The Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela and the Venezuela – Vietnam Friendship Association (CAVV) have joined Venezuela's tradition carnival in the capital city of Caracas.

They brought to the event traditional Vietnamese dances, helping Venezuelan people better understand the culture, country and people of Vietnam, thus bringing the image of the Southeast Asian nation closer to the Venezuelan people.

Addressing the event, Mayor of Caracas Carmen Teresa Melendez Rivas said the carnival is the most important and largest traditional cultural event of Venezuela.

This year, Caracas is honoured to see the participation of many traditional friends, including Vietnam.

Hanoi tourism festival to connect heritage for development

Hanoi will organise a tourism festival at the pedestrian area around Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of the capital city from March 24-26, under the theme of heritage connectivity for tourism development.

It aims at promoting cultural exchanges, honouring cultural heritage, and stepping up tourism promotion.

The festival will design different areas to showcase local tourism products and those it connects with other localities nationwide; display products of the city’s trade villages such as Bat Trang, Van Phuc and Duong Lam; popularise Hanoi typical dishes; and introduce products of travel agents and airlines.

Foreign tourism agencies are also expected to showcase their countries’ destinations there.

A conference on developing heritage tourism products and new ones, and a photo exhibition will be organised within the framework of the festival.

Đồng Tháp applies technology to develop tourism

The Mekong Delta province of Đồng Tháp is implementing a project to apply advanced technology to develop tourism by 2030.

The project targets to make tourism a key economic sector by 2030, and turn the province into a must-visit and attractive destination in the region.

Under the project, Đồng Tháp will build a smart tourism ecosystem by 2025 to accelerate the use of digital technology at tourism sites across the province, as well as connect tourists, businesses and tourism administrative agencies.

The province recently launched a virtual portal and a mobile application to provide information about local tourism services and destinations.

The portal is at https://dulich.dongthap.gov.vn/, while the application “Dong Thap Tourism” can run on both iOS and Android devices.

Both portal and application are available in Vietnamese and English.

Tourists can quickly access information and images on historical heritage sites, tourism sites, accommodation, food and beverage services, and entertainment and shopping places.

In particular, the province uses 360 Virtual Tour Technology to offer virtual tours to its natural landscape and architectural heritage on the portal, such as the Sa Đéc Flower Village, the Huỳnh Thuỷ Lê Ancient House, the Phương Nam Cultural Tourism Site, and the Mausoleum of Nguyễn Sinh Sắc (the father of President Hồ Chí Minh).

Hotel bookings and itineraries of tours around Đồng Tháp are available on the portal and application.

Para athletes aim for top three finish at 12th Games in Cambodia

As the 12th ASEAN Para Games approaches, all eyes are on the impressive Vietnamese delegation set to compete in Cambodia this summer, who are aiming for a top-three finish in the medal tally.

Featuring 12 official sports and one demonstration sport in the form of e-sports, the ASEAN Para Games present a unique opportunity for athletes with disabilities to showcase their talents on a regional stage.

The strong Vietnamese delegation comprises 155 members, including 121 athletes who have worked tirelessly to hone their skills in their respective disciplines.

Vietnamese competitors will participate in athletics, swimming, powerlifting, badminton, table tennis, chess, judo, and boccia, from June 3-9.

The team has been asked to aim for a top-three finish in the medal tally.

Athletics and swimming are the strongest events for Việt Nam, contributing to half of the members of the delegation.

The track-and-field athletes and swimmers have won most of Việt Nam's gold medals in many different sports meets, including the regional Para Games.

Việt Nam is also a powerhouse in powerlifting and chess.

Several athletes are expected to take titles, including Paralympic couple Nguyễn Thị Hải and Cao Ngọc Hùng (athletics), Châu Hoàng Tuyết Loan and former Paralympic champion Lê Văn Công (powerlifting), Võ Thanh Tùng, Trịnh Thị Bích Như, and Đỗ Thanh Hải (swimming), and Nguyễn Thị Hồng and Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Linh (chess). All of them are reigning Para Games champions.

The delegation will be given a send-off ceremony on May 25 at the National Sports Training Centre in HCM City.

The flag-raising ceremony will take place on June 1, while the opening ceremony for the games will be held in Phnom Penh two days later.

The closing ceremony is scheduled for June 9 and top regional leaders will be invited to attend the ceremonies.

The 12th ASEAN Para Games will be a significant test for disabled Vietnamese athletes ahead of their competitions at the Asian Para Games 2023 in China and the Paralympic Games 2024 in France.

In the previous Games held in Solo, Indonesia, Việt Nam finished third behind the hosts and Thailand. The 120-strong team won 65 golds, 62 silvers, and 56 bronzes, setting 16 new records.

Recently, the National Organising Committee of the 2023 SEA Games – ASEAN Para Games (CAMSOC-CAMAPGOC) held a meeting to review preparations for the SEA Games torch relay through provinces surrounding Tonle Sap Lake.

The meeting was presided over by Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism and Permanent Vice-President of CAMSOC. The minister said the torch relay would send a meaningful message showing the prevailing peace across the country.

Both games are combined and called Cambodia 2023 to reflect unity, diversity, and equality. The slogan of Cambodia 2023 is Sport: Live in Peace.

Conservation of wetland habitats contributes to carbon storage

The conservation and sustainable use of the biodiversity and ecosystem services of wetlands (Ramsar sites) have contributed to sustainable socio-economic development, carbon storage, climate change adaptation, environmental protection, and nature and biodiversity preservation.

Dr. Dư Văn Toán from the Institute of Environmental Science, Seas and Islands under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said that mangroves are considered as a highly productive ecosystem in tropical and subtropical coastal areas globally, contributing 50 per cent of materials to the ocean from materials in the forest and 15 per cent of total organic matter in marine sediments.

The function of storing the organic carbon of wetlands plays an important role in global carbon stocks and the mitigation of climate change impact, Toán said, stressing the need to conduct research to provide policies and orientations on mangrove conservation and the assessment of carbon stocks.

According to the expert, with an area of about 150,000 hectares of mangrove forests and the current estimated price of US$5 per tonne of carbon dioxide, the benefits from trading carbon credits are huge. More importantly, if they are exploited effectively, there will be a large source of funds to increase income for the community and, at the same time, contribute significantly to forest protection and development in Việt Nam.

In addition, in order to fulfill commitments to and join the international community in reducing carbon emissions, it is necessary to have orientations on mangrove conservation and an assessment of carbon stocks in mangrove ecosystems in the coming time.

Accordingly, Việt Nam needs to develop a national policy on operating a carbon credit exchange and assess the economic valuation of carbon sequestration and storage functions of mangrove forests. It is also necessary for the nation to actively participate in and implement conventions on emission, deforestation and forest degradation reduction to enhance its position in the international arena; participate in and contribute to major international initiatives on mangrove restoration; and develop basic surveys on the calculation of carbon stocks in mangrove ecosystems.

Việt Nam became a member of the Convention on Wetlands, known as the Ramsar Convention, in 1989. So far, nine wetlands, with a total area of 120,549 hectares in the country have been recognised as Ramsar sites – wetlands of international importance. They are Xuân Thuỷ National Park (recognised in 1989), Bàu Sấu Wetlands and Seasonal Floodplains (2005), Ba Bể National Park (2011), Tràm Chim National Park (2012), Cà Mau Cape National Park (2013), Côn Đảo National Park (2014), Làng Sen Wetland Reserve (2015), U Minh Thượng National Park (2016), and Vân Long Wetland Nature Reserve (2017).

By now, a network of Vietnamese Ramsar sites has been set up and operated at the website https://vran.vn/.

To effectively implement the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, Việt Nam will prioritise perfecting mechanisms and policies related to the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. 

Binh Dinh: Ba Pagoda Festival – Nuoc Man Commercial Port recognised national intangible cultural heritage

A ceremony was held at Ba Pagoda in An Hoa Village, Phuoc Quang Commune, Tuy Phuoc District in the south central province of Binh Dinh on February 19 to recognise the Ba Pagoda Festival – Nuoc Man Commercial Port as a national intangible cultural heritage.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, many Chinese migrated to Nuoc Man commercial port area in Tuy Phuoc District, Binh Dinh Province. They not only established busy trading streets but also brought their beliefs, especially worshiping Quan Thanh (Zihuang - a military general of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China) and Thien Hau (a Chinese Goddess of the Sea). 

Therefore, Ba Pagoda was built during this period. Residents in Nuoc Man commercial port used to come to Ba pagoda to pay tribute to Thien Hau for helping them migrate safely to a new land and pray for a prosperous life.

From the middle of the 18th century onwards, the sea receded away so large ships could not enter Nuoc Man port and it was ruined.

Ba Pagoda Festival – Nuoc Man Commercial Port was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on August 4, 2022. This is the fourth national intangible cultural heritage of Binh Dinh Province, following Binh Dinh Traditional Martial Arts, hat boi (classical drama) and bai choi (a traditional game combining folklore singing and lottery picks).

This year’s festival takes place from February 19-21, featuring many traditional rituals and ceremonies.

During the festival, the locals and visitors can also join many folk games, art and martial art performances.

Flight bookings from UK to Vietnam surge

Bookings for flights from the UK to Malaysia and Vietnam are up by more than 2,200% against early last year when both countries were still closed to international tourists, according to CNN, which cited data from travel service provider Flight Centre UK.

The rise was seen despite a sharp rise in airfares, with statistics showing a 25% increase in economy fares to Vietnam year on year, while airfares to Thailand are up 50%.

The number of international passengers going through Vietnamese airports in the first two months of this year reached 4.7 million, up 1,959% year-on-year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

Vietnam received 3.6 million foreign tourists last year, around 20% of pre-pandemic levels.

The country targets to welcome about 8 million foreign tourist arrivals this year.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said that to achieve this year’s target, the entire industry is determined to implement the Prime Minister's conclusion at the conference to promote attracting international tourists to Vietnam.

Accordingly, the sector will coordinate more closely with relevant ministries, especially the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, to create a favourable mechanism to welcome international tourists.

To attract international visitors, ministries, sectors, and localities must innovate and diversify products, he said, adding that the tourism authorities have just set a target that each locality must have a unique tourism product and pay more attention to regional linkages.

Construction of largest irrigation reservoir in Dak Nong Province approved

The Management Board of Invested Construction Projects in Dak Nong Province yesterday announced that the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry has agreed with an investment project to build Dak Gang Irrigation Reservoir.

Accordingly, the project has a total investment of over VND1 trillion (US$42 million), taking from the central State budget as well as the counterpart capital of Dak Nong Province (VND100 billion - $4.2 million).

Dak Gang Irrigation Reservoir is sited in both Dak Mil District and Cu Jut District, with a total surface area of more than 234ha. When finished, it is supposed to supply irrigation water for 1,860ha of crops and domestic water for thousands of households in the two above districts.

According to the Management Board of Invested Construction Projects in Dak Nong Province, this project is the largest irrigation one of the province. It should start in 2023 and is expected to complete in 2027.

Children’s picture books about VN culture released

A new series of children’s picture books highlighting Việt Nam’s culture and geography has been released in HCM City.

The series titled Đến Thăm Thành Phố Của Em (Let’s Visit My Hometown) is created by author Võ Mai Chi and illustrated by Nguyễn Hữu Thịnh, Lê Tấn Lộc, and artists from Epico Studio.

The work offers child readers tales and images of landscapes, traditional customs, culture, food and lifestyle of localities across Việt Nam, which are narrated by local children.

The Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House has introduce the first six books describing HCM City, Cần Thơ Province, Huế City in Thừa Thiên-Huế Province, Sapa in Lào Cai Province, Bắc Ninh Province, and Lý Sơn Island in Quảng Ngãi Province.

Each book, having around 25-30 pages, features the unique culture and destinations of the localities through colourful and lovely illustrations.

The HCM City Book Pedestrian Street, the Đông Ba Market in Huế, and the Cái Răng Floating Market in Cần Thơ are highlighted in the books.

According to the publisher, Đến Thăm Thành Phố Của Em is an interesting book guide for primary students to learn about the country. It is also the publisher’s effort to develop pride and love of the country among children.

The six books from the series are available at book stores across the country, and e-commerce platforms. 

Fencers have been training since January for SEA Games success

Vietnamese fencers are working hard to regain their top regional position at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games this May in Cambodia.

The team lost their No. 1 position to Singapore at the 29th Games in 2017.

Ten months ago, they did a good job winning five golds, one silver and five bronzes, a better achievement than expected. However, they were still second behind arch-rivals Singapore with one gold less.

This time, they will have to do without home advantage while competing with other nations growing in fencing strength.

A team of veteran players and young talents have been summoned to train for the Phnom Penh competition since early January.

Among them are defending champions Vũ Thành An (men's sabre), Nguyễn Tiến Nhật (men's epee) and Bùi Thị Thu Hà (women's sabre). Their young teammates, such as Tô Đức Anh, Phùng Thị Khánh Linh, Nguyễn Phương Kim and Nguyễn Thị Hồng are expected to follow their seniors in gaining success.

At the Southeast Asian Fencing Championship last month in Malaysia, Vietnamese athletes won eight golds, six silvers and five bronzes to top the medal tally.

The tournament was considered a pre-SEA Games event as all regional powerhouses, Việt Nam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and the hosts, took part.

"Their achievements are a good sign that they have remained strong after the 31st SEA Games. The female athletes and the men's sabre team put on amazing performances (in Malaysia)," said coach Phạm Anh Tuấn.

Phùng Lê Quang, director of the Fencing Department of the Việt Nam Sports Administration, praised the regional championship's success. Fencers overcame challenges to complete their tasks, and their confidence and bravery were shown in every match.

He said it would be a strong base for the team heading to the Games this spring.

However, he also suggested that Việt Nam couldn't be subjective about this result because evaluating other teams' strengths through the regional championship was difficult and several quality fencers did not compete.

In the last six weeks, fencers have been training hard and participating in internal competitions. According to coach Tuấn, this will help athletes fix their problems and maintain their skills ahead of the Games.

His teammate An, who has dominated the regional sports meet across four editions, shared that among tournaments in 2023, the 32nd SEA Games was the most important.

Intensive training courses have been scheduled for Linh and her teammates to ensure their readiness for the Games from May 5 to 17. 

Erosion along Bac Lieu coast

Erosion has occurred about 30 metres along the coast in Vinh Trach Dong commune in the southern city of Bac Lieu, threatening the safety of the dyke along the coast, according to the Bac Lieu provincial Committee for Flood and Storm Control, Search and Rescue.

Ngo Nguyen Phong, vice director of the provincial Agriculture and Rural Development Department, and other provincial officials on February 21 inspected the affected area, assessing that the erosion will be worse in the next few days, threatening the safety of the sea dyke system and affecting aquacultural production in the localities.

Warning signs were placed in the area while staff and residents are consolidating the dyke.

According to the province’s agriculture department, serious erosion and landslides occur across the province. The province estimates that by 2030, it needs over 19.2 trillion VND (808.6 million USD) for a project tackling landslides and erosion along rivers and coasts in the province.

Can Tho seeks to build new bridge to Dong Thap

The government of Can Tho City has written to the ministries of Planning-Investment and Finance proposing building O Mon bridge over the Hau river to connect the city with Dong Thap Province.

The proposed O Mon bridge project will have a total length of 5.4 kilometers including the access roads, starting at the intersection with National Highway 54 in Dong Thap Province and ending at the interchange with Provincial Road 920 in Can Tho City’s O Mon District. The bridge is proposed to have six lanes and allow a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

The project will require over VND9.1 trillion in investment, with nearly VND6 trillion for construction and VND290 billion for compensation and resettlement, the local media reported.

The municipal government proposed using some VND7.3 trillion from Japan’s official development assistance loans and over VND1.9 trillion from the local budget and other sources for the project.

The province also proposed executing the project in the 2023-2030 period.

O Mon bridge, coupled with a road connecting O Mon District and Thoi Lai District in Can Tho City with Giong Rieng District in Kien Giang Province and a route linking O Mon and Sa Dec in Dong Thap Province, will form a regional route and boost socio-economic development in the Mekong Delta region, according to the municipal government.

Can Tho City has two bridges over the Hau river. Can Tho bridge connects the city with Vinh Long while Vam Cong bridge links the city with Dong Thap.

However, the city government said that a distance of 50 kilometers between the two bridges is not convenient for regional connectivity. Besides, the longer travel time for vehicles increases greenhouse gas emissions, leading to climate change.

As such, the O Mon bridge project will create a safe and effective route, reducing environmental pollution and traffic accidents, the Can Tho government said in its dispatch sent to the ministries.

Runners to join charity race in beach city

More than 3,500 runners are expected to join a charity fundraising race – FPT Happy Run – in the central city on March 12, competing in 1.3km and 3.5km events along the Hàn River banks.

The race organisers, FPT Group, said the sporting event would help contribute VNĐ1 billion (US$40,000) to the Hope Fund with a target of VNĐ3.5 billion ($140,000) to support underprivileged students in remote mountainous areas.

It said the race also aims to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the group.

The organisers said each participant would help contribute VNĐ100,000 to the Fund on March 12, while 135,000 others from 135 global sites will donate by joining the race from V-Race (an online application) with an accumulated 3.5 million kilometres from March 3 to September 2.

Runners will depart from Nguyễn Văn Trỗi Park to run over Trần Thị Lý Bridge and explore the Hàn River banks track between 6am and 12pm on Sunday (March 12).

The race organisers will also open a photo contest on family happiness for the community in promoting the race and donations.

It said each share of photos and paintings with the hashtag #dauchanhanhphuc on the fan page (https://www.facebook.com/fptcorp) would help donate VNĐ10,000 to the Fund for the poor school students.

The beach city of Đà Nẵng is one of the famous running sites in Việt Nam, hosting the annual VNG Ironman 70.3 Việt Nam and International Đà Nẵng Marathon races since 2012.

The city has been developing as an attractive international destination for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, conventions, and Exhibitions) and sporting events. 

Pictorial book offers glimpse into Nguyen Dynasty costumes

The publisher Omega Plus has released a book containing 54 illustrations of the official costumes of the Nguyen Dynasty, as created by painter Nguyen Van Nhan in February 1902 under the reign of Emperor Thanh Thai.

The original illustrations were watercolours measuring 23.1x31.8 centimetres each and were bound into an album, the Nhan Dan (People) newspaper reported.

The original works later embarked on a long journey around the world via various auctions, finally appearing in 2012 and being introduced to the public at the National Gallery Singapore.

The book, published by Omega Plus, is one of the few containing detailed descriptions of Nguyen costumes with beautiful and accurate illustrations captured from the original works currently kept in Singapore.

The illustrations by Nguyen Van Nhan are an important historical and artistic material about clothing during Vietnam’s last imperial dynasty, said researcher Tran Minh Nhat, who studied the paintings and wrote the book.

Nhat said the album has three major values. First of all, the illustrations offer a reference system for the artistic elements of Nguyen costumes, including the patterns, colours, layouts and spiritual meanings.

Secondly, the paintings demonstrate the quintessence of the Nguyen Dynasty, such as the art of making clothes, weaving, painting and imperial ceremonies.

Thirdly, the illustrations reflect the dressing culture and some aspects about the Nguyen court and Vietnamese society in its early period of exposure to Western arts.

Experts call for solutions to ongoing challenges in healthcare sector

As the amended Law on Medical Examination and Treatment will officially take effect from January 1 next year, experts are urging authorities to issue detailed guidelines for the law. 

This was one of the topics discussed during a talk named Ngành Y vượt khó (Health sector overcomes challenges) held yesterday by the Government News Portal.

Dr Trần Bình Giang, director of Việt Đức (Việt Nam - Germany) Friendship Hospital, said that according to the drafting committee and the National Assembly (NA), the amendment is intended to be open and for long-term applicability. 

This is why multiple clauses in the document state that “the Government shall issue detailed regulations on the implementation of this clause,” which means specific documents under the law are needed for enactment, he said. 

Director of Bạch Mai Hospital Dr Đào Xuân Cơ also shared the same point of view, adding that the revised law has made significant progress by having an entire chapter on the financial framework of hospitals, addressing a major bottleneck in the sector’s operations. 

Việt Đức and Bạch Mai are among the country’s large hospitals that will see a considerable impact as the law and policies change. 

Meanwhile, many of these medical facilities are witnessing a ‘brain drain’ due to decreasing income. 

Bạch Mai Hospital has to resort to loans from the development fund for regular expenditures for their doctors and staff. 

Dr Cơ said: “We are quite worried that when the base salary [for public sector workers] rises on July 1, our hospital’s resources for recurrent expenditures would not be enough to pay all of our employees. The matter has also been reported to the health ministry.” 

Dr Bùi Sỹ Lợi, former vice chairman of the NA Committee for Social Affairs, agreed that as the base salary ranges change, adjustments need to be made immediately to the pricing of the services in order to ensure sufficient income. 

He added: “We did not have correct and sufficient calculations, that’s why medical facilities are reporting decreasing income and difficulties in paying their staff.

“The government and the NA need to have discussions to address this issue for the sake of civil servants and public employees."

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as difficulties in the procurement process of medications and equipment, have been putting a strain on the healthcare sector. 

Working to address these problems, the health ministry has been focusing on the NA’s Resolutions 80 and 98, which were issued to extend drug registration and manage medical equipment, respectively. 

Deputy health minister Đỗ Xuân Tuyên said: “The ministry has also issued nearly 50 circulars to guide the adjustment of regulations related to drug and equipment procurement to ensure these supplies.”

Occupational allowances for medical staff at the grassroots level and for preventive medicine have also been proposed to increase from 40-70 per cent to 100 per cent. The allowance is calculated based on their salary. 

The health ministry is also working with the national health insurance agency on the payment of medical examination and treatment costs. 

It is expected that the payment to medical facilities across the country for the 2018-21 period will total VNĐ7 trillion (US$294 million). 

Tuyên said: “I believe that this will be a great resource for health facilities to restructure the supply chain of drugs and medical equipment, as well as ensuring the recurrent expenditures to maintain their operations.” 

Big bonuses for national tournament champions

The winner of the National Cup will receive VNĐ2 billion (US$83,700), double the bonus of the second place team, according to the organisers at a draw on Wednesday in Hà Nội.

The second place and two third place teams will walk away with VNĐ1 billion and VNĐ400 million, respectively.

The tournament will see the participation of 25 clubs, 14 from the V.League 1 and 11 from V.League 2, competing in a knock-out format.

The Cup's first round will be held on April 1 with 12 matches. Among them, Nam Định and Hải Phòng will be the key match of two V.League 1 sides.

In their two meetings last season, Hải Phòng won both matches, 2-1 and 1-0, respectively.

In the April 1 match, Nam Định will have a home advantage where they will have the strong encouragement of their well-known crazy supporters at Thiên Trường Stadium.

Another interesting match will be between Khánh Hoà and Hà Nội Police, both new faces of the V.League 1. It will be their first meeting this season.

In the premier league, both have four points after one win, one draw and two defeats but Hà Nội Police are at eighth place while Khánh Hoà is in 11th due to the goal difference.

Other matches are between Viettel vs Bình Thuận, Huế vs Becamex Bình Dương, Sông Lam Nghệ An vs Quảng Nam, Long An vs Bình Phước, HCM City vs Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu; Phù Đổng vs Hoà Bình and Phố Hiến vs SHB Đà Nẵng.

Four V.League 1 top teams, including reigning champions Hà Nội FC and three other clubs who received lucky ballots from the organisers, got first round byes and will start play in the second round. 

A draw for the Gold Star V.League 2 was also conducted on Wednesday.

Eleven clubs will compete in a two-period competition starting from April 1 until August.

In the first period, teams will play in round robin format. In the second period, five top clubs will be grouped in Pot A. They will take part in another round robin. The one with highest points will take the championship trophy and be promoted to the V.League 1 next season.

The six bottom teams will be in Pot B. They will also compete in a round robin competition for ranking. The worst one will be relegated to the Second Division league.

To increase the quality of matches, teams are allowed to register a naturalised player and an overseas Vietnamese.

The bonus for the V.League 2 is also VNĐ2 billion for the champions. 

The two runners-up will earn VNĐ1 billion and VNĐ500 million, respectively.

All matches of both two tournaments will be aired live on FPT Play's platforms and social network. 

HCM City to popularise Ao Dai Festival in Singapore

Ho Chi Minh City is gearing up to popularise the ninth Vietnamese Ao Dai (traditional long dress) festival at ITB Asia 2023 in Singapore from October 25-27.

The plan was released at a press conference held in the southern metropolis on February 23. According to the HCM City Tourism Department, this year will see the Ao dai Festival scaled up to prepare for the introduction of the event abroad.

Upon addressing the press conference, Nguyen Cam Tu, director of the Tourism Promotion Center at the HCMC Tourism Department, noted that the festival represents an outstanding annual cultural and tourism event of the city that is held in March every year.

She added that it aims to preserve and promote the unique traditional cultural values of the national costume, whilst simultaneously inspiring and spreading love for the Ao Dai to both domestic and foreign tourists.

This year's event will attract the participation of a number of artists, singers, and designers who will serve in the role of image ambassadors. All activities of the event will be held at historical and cultural relic sites and tourist destinations, thereby contributing to introducing images of Ho Chi Minh City through the tagline “Safe Destination - Lively Itinerary”.

At the event, the organising board will also encourage domestic tailors and Ao Dai fabric stores to offer attractive discounts to local and foreign tourists during the course of the festival.

Educational materials to be digitized for managing, teaching in HCMC

Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training Nguyen Van Hieu said that from the school year 2023-2024, all educational materials will be digitized for managing and teaching.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training yesterday issued a plan to strengthen the application of information technology and digital transformation of the education and training sector in 2023.

Accordingly, this year, the sector will focus on completing its data and implementing the Digital Competency Framework for teachers, administrators, and a set of indicators to assess the level of digital transformation of educational institutions.

Director Hieu added that in addition to the digitization of materials and local educational materials, the sector will also implement electronic school records, expanding the electronic office system in combination with a digital signature.

In particular, for enrollment of first grade, sixth grade and tenth grade, digital maps (GIS) will be used for looking up and finding information about people, and at the same time supporting statistics, reporting on students’ demand as a basis for building a strategy to develop the school scale of Thu Duc City and 21 districts.

The digital map not only contains data on public educational institutions but also updates non-public facilities.

It is expected that from April 2023, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training will organize training courses for school administrators, teachers, and information technology staff to raise awareness about digital transformation and skills in applying digital technology in management and teaching so that teaching staff can meet the sector’s requirement of digital transformation.

HCMC helps laid-off workers to have jobs

Responsible agencies in Ho Chi Minh City are focusing on connecting laborers and companies to help laid-off workers to have a job.

The Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for Epidemic Prevention and Economic Recovery yesterday held a press conference to provide information on socio-economic issues and epidemic prevention and control in the city.

Mr. Nguyen Van Lam, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that up to now, the relationship between laborers and production and business in the city has stabilized. However, some outsourcing industries faced difficulties in orders and had to cut workers. The Department has cooperated with relevant units to connect laid-off employees and companies as well as advise them of new jobs and help workers to learn new jobs.

Regarding PouYuen Vietnam Company in HCMC’s Binh Tan District cutting workers, Mr. Nguyen Van Lam said, in March this company will not re-sign 2,500 employment contracts while the company will continue to handle the rest according to labor relations and labor contract regulations from now until the end of the year. The Department is coordinating with relevant authorities to closely monitor the company’s handling.

The Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has directed the City Employment Service Center to give advice to laid-off employees. Up to now, the Department has found about 15 businesses to introduce jobs for workers so that workers will have new jobs soon.

At the same time, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs coordinated with the Mekong Delta provinces of Long An and Tien Giang to introduce jobs and unemployment insurance policies for workers.

Regarding the connection between labor supply and demand, in 2023, the City Employment Service Center will organize more than 120 direct and online job exchanges to introduce jobs to workers. In the near future, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, in collaboration with related units, will organize job exchange floors for demobilized soldiers and specialized job exchanges for employees in the tourism industry.

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