Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has recently signed Decision 1623/QD-TTg, dated December 27, 2022 approving a project to prevent biodiversity crime by 2030 with a vision towards 2050.

The project aims to fruitfully implement the national strategy on biodiversity by 2030 with a vision towards 2050

It also targets to raise awareness and responsibilities of public agencies, organizations, and individuals to regulations on biodiversity, contributing to the conservation of ecosystems, fauna, flora and genetic resources. 

Competent authorities shall perfect the regulations on biodiversity-related crime in line with international agreements and accords to which Viet Nam is a signatory. 

Earlier, on February 8, the Government issued the National biodiversity strategy which targets to increase the area of protected ecosystems to 9 percent of the country's land area, and protected marine and coastal areas to 3-5 percent of the total sea area.

Meanwhile, forest coverage is expected to sustain at 42-43 percent and at least 20 percent of the degraded ecosystem area will be restored.

With a vision towards 2050, major natural ecosystems, endangered species, and precious and rare genetic resources will be restored and effectively preserved.

Viet Nam is now home to 173 wildlife conservation zones, comprising 33 national parks, 66 nature reserves, and 18 species and habitat reserves. They cover a total area of more than 2.5 million ha, which is expected to rise to over 3 million ha by 2030

Viet Nam is among the signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the 1989 Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. 

The country has also stepped up bilateral and multilateral cooperation on wildlife conservation, for example signing an agreement with South Africa in 2012 to put an end to the illegal trade of rhinoceros horn.

Huong Pagoda Festival to begin on January 27

The three-month Huong Pagoda Festival, the longest of its kind in Vietnam, is set to open in Huong Son commune, Hanoi’s outlying district of My Duc, on January 27 (the second day of the lunar new year).

Lasting until April 23 (the fourth day of the third lunar month), the event will see new features, including online tickets and electric cars around the site to serve visitors.

Going to Huong Pagoda is a spiritual journey to the Buddhist Land – where the Goddess of Mercy leads a religious life.

Visitors have sightseeing trips to pagodas, temples and caves which are the main attractions at the Huong pagoda festival, and join ceremonies to ask for favours from Lord Buddha.

Built in the late 17th century, the Huong Pagoda Complex has a large number of pagodas, temples, and caverns filled with marvelous stalactites and stalagmites.

The Huong Tich cavern has the autograph of Lord Trinh Sam in 1770, describing the cavern as the most beautiful cave in the country.

Vietnam to host 13th ASEAN School Games in August 2023

Vietnam is scheduled to host the 13th ASEAN School Games in August 2023, according to a decision signed by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on December 28.

Accordingly, 11 countries in Southeast Asia will participate in the event, which will take place in the central city of Da Nang and have no more than six sports.

The Ministry of Education and Training was tasked with making decisions on the time of the Games and the sports to be competed.

The steering committee for preparing for and organising the Games will include officials of the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, and the Da Nang People’s Committee.

Homeland Spring 2023 slated for January 14

The annual “Xuan Que Huong” (Homeland Spring), the biggest external and cultural event held for overseas Vietnamese (OVs) on the occasion of the Lunar New Year festival, will take place in Hanoi on January 14, with about 3,000 people taking part, including 1,000 OVs.

The information was revealed by deputy head of the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Mai Phan Dung during a press conference in Hanoi on December 28.

As part of the programme, traditional activities will be held such as incense offering, release of carps, tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum, meetings with Party and State leaders, and Vietnamese cuisine festival.

The President will extend New Year wishes to participants during a music show which will be broadcast live on the national Vietnam Television, its digital platforms or mobile app.

Its sideline activities will begin from January 13, including a workshop of the National Assembly’s Committee for External Affairs with OVs on legal regulations for them, a meeting with leaders of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee to honour outstanding OVs, a spring fair with trade, investment and tourism promotion activities in Hanoi, an exchange at the national radio The Voice of Vietnam, and release of carps at Ao Sen based in Thang Long Imperial Citadel which will be hosted by the President.

Held for the first time in 2008, the programme is a joint effort between the Foreign Ministry, several agencies and localities.

HCM City man hands over rare python to authorities

A man in HCM City has just handed over a five-metre-long, 53-kilo Indian python to local forest rangers.

The animal was handed over to the authorities on December 27 by Nguyen Thu Tran, 44, from District 7.

Tran said that he was given the animal by a friend seven years ago when it was seven kilos. He raised it in a cage.

"Now I want it to have a better life," Tran said. "So I decided to give it to the forest rangers who I hope will take better care of it and then release it back into the wild."

A staff member from the forest protection department of HCM City said that the female python is from the rare and critically endangered Python bivittatus species named in the Vietnamese Red Book of at-risk wildlife.

The python has been taken to the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station where it will be monitored before being released back into the wild.

Vietnamese, Cambodian localities deepen cooperation

The Central Highlands province of Kon Tum and Stung Treng province of Cambodia on December 28 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields of economy, culture, and health during a working session held between their leaders in Vietnamese locality.

Under the MoU, which will take effect from January next year, the two sides will continue to strengthen political and diplomatic ties through the exchange of high-level delegations and exchange activities between agencies and districts of the two provinces in various forms.

They will promote education for the young generations on the traditional friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia in general, and between Kon Tum and Stung Treng provinces in particular.

Kon Tum will grant 10 scholarships for students from Stung Treng province to study at educational institutions in Kon Tum in the 2024-2029 period. It will create favourable conditions for investors from Stung Treng to explore investment opportunities and implement projects as well as promote cooperation in the agricultural sector and trade exchange.

Stung Treng province pledged to continue to create favourable conditions for Cambodians of Vietnamese origin to integrate in the host society and stabilise their lives.

The two sides will hold a meeting every two years to evaluate the implementation of the signed contents.

Work started to restore Hoi An’s iconic Cau Pagoda

The Hoi An People’s Committee in the central province of Quang Nam on December 28 started work to restore Cau (Bridge) Pagoda - an iconic tourist attraction of the ancient city.

The restoration work, expected to cost 20.3 billion VND (nearly 861,000 USD), includes reinforcing the foundation system, abutments, and piers; repairing the floor system, wooden frame, and roof; renovating electrical system, termite treatment; digitalising relics using 3D technology for archiving and restoration work; organising seminars; making scientific records; embellishing landscape; and improving technical infrastructure and security camera system.

All the preparations were studied, reviewed, and agreed upon by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Department of Cultural Heritage, Quang Nam provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the provincial Department of Construction, the UNESCO Office in Hanoi, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Japan General Administration of Culture before they submit the dossiers on the work to competent agencies for appraisal and approval.

The restoration work is expected to complete by the end of next year.

The pagoda was originally built by Japanese tradesmen in the 17th century. It was not until 1653 that a tile-roofed structure was erected, connecting to the northern railings, protruding between the bridge, that’s why local people often call the covered bridge Chua Cau (Bridge Pagoda). Although it is a pagoda, it is not worshipping the Buddha like other typical pagodas in Vietnam, but a spirit that protects and brings happiness to the local people.

First Da Lat hot air balloon festival fascinates visitors

A hot air balloon festival was held in Da Lat city, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, on December 28, offering a chance to visitors to enjoy the famous tourist site from the above.

The event, part of the Da Lat Flower Festival, drew hundreds of visitors who came to experience the service which has been provided in the city for the first time.

The balloon festival will last until January 1, 2023. Particularly, on December 31 night, a mini hot air balloon show will be held, along with a Night Low light show on New Year's eve at Lam Vien Square.

Situated on a plateau around 1,500 metres above sea level, Da Lat enjoys year-round cool weather that is in contrast to Vietnam’s tropical climate.

As one of Vietnam’s biggest flower-growing regions, producing around 3 billion flowers every year, the city is a must-visit destination for flower lovers around the world.

It is estimated that the number of tourists to the “city of thousands of flowers” increased dramatically in the first nine months of this year, reaching 5.4 million, up 158% compared with the same period of last year.

Strong cold spell impacts national weather during New Year holiday

A strong cold front is moving toward north and north-central Vietnam and is forecast to affect the region during the upcoming three-day New Year holiday, said weather experts.

Temperatures throughout the northern region dropped to between 12 and 15 degrees Celsius as the cold front hit northern border localities on the morning of December 28.

Mountainous regions have been the first to be hit by the cold spell in the build up to the New Year holiday with temperatures dropping to three to five degrees Celsius in some areas.

Hanoi and neighbouring localities are due to experience rain on December 28 and 29. However, after New Year's Eve, the cold spell will subside and the weather is forecast to turn sunny and dry once again.

During the three-day New Year holiday from December 31 to January 2, localities in the northern region will record average lows of 13 to 16 degrees Celsius, with mountainous areas seeing drops to between six and nine degrees Celsius.

Throughout the reviewed period the central region will also be affected by the cold starting from December 28, with temperatures in Thanh Hoa falling to between 10 and 12 degrees at their lowest, while areas from Nghe An to Thua Thien-Hue will see temperatures plummet to around 12 to 16 degrees.

After New Year's Eve, temperatures in central Vietnam will also begin to gradually rise, hovering around 13 to 19 degrees. The region is also set to be accompanied by drizzly conditions. 

107,000 tonnes of rice provided to localities this year

The General Department of State Reserves under the Ministry of Finance supplied 107,000 tonnes of rice to localities in 2022.

The rice was worth VND1.28 trillion (USD54.12 million) in total. Part of the rice was granted to people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and natural disasters.

Of the figure, 13,959 tonnes of rice were given to 16 provinces on Tet 2022 with 1,869 tonnes of rice provided to three Covid-19-hit provinces; 4,171 tonnes of rice to four provinces ravaged by storms and flooding.

Pham Viet Ha, the General Department of State Reserves’ Goods Management Board, said that 14 localities were seeking prime ministerial approval for the rice for the coming Tet Lunar New Year with a total of 15,400 tonnes.

The General Department of State Reserves also supplied rescue equipment worth a total of VND148 billion to localities, including 159,730 lifebuoys and 60 canoes in 2022.

Ninh Binh pilots double-decker bus service in town

The Ninh Binh Department of Tourism has joined hands with the Anh Viet Hop On – Hop Off Viet Nam Company Limited to pilot the double-decker bus service aimed at wooing more visitors to the province.

As part of the trial, the double-decker buses, which have an open-top design, started in Hoa Lu ancient town and passed through Trang An, Tam Co – Bich Dong, and Bai Dinh Temple in 1.5 hours.

For the two days of the pilot, the buses are set to run three times with over 200 passengers.

The buses will pass through the Ninh Binh attractions during the day and at night.

Following the pilot, the department held a meeting with the relevant agencies to seek approval from the Ninh Binh People’s Committee to carry out the plan at the beginning of 2023.

Car registration in HCMC encountering severe congestion

After a series of vehicle registration centers in Ho Chi Minh City were forced to close because of law violations, cars now have to wait in long lines to fulfill this registration procedure.

Early yesterday morning, at Car Registration No.5006V on Huynh Tan Phat Street in District 7, a long line of truck can be seen waiting to proceed with the registration process, creating serious congestion near Tan Thuan Bridge. The situation was not at all better at noon.

Tran Quang Tuan from Binh Thanh District informed that he had to wait from early morning till 11am. When he could reach the help desk, he was told that only those pre-registering via phone were given a registration form to fill.

Facing a similar case was Huynh Minh Thong from District 8. He annoyingly said that after such a long wait, he was still refused as he had not booked via phone beforehand. However, he stressed that he had call the center several times without success, and hence could not reserve a place in advance. Since his car registration will expire in two days, no matter how troublesome it is, he must try to complete the procedure to avoid being severely fined.

The Center’s Director Nguyen Thanh Long informed that for the last few days, the quantity of vehicles rushing to his Center for registration has suddenly increased. His staff has had to work overtime until 8pm all week, and has notified needy people to pre-register via the number 02838726101 (business hour) as the first step in the procedure. This action is for the Center to monitor the exact number of vehicles coming for registration per day and notify vehicle owners of the precise time to come for the procedure, which helps to eliminate congestion.

The situation in other vehicle registration centers around HCMC is just as stuck. Center No.5003S in Thu Duc City each day has to serve 220 vehicles on average. Center No.5014D in Hoc Mon District usually sees a 2-kilometer line of waiting cars. Just at 6 o’clock yesterday morning, the Center announced that it stopped delivering registration forms for that day and only distributed queueing numbers for the next day. The staff at Center No.5014D has had to work from 7am to 7pm each day, with only one hour at noon for lunch.

Director Nguyen Dinh Thuan of Center No.5001S in Binh Tan District shared that the quantity of vehicles coming to his Center has doubled these days. To avoid congestion, the Center has distributed queueing numbers 1-2 days in advance so that vehicle owners know when to come. Similarly, Center No.5002S serves 200 vehicles a day for those pre-registering a day before.

Deputy Director of the HCMC Transport Department Bui Hoa An shared with SGGP Newspaper that the department can only contact 10 vehicle registration centers in operation with 28/53 chains for a capacity of 1,660 vehicles per day. Therefore, the overloading state is unavoidable. One feasible solution at present to stop traffic congestion in front of these centers is to pre-register for a queueing number online.

Lawyer Ha Dang Luyen from HCMC Bar Association said that currently, there is no basis to confirm the punishment for drivers of vehicles with an expired registration due to the fault of registration centers. However, these drivers can use the written appointment issued by the centers as a proof that owing to objective reasons from the centers, their vehicles have not completed the registration procedure yet.

Vientiane art programme highlights Vietnam - Laos solidarity

An art performance programme spotlighting the Vietnam - Laos solidarity was jointly held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos, the Vietnamese association in Vientiane and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on December 28 in the Lao capital.

This is one of the activities to celebrate the success of the Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2022.

Famous designer's ao dai collection celebrates 'Tet'

Vivid colours are featured in a new collection of ao dai (Vietnamese traditional long dress) by well-known fashion designer Thuy Nguyen.

The collection celebrates the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which falls on January 22 this year.

It includes ao dai designs for women in silk and satin in banana leaf green, light blue, red and lotus pink that the designer has created after her trips to beautiful remote areas across the country.

A Hanoi native, Thuy studied painting in Ukraine in 2003 and went on to become a self-taught fashion designer. She opened her first store in HCM City in 2011.

In 2016, she was invited to be a costume designer for Co Ba Sai Gon (The Tailor), an award-winning romantic comedy produced by movie star and producer Ngo Thanh Van.

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

For Co Ba Sai Gon, Thuy created many ao dai for the actors to wear. She said she loves working with Vietnamese satin, silk and velvet.

Book on 60 years of Vietnam-Laos relations published

The Diplomatic Academy under the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a book on the 60 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Laos at a ceremony on December 28 in Vientiane.

In his speech at the event, Lao Deputy Foreign Minister Thongphane Savanhphet said the book featured the establishment and development history of the Vietnam-Laos relationship, including cooperation between their diplomatic sectors, bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the region and the international arena, and bilateral cooperation before and after 1975, as well as during the current national defence, construction and development period.

Vietnamese, Cambodian localities deepen cooperation

The Central Highlands province of Kon Tum and Stung Treng province of Cambodia on December 28 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields of economy, culture, and health during a working session held between their leaders in Vietnamese locality.

Under the MoU, which will take effect from January next year, the two sides will continue to strengthen political and diplomatic ties through the exchange of high-level delegations and exchange activities between agencies and districts of the two provinces in various forms.

They will promote education for the young generations on the traditional friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia in general, and between Kon Tum and Stung Treng provinces in particular.

Kon Tum will grant 10 scholarships for students from Stung Treng province to study at educational institutions in Kon Tum in the 2024-2029 period. It will create favourable conditions for investors from Stung Treng to explore investment opportunities and implement projects as well as promote cooperation in the agricultural sector and trade exchange.

Stung Treng province pledged to continue to create favourable conditions for Cambodians of Vietnamese origin to integrate in the host society and stabilise their lives.

The two sides will hold a meeting every two years to evaluate the implementation of the signed contents.

Local footballers get ready for AFC U20 Asian Cup finals

The Vietnam U20 men’s national football team gathered together on December 28 at the PVF Youth Football Training Center in Hung Yen province as they get preparations underway for the AFC U20 Asian Cup finals which is due to take place in March, 2023.

Only 19 out of a squad of 36 were present at the meeting as the schedule of the national U21 championship means that some players will not be able to link up with the team until after December 30.

During the course of the three-month training course, the nation youth team will play a series of friendly matches against football clubs in the V.League 1.

After Lunar New Year, known locally as Tet, local footballers will then participate in a training camp held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The final round of the AFC U20 Asian Cup is scheduled to take place in Uzbekistan between March 1 and March 18, with Vietnam playing in Group B alongside Australia, Qatar, and Iran.

Vietnam and Indonesia are the two representatives of the Southeast Asian region to progress to the finals of the AFC U20 Asian Cup. The tournament is considered to be the qualifiers for the 2023 U20 World Cup which will be held in Indonesia next year.

The best four teams will therefore represent Asia at the 2023 U20 World Cup.

Traditional customs re-launched in Hanoi ahead of Tet

Tet customs from a bygone era will be re-enacted in the capital in January, 2023, ahead of the Lunar New Year festival.

Traditional cultural activities will be hosted by the Dinh Lang Viet (Vietnamese Communal House) group and the Hanoi Old Quarter management board in locations throughout downtown Hanoi from January 7 to January 8.

On January 7, Phung Hung mural street will host art programmes featuring traditional music and dance activities.

On the same day at the Centre for Cultural Exchange at 57 Dao Duy Tu street, members of the Dinh Lang Viet group and visitors will hold exchanges and introduce Chau Van, a kind of Vietnamese ritual singing, to audiences.

The one-day Tet Viet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Yearm event will include the erection of a cay neu, a tall bamboo pole, and folk art performances at Kim Ngan Communal House which will take place on January 8 at Hang Bac street.

Most notably, this year’s event will include the participation of many art troupes from across the country including Bac Lieu, Thua Thien-Hue, Thanh Hoa, Phu Tho, and Hai Phong. They will introduce many of their local Tet traditions to the people of Hanoi.

Furthermore a Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year) programme featuring folk rituals and games will take place at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel in Hanoi as part of celebrations for the Year of the Cat.

From January 1, visitors to the citadel will be able to enjoy cultural activities as they learn about the traditional customs during Tet. The highlight of the occasion will be a space set up to re-enact the festival from the old times, including worship to ancestors, home decoration with calligraphic works, and giving li xi, also known as lucky money.

An exhibition featuring photos and items detailing Tet customs in the imperial citadel will get underway on January 14, with the event expected to bring a festive atmosphere to both locals and tourists.

Art project preserves cồng-chiêng of Tây Nguyên

A new art project preserving cồng chiêng (gongs), a traditional musical instrument of the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) region, has been launched in Phú Yên Province.

The project is organised by the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

It aims to expose young people from the ethnic minority groups of Chăm and Ba Na to the cồng chiêng, which were recognised as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.

It offers training courses, helping the participants play the gongs and learn about the cultural roots of the instruments, their importance to the spiritual life of the Chăm and Ba Na people and the journey to becoming an intangible cultural heritage.

The information and knowledge of traditional culture and lifestyle are also included.

The project attracts traditional art performers and artisans of Phú Yên who have many years working to perform and expand the art of cồng chiêng.

According to Thái, cồng instruments produce a single, uniform sound, while chiêng are flat and offer a wider range of notes. Different sizes of gongs are characterised by family names: mother, father, and older sister.

Cồng chiêng can be drummed by hand or with a cloth-covered stick.

The instruments appear in most of the rituals and ceremonies of ethnic minorities in Tây Nguyên. They are not only musical but also serve a cultural function for about 20 ethnic minorities, including the Chăm and Ba Na.

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