Hanoi: Spring Book Fair opens

The Spring Book Fair officially opened on January 16 at Hanoi Book Street with the theme “Nurturing the knowledge for flowers to bloom”.

This year's event, which runs until January 29, will offer many bookstores and recreation areas with useful and interesting entertainment activities to encourage the development of collective spirit, thinking, and creativity among children and students in Hanoi.

To better serve readers and their families, the Organizing Committee has arranged some fun corners, such as a registration point, relaxation, and reading spaces.

There will be a host of activities, such as book launching ceremonies, instructions on how to read books effectively, craft workshops, a calligraphy demonstration,  To he shop,  squared sticky rice making contest, among others.

Moreover, book launch ceremonies, book trading activities, copyright exchange, and book-related competitions will also be held.

According to the organizer, the event aims to enrich the spiritual life of Hanoi residents and visitors during the 2023 Tet holidays.

It is hoped that the festival, together with other book-related events, will form a series of regular cultural activities to promote people’s reading habits, thereby helping to develop a learning society.

Hanoi listed among locations for Pantone’s 2023 colour of the year

Viva Magenta has been named as Pantone's 2023 colour of the year, with tourists able to see it in real life during their visit to Vietnam, according to travel magazine Travel + Leisure of the United States.

As the colour of the year for 2023, Viva Magenta has been described as powerful and empowering. “Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration,” the website wrote.

Hanoi is one of three Asian representatives, notably being the only one in Southeast Asia, named in the list of 11 destinations around the world to find the colour.

Located on the outskirts of Hanoi, Quang Phu Cau incense village is an ideal place in which visitors can find Viva Magenta.

Ahead of celebrations for the Lunar New Year, known locally as Tet, tourists can find hundreds of bright-pink incense sticks fanned out like bouquets along the streets and courtyards, the website noted.

The best time of year to visit and experience this destination is in January, immediately before the Lunar New Year, it added.

Other Asian cities to make the list include Mysore in India and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Keukenhof flower garden in the Netherlands, Santorini in Greece, Cape Town in South Africa, Iceland, Cusco in Peru, Ria Formosa in Portugal, and Havana in Cuba are among the top places globally where tourists can find traces of the 2023 Pantone colour of the year.

First baby girl delivered at Level 2.4 field hospital in South Sudan

Despite difficulties in specialized equipment, Vietnamese doctors in the Level 2.4 field hospital in South Sudan had successfully performed emergency surgery for a pregnant woman.

Doctors said that the first baby girl born at the hospital weighed 3.5kg. Her 30-year-old mother of Gambian nationality was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of labor. She was 39 weeks pregnant and she had already delivered two babies normally. As soon as the patient was received, the crew handled and supported her promptly.

With the situation of the patient in labor, after two hours of performing normal delivery, Major, Dr. Le Viet Anh, Deputy Director of the field hospital decided to ask permission from the medical commander of the mission to have an emergency cesarean section because the mother was in a dangerous situation, thereby she could not be transferred to a large infirmary by air.

In the lack of material conditions, especially the conditions for newborn care, the field hospital staff took each cotton towel and personal blanket for the baby. In a short time, the female soldiers of the field hospital were able to sew three sets of diapers and newborn shirts for the baby.

With a successful emergency of the pregnant women and welcoming the first child member, doctors and nurses of the field hospital received high appreciation from the medical commander of the mission for their accurate diagnosis and surgery decision as well as good care and support for the mother and baby. The commander of the base and the commanders of agencies came to congratulate the pregnant woman and the surgical team of the field hospital expressing their gratitude for the expertise as well as the dedicated care of the medical staff.

Overseas Vietnamese in Denmark, Germany celebrate Tet

The Vietnamese Embassy in Denmark organised a “Xuan Que Huong” (Homeland Spring) programme on January 15 with the participation of more than 200 overseas Vietnamese, representatives of the Denmark-Vietnam Friendship Association and Danish friends as Tet (Lunar New Year), the biggest traditional festival for Vietnamese, is nearing.

Addressing the event, Ambassador Luong Thanh Nghi highly appreciated the contributions by the Vietnamese community in the north European country to the bilateral relations, expressing his delight that the overseas Vietnamese in Denmark have stayed united, supported one another, and integrated well into the host society.

The diplomat extended Lunar New Year greetings to all overseas Vietnamese, adding he hopes that the Vietnamese community in Denmark will continue to preserve the nation’s cultural identity and contribute to the national construction and development.

The Consulate General of Vietnam in Germany's Frankfurt am Main city on January 15 held a programme to welcome the Lunar New Year, with the participation of more than 1,000 people. Visitors to the event, including overseas Vietnamese and German, were impressed with the artistic performance and traditional dishes.

Addressing the event, Consul General Le Quang Long said the Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership has made remarkable progress in all fields of economy, politics, defence-security, labour, education and cooperative development, adding that a foundation for their relationship is the community of more than 200,000 Vietnamese who are integrating into the German society.

Financial support for laid-off workers: Labour confederation

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) has passed a resolution on support to its members and workers who lost their jobs or had their working time reduced from October 2022 because their enterprises suffered from a reduction in order.

Accordingly, trade union members will be given support from 1 million VND (42 USD) if they lost their jobs or halted working for at least 14 straight days between October 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023. Members who lost their jobs or halted working for at least 30 straight days will get a support of 2 million VND.

Those who have their labour contracts terminated between October 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, but fail to get unemployment insurance benefits will receive a support of 3 million VND each.

Workers who are not trade union members will be given the support equal to 70% of the support for members.

Vice President of VGCL Tran Thanh Hai said that from September 9, 2022, enterprises in Vietnam faced difficulties due to cut or reduced orders, which badly affected their workers’ incomes and lives.

The resolution on the support helps show the VGCL’care and encouragement for them, Hai said, adding that the move is expected to motivate the labourers when entering a new year.

HCM City leaders meets diplomatic corps, foreign businesses

Leaders of Ho Chi Minh City on January 16 met with Consuls General, representatives of international organisations, cultural and economic offices, and businesses in the southern metropolis.

Addressing the meeting, Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, thanked participating foreign diplomatic agencies for accompanying and assisting the city’s post-pandemic recovery, opening up opportunities for the economic hub to attract and tap related international resources serving its growth and achievements.

He said the city needs and wishes to receive their continued assistance in the time to come, especially in its efforts to becoming a smart city, and the region's economic, financial, commercial, scientific-technological and cultural hub.

Mai pledged ensuring socio-political stability, implementing international commitments, facilitating foreign firms and investors, and creating a favourable living environment for the group.

Close coordination and support between the city and diplomatic corps will be sustained to organise cultural, health, and educational exchange activities for stronger ties and mutually beneficial development, the leader affirmed.

Singaporean Consul General Roy Kho Ngee Seng, head of the delegation of consulates general in the city, said HCM City, one of the most vibrant and attractive economies in the region, has potential to become a regional and international financial centre and is always the first destination of foreign companies wishing to invest in Vietnam.

The diplomat stated the delegation wants to tightly cooperate with the local authorities to help turn the city’s economic goals into reality and actively boost joint works in the fields of culture-art, education, public management, health, green economy, and digital economy.

Elephants roam residential areas to hunt food

Elephants entered residential areas to hunt food in the Central Province of Quang Nam.

In recent days, inhabitants of Cam La village in Que Lam Commune of Nong Son District have recorded that a herd of five wild elephants regularly was roaming into the village. It is known that the elephant herd in the reserve consists of 8 individuals.

Today, Mr. Mai Van Duong, Deputy Director in charge of the Management Board of Quang Nam Elephant Species and Habitat Conservation Area, said that while going to the fields, residents discovered a herd of 5 elephants was looking for food in the human settlements.

It is known that the elephant herd in the reserve consists of 8 individuals. Five of them often appeared near the village but they did not attack the inhabitants.

When the elephant sanctuary was not established, this herd lacked food and often destroyed the crops of locals. Nevertheless, this time, the elephants did little harm to the crops and fields of farmers.

Thanks to the project to create livelihoods for people in the protected buffer zone, conflicts between humans and elephants have been reduced.

Since 2017, Quang Nam province has invested hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong in establishing a 19,000-hectare conservation area for elephant species and habitats and the strictly protected subdivision covers an area of 13,000 ha. In addition, the buffer zone of the reserve is 25,000 ha in nine communes and five districts. This is the first elephant sanctuary in Vietnam to be established. The elephant herd in Nong Son District has a herd structure of different ages and is very viable for future development.

Activities to celebrate Tet in UK, Cambodia

The Vietnamese Family Partnership (VFP), in coordination with the Vietnamese Association in the UK (VAUK), hosted a traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) celebration for expatriates on January 15.

The event featured a variety of activities such as lion dances, martial arts performances, ao dai (traditional long dress) show and folk games.
 
Visitors had a chance to buy traditional Vietnamese specialties for Tet namely jams, banh chung (square glutinous rice cake), pork paste, rice paper, among others.

Addressing the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long appreciated the contributions of VFP and VAUK in organising the biggest festival of the year for the Vietnamese community. He said that the Lunar New Year festival is part of a programme to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the UK in 2023. He called on the Vietnamese community in the UK to participate in the programme, contributing to fostering the bilateral relations.

The ambassador affirmed that the Vietnamese Embassy always accompanies the overseas Vietnamese in community activities, contributing to preserving and promoting the cultural and humane values of the Vietnamese people.

Vicky Foxcroft, Member of Parliament for Lewisham and Deptford, expressed her pleasure at attending the traditional Tet festival, which is an opportunity for her to meet Vietnamese friends and take part in traditional activities of the Vietnamese New Year. She spoke highly of VFP's role in connecting the Vietnamese communities in Lewisham and Deptford with many activities that help promote and enhance the prestige of Vietnamese in the host country.

VAUK Chairman Tang Tuan Tu affirmed that the association will do its best to unite 100,000 Vietnamese people who are living and working in the UK to build a strong community, contributing to the further development of Vietnam-UK relations.

Meanwhile, the Consulate General of Vietnam in Cambodia’s Preah Sihanouk province, in collaboration with the Khmer-Vietnamese Association’s provincial chapter and the sponsor Metfone Company -  Cambodian affiliate of Vietnam’s telecoms group Viettel, on January 16 presented 100 gift packages to disadvantaged families of Vietnamese origin on the occasion of Tet.

Each household received a gift set valued at VND500,000 (21 USD), which includes basic commodities for Tet. This activity is part of a programme to give nearly 1,000 Tet gifts, worth 20,700 USD in total, to families of Vietnamese origin with difficult circumstances in eight provinces across Cambodia so that they can enjoy a happy Tet.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Consul General Lai Xuan Chien extended his wish that the Vietnamese community will have a joyful and happy Tet.  He expected that they will continue to unite, abide by the host country’s regulations as well as care for their children and preserve the nation’s traditions.

Health ministry asked to closely monitor domestic, int’l pandemic situation

The Prime Minister has asked the Ministry of Health to continue keeping a close eye on the domestic and international pandemic situation in to strengthen the pandemic prevention and control measures during trade and tourism activities in the festive festival in the first months of 2023 and continue to promote the socio-economic development.

The ministry was asked to give timely guidelines and coordination with ministries, sectors and localities in the pandemic fight, while working with localities to direct the implementation of measures to prevent COVID-19 and seasonal diseases, promptly stamping out outbreaks, and promoting COVID-19 vaccination activities.

Vietnam's COVID-19 caseload rose to 11,526,167 with 27 new cases recorded on January 16, according to the Ministry of Health.

With 12 patients given the all-clear on the day, the number of recoveries rose to 10,612,117. 

Meanwhile, there are three patients needing breathing support.

The death toll from the disease was still kept at 43,186.

More than 265.90 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Vietnam so far.

Photo exhibition on Paris Peace Accords underway in Hanoi

A photo exhibition, themed “Paris Peace Accords – A Door to Peace”, opened at Ho Chi Minh Museum in the capital city of Hanoi on January 16, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the agreement (January 27, 1973-2023).

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of the museum Dr. Vu Manh Ha said the display will offer the public an insight into the context, process and significance of the signing of the Paris Peace Accords, thus manifesting the brainpower and sound leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the Party Central Committee in the fight against invading American imperialists.

On display are nearly 300 photos, materials and artefacts, many of them are showcased for the first time.

On January 27, 1973, the Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam (Paris Peace Accords for short) was signed between the four governments of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam, and the US.

It was the result of the longest and most difficult struggle in the history of Vietnam's diplomacy, with 202 public meetings held over four years, eight months and 14 days.

The exhibition will run until early May.

Vietnam, Poland boost defence cooperation

Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien hosted a reception in Hanoi on January 16 for new Polish Defence Attaché to Vietnam, Col. Jaroslaw Bondalski, who affirmed that Poland attaches importance to its defence cooperation with Vietnam, and considers the Southeast Asian nation an important partner.

He pledged that in his working tenure, he will exert every effort to further promote bilateral defence ties.

Congratulating Col. Jaroslaw Bondalski on undertaking the new post, Chien expressed his belief that the officer will contribute to the traditional friendship between the two countries in general and their defence collaboration in particular.

The Vietnamese Defence Ministry backs the promotion of the two countries’ defence cooperation in accordance with the 2010 memorandum of understanding (MoU) on bilateral defence cooperation, he stated.

He proposed both sides continue carrying out collaboration activities on the basis of the MoU, with focus on delegation exchanges, training, and defence industry.

The ministry is willing to create favourable conditions for the Polish Defence Attaché to work with Vietnamese agencies and units to boost cooperation and seek new cooperation opportinuties, added Chien.

AeroExpo Hanoi & Vietnam Aviation Forum 2023 scheduled for March

The AeroExpo Hanoi & Vietnam Aviation Forum 2023 will take place from March 21-23, according to the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade.

The event is intended to develop a premium network of sustainable manufacturing, supply and consumption channels in the aviation industry, said Tran Thi Phuong Lan, Acting Director of the department, at a press conference in Hanoi on January 16.

The fair and forum will connect domestic and international units and businesses in aviation and support industries, enabling Vietnamese businesses to participate in the global network, she added.

There will be 120 booths of businesses from 15 countries, displaying products and technologies in the aviation sector.

Phan Thi Bao Thi, from Advanced Business Events - one of the event organisers, noted that this is the first time such a fair has been held in Hanoi.

Major aviation companies like Airbus, Boeing, Safran, Thales, Mitsubishi and Parker and about 50 foreign firms are expected to join the event to seek development partners in the Southeast Asian nation, she said.

Organisers will step up communications, build a database and support the participating enterprises, she said, suggesting domestic companies make careful preparations to utilise opportunities to be generated by the event.

More flights take off in Vietnam for Tet holiday season

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced that it will increase the number of flights for the fourth time to 108 with 20,000 seats in the January 16-30 period to meet skyrocketing demand during the Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival.

Flights will increase on major routes linking Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vinh, Thanh Hoa, Hai Phong, Da Nang and Hue.

In the period from January 6 to February 2, 2023, total flights Vietnam Airlines operates in its domestic network will reach approximately 9,200, with nearly 1.9 million seats.

Previously, the airline made Tet flight increases in August and December 2022.

It advised passengers to make their travel plans early and purchase air tickets via its official sale channels. They are also encouraged to use online and digital check-in methods to save time.

Tet is the largest traditional festival in Vietnam. This year's 7-day holiday will begin on January 20.

Tet celebration introduces Vietnamese culture in Paris

The Association for the Promotion of Vietnamese Culture (APCV) in France has held a programme in Paris to introduce the culture of Vietnam, one of activities celebrating the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet).

Visitors to the January 14 event, including Vietnamese and French, were impressed with a show of “ao dai” (a traditional costume of Vietnam), performances of the country’s martial art Vovinam, and traditional dishes, among others.

The programme also aimed to mark the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties and 10 years since the establishment of the strategic partnership.

Éric Pliez, Mayor of the 20th arrondissement of Paris, said he was delighted to attend the Tet celebration and witness the development of the APCV, one of the 3,000 associations operating in the arrondissement.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang highly valued the APCV’s organisation of the programme, especially when Vietnam and France are marking 50 years of their diplomatic relations and 10 years of the strategic partnership in 2023.

He said what the association has done to popularise and preserve the Vietnamese culture are highly encouraging, and that contributions by each people will help reinforce the two countries’ friendship.

The diplomat also called for the APCV’s continued efforts to educate younger generations about the friendship and solidarity.

Founded in January 2019, the APCV gathers more than 200 members who are Vietnamese people and foreigners in five countries, namely France, the US, Sweden, Japan, and Vietnam. Aside from the headquarters in Paris, it also has branches in San Francisco of the US, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City.

In celebration of the biggest traditional festival, the Embassy of Vietnam in Italy has held a hybrid programme connecting the Vietnamese communities in Italy, Cyprus, and Malta.

Similar events have also been organised by the embassies in Canada, South Africa, and Belgium.

The coming Lunar New Year, the Year of the Cat, will start on January 22.

Special publication on Paris Agreement anniversary publicised

A special publication on the 50th anniversary of Paris Agreement was made public by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi on January 16.

The Vietnamese-language, 200-page edition includé articles by people who directly participated in the historical negotiations and scholars, diplomatic researchers, journalists and international friends who wholeheartedly supported the struggle for independence of the Vietnamese people.

Nguyen Truong Son, Editor-in-Chief of the World and Vietnam Newspapers, affirmed that the publication is not only a gratitude and respect for the contributions of previous generations to national independence, unification, peace, prosperity and happiness but also a collection of lessons and experiences learnt from the negotiations, helping generations of diplomats better fulfill the tasks assigned by the Party and State.

It includes article by Nguyen Thi Binh, head of negotiation delegation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam at the Paris Peace Conference, and former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan.

Paris Peace Accords – success of Vietnam’s diplomacy: symposium

The Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam (Paris Peace Accords), reached on January 27, 1973, is a vivid historical proof of the aspiration for peace and the tradition of amicable diplomacy of the Vietnamese people; and an important premise of the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification in the period of Doi Moi (Renewal) and extensive international integration over the past more than 35 years.

The statement was made by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son at a symposium highlighting the historical significance and learnt lessons of the agreement, held in Hanoi on January 16.

The valuable lessons learnt from this historic negotiation are still valid and need to be effectively applied in implementing the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress, stated Son.

Participants agreed that the success of the negotiation on the agreement was the result of the skillful and thorough application of President Ho Chi Minh's thoughts on diplomacy.

It was the crystallisation of the coordination between Party and State diplomacy with people-to-people diplomacy. Under the sound and ingenious leadership of the Party Central Committee and President Ho Chi Minh, the agreement created a turning point in the situation and the balance of power which was beneficial for the Vietnamese revolution, towards the complete reunification of the country in 1975.

Deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education Le Hai Binh affirmed that communication work at home and abroad contributed importantly to the achievement of the Paris Peace Accords, as it helped clarify the justice of the resistance war for national salvation, gather the support for Vietnam’s struggle of people around the world, and encourage American people's movement against the war.

The Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam was signed on January 27, 1973 by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam, and the US, after 201 open sessions, 45 high-level private talks, 24 secret meetings, 500 press conferences, 1,000 interviews and hundreds of get-togethers in support of Vietnam.

The agreement put an end to the longest and most difficult struggle in the history of Vietnam's diplomacy.

Deputy PM hails Vietnam-Switzerland friendship

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha received President of the Switzerland-Vietnam Friendship Association Anjuska Weil in Davos on January 15 (local time),as part of his trip to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023.

Ha noted with pleasure the strong development of the fine traditional friendship between the two countries over the past time across spheres, from politics, economy-trade and investment, to science, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchange at multilateral forums.

Ample room remains for the bilateral collaboration, especially in climate change response, green energy transition and circular economy, which are of Switzerland’s strengths and Vietnam’s demand, the official noted.

Lauding people’s associations of the two countries for their coordination in organising people-to-people exchanges, contributing to enhancing the bilateral friendship and mutual understanding, Ha expressed his hope that the association will coordinate with Vietnam’s diplomatic offices in the country and the Vietnamese community there in materialising initiatives, for the development of the bilateral multifaceted cooperation.

For her part, Weil briefed the Deputy PM on the operations of her association since its inception in 1982, and affirmed that it will make more contributions to the friendship and people-to-people exchange.

The same day, Ha met representatives of the Vietnamese community in Switzerland.

Quang Nam strives to conserve elephant species, habitat

Quang Nam’s elephant species and habitat conservation area has been making efforts to fulfill its mission of protecting a herd of eight wild elephants – considered one of the last populations of the endangered Asian elephant in the central province.

The herd, including five matriarchs and calves, has lived in the 20,000ha conservation since its establishment in 2017.  

Mai Van Duong from the management board of the centre said people used to go in and out of this area a lot, encroaching on the elephants’ habitat. Since the establishment of the reserve, restricted human impact has helped improve the habitat and the animals’ health.

To prevent conflicts that might affect the living environment of the herd, the management board has organised communications campaigns and technical training for residents and provided them with some equipment such as loudspeakers and solar lights. When the elephants appear, locals can use lights to make them return to the forest instead of going deeper into the residential areas surrounding the sanctuary. The board has also planted a 5m honey locus fence to keep the group in their safe location.

UN official hails Vietnam’s efforts in caring for children

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), had a meeting on January 16 with UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Violence against Children Najat Maalla M’jid who updated Giang on the outcomes of her recent visit to Vietnam and discussed measures to promote bilateral cooperation in the time to come.

Najat Maalla M’jid showed her pleasure at the fruitful visit, and highly valued Vietnam’s policies, law and socio-economic efforts and achievements as well as attainments in implementing sustainable development goals, caring for and protecting children, especially those in difficulty.

She affirmed that she will continue to provide Vietnam with policy consultations for law and institution completion, while assisting the country in mobilising outside resources for better life and future for children, especially those from ethnic minority groups and far-flung areas, ensuring that no one is left behind.

Ambassador Giang spoke highly of the Vietnamese visit by Najat Maalla M’jid and the support that UN agencies have given to Vietnam in caring for and protecting children.

The Vietnamese Government always give top priority to children and the centre of all development policies, he stated, affirming that the country will continue to closely coordinate with the UN in this field.

Lang Son Province launches peach blossom festival to welcome Tet

A festival to promote the beauty of peach flowers, the landscape and the people and culture of the northern province of Lạng Sơn is being held for Tết (Lunar New Year).

A variety of activities imbued with local culture will take place within the event, including contests of the most beautiful peach garden and the most beautiful peach tree, performances of traditional art forms like sli, lượn or then singing, lion dance of Tày and Nùng ethnic groups, exhibitions of spring books and newspapers, introduction of local specialties and dishes of the province that have entered the list of Vietnamese top 100 specialties 2022, like Mẫu Sơn Wine or pork roast with mắc mật (clausen indica) leaves.

The peach blossom festival will last until February 19.

Art exhibition to celebrate 'Tết' in Hà Nội

The Vietnam Fine Arts Association has held an exhibition to celebrate the Lunar New Year 2023 and the 93rd anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (February 3, 1930 – 2023).

The exhibition introduces 152 works by 152 painters who are members of the association, mainly themed of spring and cats for the Year of the Cat.

Each painter has his/her own visual language, diversified in style, expressed on many different materials such as oil paints, lacquers, ceramics, acrylics and watercolours.

The works contain joy and hope for a peaceful spring and a new year with many successes in art creation and life.

Some typical works in the exhibition include Spring by Trần Tuyết Mai, Mother Spring by Nguyễn Hữu Thuận, Spring Colours by Nguyễn Hữu Chiến, and I Love Cats by Đinh Thị Nguyệt.

Painter Lương Xuân Đoàn, chairman of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association, said that for a long time, the spring painting exhibition has become a beautiful tradition and custom of the association.

After a year of hard work, the exhibition is like a good wish in the new year. For artists, the best blessing is to "show off" each other their latest works to welcome the spring with the expectation and wish that their creative path in the coming year will be favourable and successful.

The exhibition runs until January 19 at the exhibition hall at 16 Ngô Quyền Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội.

Nguyen Kings' rewards and punishment methods revealed in online exhibition

An online 3D exhibition about Vietnamese kings' bonus and penalty incentives entitled Reward-Punishment: The Past but not Old Stories has open at the Hà Nội's National Archives Centre 1.

The organisers for the first time have introduced to the public 80 of the most featured official papers from royal documents of the Nguyễn dynasty during their reign from 1802 to 1945.

In addition, many vivid documents, photos and artefacts make the exhibition more interesting to visitors.

According to Trần Thị Mai Hương, director of the centre, each item has its own story or part of a specific event, which reflected the ideas, points of views and ways of working of the Vietnamese ancestors.

She added that researching the ancestors' work would also help people to find valuable lessons to apply in their lives. Organisers also hoped that the documents would be precious resource for researchers and anyone who were interested in this issue.

The most interesting part of the exhibition is how the Nguyễn kings delivered Tết (Lunar New Year festival) bonuses.

King Tự Đức in 1874 approved that his people were allowed to take their Tết holiday rest from the 28th day of the last lunar month to the eighth day of the first lunar month of the following year. In case of urgent work that could not be postponed, they could ask for permission before doing their work.

Under King Minh Mệnh's reign, he released a document in 1826 that specifically stated rewards for mandarins. 

The document also regulated bonuses for other people working in the palace including eunuchs and low-levelled military mandarins. All of them were allowed to attend the party.

The King also gave reward to the people nationwide. A document released in 1827 stated that people who were over 80 years old would receive a roll of cloth and a bag of rice; over 90 a roll of silk and two bags of rice, meanwhile 100-year-olds would be given two roll of silk, one roll of cloth and three bags of rice.

Sometimes, the kings also delivered gifts for individuals. It could be a very small one, a pear, which was given to the receiver under a solemn ceremony. 

The Lunar New Year was also an opportunity when the kings pardoned criminals.

At the exhibition, visitors can also find down kings' reasonable reward and punishment incentives given to both mandarins and normal people.

The exhibition is available at the https://archives.org.vn and https://facebook.com/luutruquocgia1. 

Northern mountain gets frosty in new cold spell

The Mau Son Mountain in the northern province of Lang Son has been covered in frost since Monday morning as a new strong cold spell hit the region.

A strong cold snap has covered the northern region since Monday morning, causing temperatures to fall sharply by 10 degrees Celsius.

According to the director of the Lang Son Provincial Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, Ha Van Tien, the temperature fell to zero degree Celsius on the morning of January 16 in Mau Son Mountain which is 1,500 metres above the sea level.

Hanoi is predicted to be cold and have scattered rainfall this week.

The central region has also been affected by the cold snap.

Danang breaks ground on first beach overpass

Danang City joined hands with the Mikazuki Hotel Group to break ground on the Mikazuki overpass in the Xuan Thieu Tourist Area, Lien Chieu District, on January 15.

This is the first beach overpass on the coastal 13-kilometer Nguyen Tat Thanh Street and the first beach footbridge in Danang City.

It serves as a pedestrian path connecting the tourist area with the beach and a place for pedestrians to admire the golden sandy beach of Danang City, according to Odaka Yoshimune, chairman of the Mikazuki Hotel Group.

With a floor area of some 655 square meters, the overpass is nearly 11 meters high and over 140 meters long. The construction is estimated to cost VND42 billion.

The Mikazuki overpass is designed in a modern Japanese architectural style, with the two sides shaped like a knot in Japanese art, showing the strong bonds between the two countries.

The design is inspired by the waves of the sea, adding elegance to the beautiful scenery in the area.

The overpass is expected to be completed on May 30, 2023, and handed to Danang City on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.

After the groundbreaking ceremony of the Mikazuki overpass, Danang City will kick off another key economic-cultural project for the city’s northwest, especially the Xuan Thieu tourist area, according to the local authority.

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