An exhibition showcasing 32 replicas of gold seals from the Nguyen Dynasty is taking place at the Ngo Mon (Noon Gate) inside the Hue Imperial Citadel in the central province of Thua Thien – Hue.

The event forms part of a cultural programme to welcome Hue Festival 2022, which will be officially held at the end of this month.

It aims to provide more chances for visitors to learn about special antiquities associated with the process of the national administration and management under the Nguyen Dynasty.

All the 32 gilded ceramic replicas are crafted based on gold seals preserved at the Vietnam History Museum.

The copies of the gold seals were made by celebrated artisan Tran Do from the renowned Bat Trang pottery village in Hanoi.

According to the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, the exhibition organiser, the Nguyen was the final Vietnamese dynasty which ruled the country from 1802 to 1945.

During its 143-year rule, more than 100 seals cast in gold, silver, or crafted from precious gems were created including 12 of the Gia Long reign (1802-1820), 15 of Minh Mang (1820-1840), 10 of Thieu Tri (1841-1847), 15 of Tu Duc (1848-1883), 1 of Kien Phuc (1884) and Ham Nghi (1885) each, five of Dong Khanh (1885-1888), 10 of Thanh Thai (1889-1907), 12 of Khai Dinh (1916-1924) and eight of Bao Dai (1925-1945).

The exhibition is scheduled to last through to the end of this year.

August event to honour 100 outstanding blood donors

An event honouring 100 outstanding blood donors nationwide, particularly during COVID-19 outbreaks, is slated for mid-August, as part of myriad activities marking World Blood Donor Day (June 14) in Vietnam.

According to the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation, meetings, conferences, and voluntary blood donation campaigns are scheduled. Meanwhile, related sides will organise awareness-raising communications activities across residential areas.

Every year, Vietnam needs about 2 million blood units for emergency aid, medical treatment, and as reserves for accidents, disasters, and epidemics.

The voluntary blood donation movement has developed strongly, attracting the participation of people from all social strata.

Postage stamps featuring sea birds to be issued

Birds of Vietnamese seas and islands are featured on a set of postage stamps to be issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications. 

The birds comprise Thalasseus bergii (Lichtenstein, 1823), Gallicrex cinerea (Gmelin, 1789), Arenaria interpres (Linnaeus, 1758), Tringa brevipes (Vieillot, 1816) and Sula sula (Linnaeus, 1766).

The set of stamps is intended to promote the land and people of Vietnam, as well as the country’s conservation of maritime biodiversity.

It is scheduled to debut within the framework of the Vietnam Stamp Exhibition 2022 (Vietstampex 2022) on June 24, and to be available on postal services until the end of 2023.

This is the third of its kind themed Vietnam’s seas and islands, following others featuring sea creatures, and Vietnamese coast guard ships.

International Day of Yoga 2022 celebrated across Vietnam

Events run by the Indian Embassy in Vietnam to mark the 8th International Day of Yoga 2022 (June 21), themed ‘Yoga for Humanity’, are set to take place nationwide, heard at a press conference in Hanoi on June 13.

The celebration was kicked off on May 29 with an event held at Tam Chuc pagoda in the northern province of Ha Nam. Yoga events have also scheduled to take place in many places throughout the nation, including Hanoi, Vinh Phuc, and Quang Ninh in the north; Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, and Da Nang in the central region; Dak Nong and Dak Lak in the Central Highlands; Ho Chi Minh City in the South; and Can Tho, Tien Giang, Soc Trang in the Mekong Delta, among many other localities.

In the capital city, the International Day of Yoga will be marked on June 18 at Ly Thai To statue square in Hoan Kiem district.

Under the programme, India's national television Doordarshan will broadcast live in India the International Yoga Day celebrations around the world. Serving the broadcast, the Indian Embassy has worked with Quang Ninh for the organisation of a grand event in Ha Long Bay.

Vietnam backs comprehensive solution to Myanmar issue

Vietnam supports a comprehensive and sustainable solution with the strong commitment of relevant parties to the Myanmar issue, Deputy Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to the United Nations Le Thi Minh Thoa has stated.

Addressing a meeting of the UN General Assembly on the Myanmar issue on June 13, the representative affirmed that the current top priority is ensuring safety and security for all people in Myanmar, and urged all parties in the country to end violence and ensure humanitarian access and health care along with vaccines against COVID-19.

She called on the State Administration Council (SAC) of Myanmar to continue cooperation with ASEAN in fully implementing  ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus and to conduct dialogues among all stakeholders to seek peaceful and comprehensive solutions in accordance with the will and aspirations of Myanmar people.

Thoa stressed that the international community needs to help parties in Myanmar conduct dialogue and reconciliation, thus facilitating the democratic transition on the basis of respect for sovereignty and independence, territorial integrity and unity of Myanmar.

The diplomat also spoke highly of efforts made by the ASEAN Chair and the ASEAN Special Envoy on Myanmar, and applauded the close coordination between the UN and ASEAN in ensuring humanitarian assistance in the country.

She called on the international community to continue supporting ASEAN in promoting its central and leading role in helping Myanmar promote a peaceful solution.

Regarding the situation in Rakhine state, the Vietnamese representative reiterated the need for all parties to make efforts to address root causes of the crisis.

Northern, central regions enter prolonged rainy spell

The northern and central regions now enter a period of prolonged heavy rains, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

From June 14, the northern region and the north central province of Thanh Hoa will experience downpours with a rainfall of 40-80mm and the figure is likely to exceed 120mm in some areas.

From the night of June 14 to June 15, rain is forecast to occur mostly in the northern provinces of Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Son La, and Hoa Binh, the South of the northern delta, and the central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An. Rainfall is forecast to range between 30mm and 60 mm, and surpass 80mm in some places. Remaining areas in the North will see showers and thunderstorms.

Thunderstorms and downpours in the region are projected to last throughout June 15, then gradually decrease. Hot weather is likely to return from June 18 to 19.

The meteorological agency has warned of a high risk of flash floods, landslides and local flooding across northern mountainous provinces, especially Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Son La, Hoa Binh, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang, and Bac Kan.

At the same time, flooding may occur in riverside and alluvial areas in the downstream of the Red River.

NA passes Law and Ordinance Building Programme for 2023

The 15th National Assembly adopted a Resolution on the Law and Ordinance Building Programme in 2023 and the amendments to the Law and Ordinance Building Programme in 2022 with 92.77 percent votes in favour during its ongoing third sitting in Hanoi on June 13 afternoon.

Legislators also debated the draft of the revised Law on Inspection with NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Dinh as the moderator. The bill includes eight chapters and 116 articles, in which 61 are added, 41 revised and 24 removed compared to the 2010 law.

Many of the lawmakers emphasised that it is critical to amend the Law on Inspection to address limitations of the old version and improve the effectiveness of the State governance and anti-corruption.

Among contents of discussion were the governing scope of the bill, the organisational system of inspection bodies, tasks and rights of State inspection units, methods of inspection, inspection procedures, the independence of inspection operation, issuance and enforcement of inspection reports and handling violations.

Online quiz on history of Vietnam-Laos relations launched

An online quiz was launched by the Party Central Committee (PCC)’s Commission for Information and Education on June 13, providing an opportunity for Vietnamese and Laos citizens as well as foreigners to test their knowledge about the history of the special relations between the two countries.

The quiz will be available weekly on the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Online Newspaper (dangcongsan.vn) and social network VCNet until September 5.

All Vietnamese and foreign nationals aged 14 and above are eligible to participate in the competition.

Two transnational drug rings busted in northern border province

Border guards in the northern border province of Dien Bien said they have broken two drug trafficking rings dealing from Laos to Vietnam.

Three people, along with 120,000 meth tablets, 10 bricks of heroin and 6kg of opium, were seized in the raids.

One of the cases was in Nam La hamlet, Muong Nhe district, Dien Bien province, on June 12, with two men from the Lao province of Phongsaly involved.

The other was found the same day in Son Tong hamlet, Na Tong commune, Dien Bien district, with a local man arrested. The cases are under further investigation.

MARD, USAID agree to partner on addressing climate change in Mekong Delta

The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) signed an agreement on climate change cooperation in the Mekong Delta for the 2022-2027 period in Hanoi on June 13.

With an estimated budget of up to 50 million USD, through the “Limited Scope Grant Agreement”, USAID will help MARD to reduce methane emissions from the agriculture sector, build resilience for the Mekong Delta’s vulnerable communities, promote nature-based solutions, and develop climate-resilient and low-emissions policies.

US helps Vietnam combat wildlife trafficking

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) will help Vietnam control illegal wildlife trafficking through a 15 million USD project launched in Hanoi on June 13.

The new project focuses on protecting species that are at risk of international trafficking into Vietnam such as African rhinos, African and Asian elephants, and pangolins, as well as animals that are regularly poached and traded domestically or internationally, such as primates, muntjacs, and big cats.

It is implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature, in cooperation with the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC) and the Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV).

The Saving Threatened Wildlife project builds and expands on the progress achieved by USAID’s previous five-year (2016-2021) project, Saving Species. The Saving Species project supported the Vietnamese Government to improve and harmonise the legal system related to wildlife protection, strengthen law enforcement and prosecution of wildlife crimes, and reduce demand and illegal consumption of wildlife.

HCM City restarts summer activities for children after COVID-19

Various activities and camps in Ho Chi Minh City are bouncing back to entertain and educate children this summer, after a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The local Southern Youth Center (SYC) has resumed its life skills courses for kids since June, attracting the participation of more than 1,000 pupils. Some 100 learners were scheduled to join the first eight-day course starting June 12 and taking place in Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Vung Tau and HCM City. They are set to be trained to develop disciplinary habits as well as independent and adaptive living skills so that they can take care of themselves and know how to deal with dangerous everyday situations.

Also in June, the An Nhien center for life skills and experiential tourism kicked off its first summer programme title ‘Canh dong bat tan’ (the endless field). Located in the neighbouring province of Long An, it offers a series of enticing activities such as hunting fireflies, picking water lily, cycling, swimming, canoeing, exploring the film set, and visiting an essential oil processing factory.

Meanwhile, since the middle of May, the municipal children’s house opened classes in martial arts, painting, music, modern dance, handicrafts, robotics, and modeling. Their fees range from 400,000 to 1 million VND (17.23 – 43.08 USD), which are affordable for most urban families.

English language classes are a key activity of many children during summer, with popular organisations in the city like the Vietnam-USA Society English Centers (VUS) and ILA offering myriad activities aiming at children aged between 4 and 16.

In addition to life skills, English language, and military courses, those teaching children how to swim are also on parents’ radar. Vietnam has decreased the number of child drowning cases by 100 each year since 2016. While this may seem like an encouraging outcome initially, the fact remains that drowning is still among the leading causes of death for children in the country.

Nguyen Kien Toan, a division head at the center for fitness and sports in Phu Nhuan district, said that swimming is a sport for health as it boosts breathing effectiveness, which can solve some post-COVID-19 problems in children. According to Toan, his centre is running classes on drowning prevention for kids and plans to work with a number of local schools to hold a swimming festival in August.

From the professional perspective, Le Minh Huan, lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education (HCMUE)’s Department of Psychology, said the summer holiday is important for children to learn new skills, refresh their energy, and prepare their mind for the upcoming academic year.

Outdoor activities and exposure to the nature stimulate the development of their thinking, emotions, knowledge, and skills, Huan added.

Safety is a top priority in choosing summer camps, recommended Tieu Minh Son, communications lecturer of the city’s Van Lang University, who has taught many life skills classes for children.

Vietnam co-hosts UN Human Rights Council panel discussion

Vietnam, Bangladesh and the Philippines on June 13 co-hosted a panel discussion on ensuring vulnerable groups’ rights in the context of climate change at the ongoing 50th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

During the 50th session, Vietnam, Bangladesh and the Philippines on June 13 co-hosted a panel discussion on ensuring vulnerable groups’ rights in the context of climate change. They introduced a draft Resolution, focusing on food rights and climate change.

Vietnam, Bangladesh and the Philippines have since 2014 co-drafted and introduced a resolution on a specific theme at the annual UN Human Rights Council session for consideration and approval.

The 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council opened on June 13 and is scheduled to last through to July 8.

Vietnamese anti-corruption efforts receive international appreciation

The past decade has seen Vietnam move up more than 30 spots in terms of the corruption perception index, as ranked by Transparency International (TI).

TI is an international non-governmental organisation set up aimed at tackling the issue of corruption globally and is present in more than 100 countries. It works alongside partners in government, business, and civil society in order to put effective measures in place to tackle corruption.

Titled "What's Behind Vietnam's Latest Anti-Corruption Fight", the Bloomberg article analyzed the nation’s anti-corruption campaign, particularly as the Vietnamese economy is the fastest growing in Southeast Asia.

According to details within the article, a total of eight inspection teams have been set up in an effort to deal with corruption cases, including at party committees and agencies, according to the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption. More than 1,200 cases have been investigated this year, with over 730 involving more than 1,500 defendants brought to court. Indeed, over the last year the police have detained a number of executives as part of investigations into alleged stock price manipulation.

With a population of roughly 100 million, the nation has lots to gain economically providing that if it can bolster its image as a place to do business, it said.

According to Thomas Bo Pedersen, managing director at Mascot International Vietnam LtD and at Mascot International Laos LtD, this highlights the determination of both the Vietnamese Party and Government to combat corruption and negative phenomena in a systematic way. In addition, the recent establishment of the provincial Anti-Corruption Steering Committee is also a step in the right decision, he added.

Furthermore, a series of international news sites such as Channel News Asia, The Star, and Nation Thailand have reported that the former Minister of Health and former Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee have been prosecuted and detained in custody. These wrongdoings relate to abusing their positions and powers while performing official duties, causing severe consequences and losses to the State budget.

Kenneth Atkinson, president of the British Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (BritCham Vietnam), said that Vietnamese anti-corruption actions are extremely welcome, especially with cases involving high-ranking officials.

The nation was ranked 68th out of the 120 countries in the Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2021 which was recently released by the International Budget Partnership (IBP), up nine spots against 2019 and 23 compared to 2017’s standings.

Phuong Anh to represent Vietnam at Miss International 2022

Pham Ngoc Phuong Anh has been selected as the Vietnamese representative at Miss International 2022, an international beauty contest which is scheduled to be held in Japan this December.

22-year-old Phuong Anh stands at 1.77 metres tall, with measures of 87-61-93. The girl, hailing from Ho Chi Minh City, first rose to prominence by winning the first runner-up title at Miss Vietnam 2020, meeting the criteria for competing at the 2022 Miss International pageant.

First launched in 1960, Miss International makes up one of the Big Four international beauty competitions, alongside Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss Earth. The 2022 contest was originally scheduled to take place in Japan in 2021, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the previous competitions, Vietnamese representatives had won high prizes, including Pham Hong Thuy Van the third runner-up in 2015, and Tuong San among the top 8 in 2019.

International marathons back in action

International marathon tournaments will officially return now the COVID-19 pandemic has been controlled.

Organisers of the International Vietcombank Mekong Delta Marathon - Hậu Giang 2022 recently announced details of five categories, all one-single-loop race.

The event on July 17 is expected to see nearly 9,000 people take part, a record number of runners, running on 2.4km, 5km, 10km, half marathon and full marathon. They will start from Hòa Bình Square in Vị Thanh City, Hậu Giang Province, and pass through some breathtaking scenery. People can register until July 17 at https://webv3.123go.vn/event/2022-mekong-delta-marathon and and find more information on https://www.facebook.com/mekong.delta.marathon

The first Hà Nội Marathon Techcombank 2022 will take place on September 25. In its debut, more than 6,000 athletes will run through Hà Nội's impressive cultural tracks in full marathon, half-marathon, 10km, 5km and Kids Run (for young athletes aged 5-14), according to organisers.

Starting at the Opera House and finishing by Hoàn Kiếm Lake in the heart of the city, runners will enjoy the best sights of the capital. They will run through thousands of years of history, passing by the Old Quarter, the ancient Citadel and centuries old pagodas. They will also witness a stunning run around the peaceful shores of the expansive West Lake.

More information can be found at https://marathonhn.com and https://www.facebook.com/TechcombankHaNoiMarathon.

Tourist boat services to connect HCM City and Mekong Delta provinces

HCM City Department of Transport has proposed launching tourist boat services to the Mekong Delta provinces of Ben Tre and Tien Giang.

According to the department, they will conduct field trips to the provinces between June 15-25. The boat routes connecting HCM City and the two localities are expected to be launched in the third quarter of this year, and run between 6 am - 6 pm.

The HCM City-Tien Giang boat route will run 110km while the HCM City-Ben Tre route would be 120km. The routes will connect Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 or Saigon Port in District 4 in HCM City with My Tho Wharf in Tien Giang and Rach Mieu Wharf in Ben Tre.

High-speed boats would have a capacity of 75 to 151 passengers each.

A high-speed boat service between HCM City and the outlying Cu Chi District travelling through Binh Duong Province was launched in 2020.

Hai Phong student wins special prize of a stamp collecting contest on seas and islands

Le Hoang Nhat Nhi, a ninth grader at Vo Thi Sau School in Le Chan District, Hai Phong City, won the special prize of a stamp collecting contest on Vietnam’s seas and islands at an award ceremony held in Hai Phong City on June 13.

At the ceremony, the organising board also presented 2 first, 4 second, 10 third and 20 consolation prizes to the most outstanding entries.

The competition, which ran from December 2021 to April 2022, was organised by the Central Council of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Organisation, the Vietnam Post Corporation, and the Vietnam Philatelic Association.

It aimed to raise awareness on Vietnam’s seas and islands among the younger generation, as well as increase their responsibility in safeguarding the national sovereignty.

The contest received a total of more than 1.1 million entries, 37 of which were selected in the final round.

Nguyen Thanh Ha crowned Miss Eco Vietnam

18-year-old Nguyen Thanh Ha of Ben Tre Province was crowned the first Miss Eco Vietnam 2022 in Ho Chi Minh City on June 12.

Nguyen Thanh Ha, born in 2004, is a student at Vinschool High School in Ho Chi Minh City, owns a lovely face with a height of 1.70m, measuring three rounds 85-56-90.

She has won the title of Miss Vinschool High School. She is also a candidate with outstanding academic achievements with fluent English, having just passed the application round for Fulbright University Vietnam.

Along with the title of Miss Eco Vietnam, Nguyen Thanh Ha will officially be the face representing Vietnam in the prestigious international beauty arena Miss Eco International 2023 in Egypt in February 2023.

Young Vietnamese writers to convene 10th conference in Da Nang

The 10th national conference of young Vietnamese writers is scheduled to take place from June 18-19 in the central city of Da Nang, as announced by the Vietnamese Writers Association (VWA).

The conference is expected to see the participation of 119 outstanding writers from all over the country, who must be 35 or younger as of 2021 when the conference was originally scheduled to be held.

This year’s conference has the largest number of delegates compared to the most recent conferences, with the youngest writer being Tran Phu Minh Anh, a high school student from Ho Chi Minh City born in 2007.

Most of the young writers are 22-30 years of age and are working in a wide variety of professions. Many have received literary awards and published works to positive critical reception.

Within the framework of the conference, there will be two workshops on poetry and prose to discuss the attitude and responsibility of writers towards life and society and to answer the question “Why do we write?”.

A seminar on literature and the cause of national modernisation and industrialisation as well as a poetry and music gala night will also be held.

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