhibition of art and press photos will depict a variety of current political, cultural, and social activities taking place in the capital, bringing beautiful images to people all over the country and foreign friends.

The exhibition is scheduled from October 8 -13 at the Hanoi Exhibition Information Centre in Hoan Kiem District./.

Vietnam top at 2024 Asian shuttlecock championships

The 2024 Asian Shuttlecock Championships wrapped up on August 26 in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, with the Vietnamese team topping the medal tally after five days of competition.

Vietnam won eight gold and six silver medals, followed by China with three golds, six silvers, and five bronzes, while Hong Kong (China) took the third place with two golds, two silvers, and 10 bronzes.

The tournament was organised by the provincial Department of Culture and Sports and the Vietnam Shuttlecock Federation, attracting the participation of nearly 240 athletes from nine countries and territories, competing in singles, doubles, and team events.

Vietnam's continued success in shuttlecock, including victories at previous Asian and World Championships, reinforces its position as a powerhouse in the sport./.

Programme brings smile to children with lip, palate deformities ​

The Department of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs and the General Hospital of the northern mountainous province of Son La, in collaboration with Operation Smile Vietnam (OSV), are organising a cleft lip and palate surgery programme for local children from August 26-29.

Dr. Le Trung Nghia, head of OSV's volunteer team, said this is the third time the team has conducted the programme of this kind in Son La.

During the programme, doctors will perform surgeries to reshape lips, rebuild palates, and restore lips to give patients a new facial appearance. These procedures aim to improve their ability to speak, eat, and drink, helping them better integrate into the community.

On August 25, doctors conducted screenings and provided consultations for 155 patients and recommended surgery for over 80 children with congenital facial deformities such as cleft lips, cleft palates, cleft lips and palates, lip scars, nasal deformities, and congenital drooping eyelids. The patients also received partial support for travel, food, and accommodation expenses during their hospitalisation.

The programme offers a chance for local medical staff and doctors to learn from experience and gain access to advanced scientific and technical knowledge and surgical techniques./.

National village highlights ethnic culture

Hundreds of ethnic dancers and musicians will be putting on shows for visitors over several days to celebrate the national holiday.

The Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism welcomes visitors to join a series of activities celebrating National Day on September 2.

Activities will be held from August 31 to September 3 at the village in Hanoi’s suburbs aiming at honouring and introducing the culture and customs of Vietnamese ethnic groups.

Visitors to the village will have an opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich culture of the ethnic groups through the programme entitled Vui Tet Doc Lap (Happy Independence Day).

The programme will highlight the khen (panpipe) dance of those of the Mong ethnic group, le cap sac (maturity ritual) of the Nung and the head washing ceremony of the Thai ethnic people.

Playing khen and khen dancing is a musical form that expresses deep feelings and connects this life to the spiritual world.

Mong people will play and dance khen at festivals and New Year celebrations. It expresses love, community and nature and making contact to the world of the dead. Young Mong men play the khen and dance to show off their strength, sensibility and skill.

The cap sac is a rite of passage declaring the coming-of-age of Nung men. The cap sac ritual is an indispensable part of the life of every Nung male as it helps him earn recognition as being mature enough to join in the community’s major activities. Cap sac ritual is a unique ritual, handed down through many generations in the community.

The Vui Tet Doc Lap programme promises a dazzling showcase of the rich traditional cultures through highland market, with enchanting folk dances, regional cuisines and other festive performances.

The northern province of Bac Ninh will have around 30 booths during the event to introduce its culture and architecture to visitors, along with folk games, traditional crafts and the UNESCO recognised quan ho (love duet). There will also be quan ho pictures on display.

Three hundred artisans and artists are set to participate in the event./.

Vietnam attends Germany’s Leipzig cultural exchange week

Vietnamese products and food are being promoted at a cultural exchange week held in Germany’s Leipzig city from August 24-30.

The week-long cultural festival is held yearly in Leipzig but this year is the first time the festival organisers have invited its twin cities and some international organisations based in the city to join.

The Vietnam Trade Office, in cooperation with Leipzig authority and the association of Vietnamese in Leipzig, opened the Vietnam pavilion at the event to showcase Vietnam’s key export products such as coffee, dried fruits, rice and rice products, and environmentally friendly products.

Speaking at the event, Lord Mayor of Leipzig Burkhard Jung said that Leipzig is a multicultural and multi-ethnic city. The festival is an opportunity to for countries to promote cultural and trade exchanges to friends around the world, not only in Germany.

He thanked representatives of countries and cities for attending the event, hoping that the countries will continue to promote cooperation, their culture values and typical products in the coming time.

He said the Vietnamese community in Leipzig and the Vietnamese Embassy in Germany are important bridges to connect Vietnam and Germany as well as between Leipzig and Ho Chi Minh City – one of its sister cities.

Leipzig and Ho Chi Minh City officially established a partnership on July 21, 2021. Previously, at the end of 2018, Leipzig opened a representative office in Vietnam and so far, Leipzig is the only German city with a representative office in Vietnam.

Over the years, Leipzig and Vietnam in general, as well as Ho Chi Minh City in particular, have closely coordinated and effectively implemented many cooperation projects in many diverse fields from economics, culture, health, education and training, to energy, environment, and conservation of rare animals./.

Australia Senate President visits Bac Ninh humanitarian vocational training centre

President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines visited the KOTO humanitarian vocational training centre in Tien Du district, the northern province of Bac Ninh, on August 26 as part of her official visit to Vietnam.

The Australian guest engaged in discussions, and joined several activities at the centre.

Founded in 2001 by Jimmy Pham, an Australian of the Vietnamese origin, the KOTO centre is a unique non-profit social enterprise in Vietnam and globally. Over the recent times, the Australian government has shown considerable interest in and provided support for the centre's humanitarian and social activities.

The centre provides vocational training for nearly 120 students. It covers 100% of the living and training expenses for disadvantaged youth, ethnic minorities, and those at risk or marginalised. More than 1,700 students have graduated from the centre since its establishment, with many of them becoming head chefs, sous chefs, hotel and resort general managers, and business owners.

The Australian official highly valued training activities of the centre, expressing her hope that the establishment will continue to better its humanitarian and training efforts to support more disadvantaged youth, thereby spreading positive values and contributing to families and society.

The same day morning, she laid a wreath and visited President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum in Hanoi./.

Bac Giang awards outstanding students at international Olympiad

The People’s Committee of Bac Giang province has honoured three students who won gold medals at this year's International Olympiads.

All of them are students from Bac Giang High School for the Gifted. Than The Cong and Truong Phi Hung secured gold medals at the 2024 International Physics Olympiad, while Giap Vu Son Ha earned a gold medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad 2024.

Addressing the ceremony, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, Le Anh Duong, said their outstanding academic performance not only continues the attainment of Bac Giang High School for the Gifted but also brings pride to Bac Giang, and contributes to the overall achievements of the country.

Since 2018, the provincial education sector has won 13 regional and international medals, reflecting relentless efforts of students and the schools in Bac Giang. They are shining examples for generations of students to emulate, teach well and study well, he said.

Duong asked local authorities, organisations, families, and society to continue supporting the education sector, including the dedicated teachers.

He called for a renewed focus on creating the best conditions for educational development and urged students to strive for even greater success.

The official asked the province's education department to launch a teaching and learning competition inspired by these exemplary students, and the Provincial Study Encouragement Association to intensify its efforts to promote education and talent.

In recognition of their achievements, Duong awarded Cong, Hung, and Ha with over 121 million VND (4,842 USD) each.

The Hanoi Science and Technology University granted a full scholarship to Ha. Many organisations and individuals also presented valuable gifts to the students.

Certificates of Merit and cash prizes were also awarded to Nguyen Van Doa, a physics teacher who trained the gold medal winners and Vuong Truong Son, a chemistry teacher who taught the gold-medal winning student./.

Festival promotes Vietnam-India friendship, trade ties

The third Namaste Vietnam (Hello Vietnam) Festival opened in Ho Chi Minh City on August 25, which is one of activities to celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and India (1972-2024).

The event was held by the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations and the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City.

Speaking at the event, the Indian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Madan Mohan Sethi, emphasised that the festival aims to bring the people of India and the people of Vietnam closer together.

Vietnam and India share the same motivation and aspiration for growth and development, he said, noting that the festival originally aimed to promote cultural connection, but now expands to the fields of business, tourism, railways and cinema.

He added that it is time for the people of India and Vietnam to optimise the opportunities brought by their friendship and partnership in areas of mutual interest.

Chairman of the Vietnam - India Friendship Association of Ho Chi Minh City Huynh Thanh Lap said activities in the festival are designed to help Vietnamese people learn more about Indian culture, people and country, contributing to enhance the two countries’ relations in general and the cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Indian localities in particular.

Besides Ho Chi Minh City, the festival is also taking place in the south central province of Khanh Hoa and Da Lat city in the Central Highland province of Lam Dong from August 25 - 31.

The festival includes traditional art performances and trade-tourism-education promotion activities. About 20 famous Indian artists, film producers, entertainment companies, 30 travel companies, 34 universities and 30 Indian businesses have come to Vietnam to participate in the festival.

One of the main events of the festival is a ceremony to announce the production plan for the film “Love in Vietnam” - a cooperation project between Vietnam and India with filming locations in both countries./.

China’s Hong Kong team crowned champion at ABU Robocon 2024

The robot team from Hong Kong (China) was crowned the champion of the ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest 2024 (ABU ROBOCON 2024), held in the northern province of Quang Ninh’s Ha Long city on August 25.

The Vietnam 1 team is the runner-up.

This year’s event featured 13 teams from 12 countries and territories including two from Vietnam. All teams competed under the theme "Harvest Day", inspired by terraced rice cultivation. Robots must perform tasks that simulate the rice cultivation process, from sowing seeds to harvesting, within a set period of time.

Annually held by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), the contest offers a playground for students passionate about robotics from the Asia-Pacific.

The event is not just a science and technology competition but also an opportunity for young people to connect, learn, and share experience. Besides official matches, cultural exchanges and sightseeing tours of Ha Long Bay have been held.

It is expected to help Quang Ninh promote its image, people and culture in particular and Vietnam’s in general to international friends and contribute to affirming Vietnam’s position in the field of technology.

At the ABU Robocon 2023 in Phnom Penh, Japan was the winner of the grand prix of the competition, followed by Hong Kong (China). Vietnam and China finished third at the event.

The ABU Robocon 2025 will be held in Mongolia./.

Vietnamese, Indian art exchange held in Vinh Long

The People's Committee of Vinh Long and the Indian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City jointly held the Vietnam-Indian art exchange in the Mekong Delta province on August 24.

Opening the event, Vice Director of the Vinh Long Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Pham Minh Hoang highlighted the locality’s efforts to promote the solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and India, including expanding all-round cooperation with Indian partners and receiving many Indian delegations coming to explore collaboration opportunities and the local investment and business environment.

The event aims to provide a chance for artists of Vinh Long and India to exchange knowledge of traditional art of each nation, contributing to strengthening the traditional friendship between the two countries.

Indian Deputy Consul General in HCM City Tushar Garg said that India is proud of its diverse culture with dances and arts playing an important role.

Indian folk dances like Odissi and Manipuri performed by Indian artists combined with traditional arts of Vinh Long such as “Don ca tai tu” (amateur singing) and “Hat boi” (classical drama) treated audiences with an impressive art programme./.

Vietnam’s anti-IUU fishing efforts: Insights from Global Experts

Vietnam has been working hard to realise the European Commission’s (EC) recommendations on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing for the last seven years. During its on-site visits to Vietnam following the issuance of the “yellow card” warning in 2017, the EC delegation has recognised Vietnam’s positive progress in tackling IUU fishing.

The upcoming inspection by the EC scheduled for October 2024 is expected to present another opportunity for Vietnam to demonstrate its strong political commitment from the central to local levels and stringent measures against IUU fishing, according to experts.

James Borton, a non-resident senior fellow at Johns Hopkins SAIS Foreign Policy Institute told Vietnam News Agency that Vietnamese authorities have demonstrated an eagerness and willingness to strengthen its legal framework and improve traceability and transparency in seafood trade. “These commitments underscore the significance of collaborative engagement in addressing IUU fishing challenges,” he said.

Borton was of the view that IUU fishing continues to be a problem of the Vietnamese fishing industry that is a cornerstone of the country’s economy. “As a result, Vietnam has taken urgent steps to move towards greater marine stewardship since the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam) - one of the richest fishing grounds in the world - has suffered depletion of fish stocks.”

Since Vietnam is one of the major seafood exporters worldwide, authorities know that they must succeed in fortifying its legal framework and improve traceability and transparency, Borton added.

He noted that Vietnam has taken a number of measures to combat IUU fishing, including installation of monitoring systems aboard vessels, cooperation with other Southeast Asia countries and transnational organisations, and participation in the UN Fish Stocks Agreement and the Port Measures.

Certainly, there remains a significant need for improvement, particularly in enforcing regulations and regularly updating the database of licensed fishing vessels, Borton added.

According to Stephen Nagy, Director of Policy Studies for the Yokosuka Council of Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS), a key challenge in tackling IUU is that developing states have neither the advanced technology nor capacity to deal with violations. “That means the number of vessels necessary to monitor and enforce local and international law is limited.”

"What we see is ships that are engaged in these activities turn off their vessel monitoring system (VMS) devices, which is why we call them “dark vessels,” and they engage in mass illegal and unregulated, undocumented fishing. As long as this continues to be the case, it will be difficult to protect and sustain maritime resources for future generations," Nagy said.

Therefore, having access to technologies that can help identify dark vessels or those vessels that are engaged in IUU activities will be important. “That means countries like Vietnam need to look beyond their regional partners for technologies and for further assistance. For example, Canada has worked actively with the Philippines in terms of dark vessel technology, which allows the Filipinos to detect ships engaged in IUU fishing, thus contributing to their efforts to successfully remove the EC’s yellow card. This will be an area of future cooperation,” Nagy added.

Jean-Jacques Bouflet, EuroCham Vice-Chairman in charge of Advocacy, said Vietnam did make some significant progress lately in terms of reinforcing the legal framework and increasing attempts to achieve better enforcement. However, the “yellow card” issue still remains partially due to the lack of resources, personnel, and enforcement. The main issue lies with the vessel monitoring system (VMS) device, which requires measures to ensure that these devices are used effectively and consistently.

Sharing the same view, Nagy highlighted that many countries, including Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations, face challenges in combating IUU fishing due to the lack of resources, maritime domain awareness, and the ability to enforce local and international law.

Therefore, it is necessary to increase awareness among fishermen and also seafood product buyers, experts said.

Rhea Moss-Christian, Executive Director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) said IUU fishing undermines the very foundation of sustainable fisheries management, threatening marine ecosystems and the livelihoods and food security of communities, particularly in small developing island states and participating territories in the Western Pacific Ocean.

In the WCPFC context, Vietnam is cooperating in and contributing to supporting the sustainable management of highly migratory fish stocks under the purview of the WCPFC Convention, through national and subregional cooperative activities in the Western Pacific and East Asia Seas.

Since 2009, Vietnam has been one of the three participating countries in the WCPFC’s Western Pacific East Asia Improved Tuna Monitoring (WPEA- ITM) Project, which has directly helped improve fisheries data collection and is addressing important data gaps in stock assessments for tropical tunas.

She went on to say that the WCPFC attended a Regional Workshop on Operationalising Cooperative Mechanisms to Combat IUU Fishing host by Vietnam in the central coastal city of Da Nang late April. The event saw the participation of international and regional experts in fisheries law enforcement from 12 countries, namely Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, the UK, the US, and Vietnam.

Through that workshop, Vietnam informed the meeting of the national measures, including Port State activities, that are supporting efforts to combat IUU fishing in Western Pacific and East Asia Seas.

Anti-IUU fishing requires buy-in from all stakeholders

Rhea Moss-Christian underlined key factors that help countries combat IUU fishing effectively and ensure the protection and sustainable use of marine resources for future generations. They include whole-of-government coordination and data sharing; collaboration among national coast guard personnel, port inspectors and regional fisheries management organisations; and cooperation with neighbouring countries for sharing of the best practices on approaches to combat IUU fishing and exchanging information on maritime threats.

Drawing from its experience in implementing activities for improving monitoring, traceability and sustainability, EuroCham is willing to share, collaborate, and actively engage more with relevant parties such as the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) to ensure that “VASEP members when they buy fish product in Vietnam for re-exporting to Europe, they ensure themselves, also double check for the respect of the legislation,” according to Bouflet.

The upcoming Green Economic Forum and Exhibition (GEFE) hosted by EuroCham in October 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City also expects to welcome Vietnamese partners to engage in some exchanges on sustainability in the fishing industry.

Meanwhile, Borton suggested that Vietnam can take leadership once again in ASEAN by rallying support for the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) and hosting or encouraging other neighbouring countries to stage workshops on best practices in fishing governance. “After all, all of the Southeast Asian countries have their nets in the water and all of them are dependent on the marine fisheries as their main source of revenue, employment and food security,” he said.

He added that the fisheries sector is of the highest priority for ASEAN economic integration. It is time to renew the emphasis and build on the progress, which has been so far limited, on the Strategic Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation on Fisheries 2021-2025, according to Borton.

“An anti-IUU fishing mandate requires buy-in from all fishermen, whether they be artisanal or commercial, coastal communities and the citizens at large,” Borton said./.

Vietnamese scholars join trip to explore history about Pol Pot genocidal regime in Cambodia

Vietnamese experts have joined their Cambodian peers and Cambodian youngsters a trip held by the Documentation Centre of Cambodia (DC-Cam) to historical sites related to the Pol Pot genocidal regime in the neighbouring country to collect data and stories of this period.

Participating in the train trip from Phnom Penh to Pursat from August 20-23, Associate Prof. Dr. Pham Van Thuy, deputy head of the History Department of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities under the Vietnam National University-Hanoi, said that he is moved to see with his own eyes historical sites related to the Pol Pot genocide and the fight between Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and the Pol Pot regime, as well as to directly interview and listen to stories from historical witnesses.

Thuy said that researching the genocidal regime and exploring sad stories in history not only aim to cultivate and enhance knowledge and awareness but also seek initiatives and solutions in history education so that today and future generations will never repeat such painful history.

Following the trip, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and DC-Cam will sign an agreement to strengthen their cooperation, he said.

During the journey themed “forced migration phases 2 and 3 under Pol Pot genocidal regime,” members interview witnesses and survivors of the genocidal regime nearly half a century ago.

Long Dany, Director of DC-Cambodia's Veal Veng Reconciliation Centre, said that for more than three years under the brutal Pol Pot genocidal regime from late 1975 to 1978, the regime led by Pol Pot evacuated people in two stages from the Eastern region to the Northwestern region, currently in the provinces of Pursat, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Pailin of Cambodia.

Some 400,000–500,000 people were brought by the regime to the northwest region, while some 50,000 were from the east, including Prey Veng and Svay Rieng provinces, according to DC-Cam data. An official working at the station at the time witnessed thousands of people being evacuated along the railway line from Phnom Penh to other stations in Pursat and Battambang in northwest Cambodia.

According to Long Dany, along with grasping a deeper insight into the experiences of the forced displacement of survivors of the Pol Pot regime, the historical research trip by train also opened up opportunities for experience exchange between Vietnamese researchers and Cambodian teachers and youngsters, thus promoting mutual understanding, especially in historical matters.

Participating in the trip, the 18th of its kind, Minh Menghor, a second-year student from Phnom Penh, said that the tour provided him with new experiences and knowledge of his country's history.

Since March 2024, DC-Cam has organised 18 research tours by train, drawing more than 1,000 young people. However, this is the first time that foreign researchers have been invited to participate in the programme.

Dr. Chhang Youk, DC-Cam Director said that with Hanoi as the first place, DC-Cam hopes to attract more scholars and educators to its tours go explore the history and the Pol Pot genocidal regime, ensuring that stories of the victims and survivors will never be forgotten./.

Vietnamese in Russia hold Vu Lan festival

Vietnamese and Russian Buddhist followers across Russia have gathered in Moscow for the Vu Lan festival.

The festival, which falls on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, or August 18 this year, is a Buddhist tradition aimed at honouring and showing gratitude to parents who are alive and those who passed away.

This year, the Vu Lan festival celebration in Russia is more meaningful as it marks the 10th anniversary of the construction of the worshipping place for Three Treasures - the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha - at the Incentra Moscow Buddhist Hall, which, together with the Hanoi-Moscow Multifunctional Centre and the One Pillar Pagoda, has become a popular spiritual and cultural destination for Buddhist followers in particular and the entire Vietnamese community in Russia.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi emphasised the importance of maintaining national culture and traditions. It helps educate and guide people, particularly young generation to goodness, and to unite the entire community.

Maintaining religious activities has affirmed the connection between the Vietnam Buddhist Association and the Vietnamese community in Russia with the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, and the homeland, proving them as an inseparable part of the Vietnamese Buddhist community in particular, and the great national unity bloc in general, he said./.

HCM City’s annual technical innovation competition opens

The 28th edition of Ho Chi Minh City’s technical innovation competition has opened and will accept entries until the end of the year.

The HCM City Union of Science and Technology Associations, the city Department of Science and Technology and the city unit of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union run the competition.

Le Thanh Minh, deputy director of the department, said the annual competition seeks innovative solutions in the fields of science, technology and engineering that would contribute to the city’s socio-economic development.

“It aims to promote the creative spirit of researchers, experts, officials, civil servants, and workers.”

The competition has six categories: healthcare; education and career guidance; information technology, electronics and telecommunications; mechanical engineering and automation, and transportation; biotechnology, agriculture and food technology; and materials technology, environmental technology, chemicals, and energy.

Innovations that benefit production, daily life, the economy, society, security, and defence can participate in the competition.

Vietnamese individuals and organisations at home and abroad and expats in Vietnam can send in entries.

But inventions and solutions that have won prizes in the National Technical Innovation Awards, Vietnam Science and Technology Innovation Awards and the City Creative Awards are not allowed to participate.

Contestants can send in their entries to the Youth Scientific and Technological Promotion Centre at 1 Pham Ngoc Thach street, District 1 or the Department of Science and Technology at 244 on Dien Bien Phu street, District 3.

Last year, the competition received 145 entries and awarded 33 outstanding solutions and topics that can be applied in practice./.

Slovak Constitution Day marked in HCM City

A get-together to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the Slovak Constitution Day (September 1, 1992 - 2024) was held by the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) on August 24, demonstrating solidarity and friendship between the people of HCM City and Slovakia.

President of the Vietnam - Slovakia Friendship Association (VSFA) in HCM City Bui Quang Hai highlighted the fine development of the traditional relationship between the two countries, saying the diplomatic relationship that Vietnam set up with Czechoslovakia on February 2, 1950, was the foundation for diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Slovakia, and also for the friendly relations between the two peoples over the past 30 years.

Over the recent years, Slovakia has been an important partner of Vietnam in Central and Eastern Europe with two-way trade increasing steadily every year. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government and people of Slovakia donated 100,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Vietnam, demonstrating the strong friendship and good relations between the two countries.

Hai took the occasion to thank the Slovak Embassy in Vietnam and the Honorary Consul of Slovakia in HCM City for their coordination with the VSFA in HCM City and the HUFO over the years to successfully organise people-to-people diplomatic activities, contributing to strengthening the Vietnam-Slovakia friendship.

Marian Veres, Chargé d'Affaires of Slovakia in Vietnam, said that celebrations like this held annually in Vietnam further affirm the depth of friendship between the two peoples.

He expressed his belief that the long-standing partnership and friendship between Slovakia and Vietnam will be translated into stronger and more effective cooperation in trade, investment, and other areas./.

Cultural exchange connects Vietnam-Malaysia friendship

The Malaysia-Vietnam Friendship Association (MVFA) and the University of Malaya (Universiti Malaya – UM) organised an international conference on cultural exchange, economic cooperation, and friendship connection between Vietnam and Malaysia on August 23 evening.

In her opening speech, Professor Dr. Yvonne Lim Ai Lian, Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) at the UM, emphasised the power of cultural exchange in promoting understanding and solidarity between the two countries.

She noted that the event introduced traditional dishes, art performances from both Vietnam and Malaysia, and featured interactions with cultural experts, thus helping participants share similarities and explore the unique aspects of each other's culture.

Deputy Ambassador of Vietnam to Malaysia Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh said that after more than half a century of diplomatic relations, the two countries have been building a special and close friendship based on mutual trust and understanding. Cooperation has been developed across various fields, including cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

She expressed her hope that in the coming time, the Faculty of Language and Linguistics (FLL) in particular and the UM in general will maintain traditional cultural exchange activities to promote and preserve the image, culture, and people of each country, and create opportunities for further collaboration./.

Dong Nai says "no" to illegal use of wildlife

A workshop to kick off a series of activities under the theme of “Dong Nai povince says 'no' to the illegal use of wildlife” was jointly held by the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Wildlife Conservation Centre in Vietnam at the Cat Tien National Park in the southern locality on August 23.

The event aims to strengthen law enforcement and inter-agency coordination in combating the crimes of trafficking and poaching of wild animals.

According to Le Van Goi, Vice Director of the department, with its large area of natural forests, Dong Nai boasts the richest biodiversity in the Southeastern region. Wildlife species primarily inhabit the Cat Tien National Park and the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve, which are home to 110 and 140 rare and endangered species, respectively.

In recent years, relevant units in Dong Nai have excelled in protecting wildlife habitats, effectively preventing the crimes against the wildlife. They have successfully conserved various species, particularly Asian elephants and black-shanked douc langurs, and monitored endangered and rare species through camera trapping. Projects to restore habitats by providing drinking water and salt licks for wild animals were implemented, while a rescue centre for bears and primates was established.

At the workshop, the department urged relevant agencies to collaborate in strengthening law enforcement to combat the crimes; conducting campaigns to raise awareness and responsibility of food service businesses regarding the prohibition of illegal hunting, trading, and using wild animals; and promoting the development of sustainable livelihoods for communities living near forests to minimise illegal human impact on forested areas.

Since 2020, the local forest rangers have handled 95 administrative and criminal cases involving wildlife law violations, resulting in the confiscation of 1,200 animals and over 43 kilogrammes of various wild animals. Dong Nai has also received, cared for, rescued, and released thousands of wild animals back into their natural habitats./.

Soc Trang prepares for Ok Om Bok festival

The Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang has announced plans for the Ok Om Bok Festival, one of three major festivals of the Khmer people in the South.

The Ok Om Bok, also called the Festival of Worshipping the Moon, takes place under the full moon in the 10th lunar month annually when the season changes from the rainy to the dry, and from the growing season to the harvest season.

The annual Mekong Delta Ngo (Khmer long boat) race will be held in November on the Maspero River in Soc Trang city.

The event is expected to attract around 60 men and women teams from Soc Trang and other localities in the region.

The race will be 1,200 metres for men and 1,000 metres for women.

Last year, the race attracted 40 men and six women teams.

As part of the Ok Om Bok Festival celebration, Soc Trang will host the Culture, Sports and Tourism Week.

The event will include activities to introduce and promote the cultures of ethnic minority groups in the province, such as fashion shows featuring traditional costumes, and traditional music and dance performances.

The highlight of the programme will be a performance of Vietnam’s largest ngu am (five tones) ensemble.

Ngu am or Pinpeat is a traditional Khmer musical ensemble that performs ceremonial music at temples and rituals.

The traditional ngu am orchestra consists of nine instruments. They are brass, woodwind, and percussion.

Ngu am was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2019.

The event will include the Mekong cuisine festival, a folk game festival, and a light show.

A fair showcasing the province’s OCOP (one commune one product) and tourism products will also be set up.

In addition, Soc Trang will hold a performance of floating water lanterns. The act is one of the Khmer people’s rituals of the Ok Om Bok Festival to express gratitude and respect to the gods of earth and water./.

Tenth edition of Vietnamese-European youth camp held in Germany

Vietnamese youths and students journeyed to Europe for the 10th annual European youth camp, themed “Embrace the Harmony” which opened in Munich, Germany, on August 22.

The camp, first held in 2015, is organised by the Vietnamese Students Association in Germany with support of the Vietnamese Embassy in the country. It attracted 150 young Vietnamese from nine European countries.

This year’s event, the second to be held in Germany, continues to bridge overseas Vietnamese youths and other people of Vietnamese origin to create a space for them to engage in cultural, athletic, and scientific exchanges, thus helping reach the ultimate goal of connecting and inspiring patriotism among the young Vietnamese community abroad.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Vu Quang Minh praised the efforts to organise the event by the Vietnamese Students Association in Germany.

He noted that families and the homeland have high expectations for young people, who determine the future of the country. They are the essence of the nation and now hold opportunities to study and improve themselves in favourable environments.

The diplomat called on young people to be fully aware of their responsibility, show strong determination, and exert all-out efforts to become successful global citizens and contribute to the homeland’s sustainable development and prosperity.

Ho Hong Nguyen, Standing Vice President of the Vietnam National Union of Students Central Committee, expressed her hope that in the coming years, the Vietnamese students’ associations in Europe would organise more activities to enhance solidarity, support, and create a favourable environment for overseas Vietnamese students, contributing to the resolution of the union’s 11th congress.

The three-day camp includes a wide range of activities, including a workshop of young Vietnamese intellectuals and many experiential activities in Munich./.

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