The opening ceremony of the 8th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival took place in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak – dubbed ‘Vietnam’s coffee capital’ – on  March 10 evening.

Addressing the event, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang pointed to both achievements and shortcomings of the coffee sector. In 2022, Vietnam's coffee exports neared 1.8 million tonnes worth about 4 billion USD, hence a second place in the world ranking, only after Brazil. However, challenges remain, including the exports’ low value and raw form, small production scale, and restricted deep processing.

He stressed that in order to raise the value and characteristics of Vietnamese agricultural products and improve the lives of farmers, it requires the consensus and involvement of the entire political system, business community and people.

Noticing localities’ initiative and creativity to refresh farming methods, product advertisement, and trade promotion, Quang expressed his belief that Vietnamese farm produce in general and Vietnamese coffee in particular will increasingly assert their quality, prestige, and brand, obtaining a strong position in the domestic and international markets.
Pham Ngoc Nghi, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the biennial national festival is a place to converge and honour coffee growers, producers, processors and traders from across the nation.

The event is set to feature myriad trade promotion, cultural, and art activities, the official added.

Earlier on the same day, the Dak Lak authorities held a ceremony to welcome foreign diplomatic corps and delegations from Mongolia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Angola, Cambodia, Cuba, Laos, and Russia.

At the reception, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tuan Ha hoped the foreign diplomats and and businesses will further promote the cooperation with Dak Lak, introduce the locality to potential investors, and help popularise the Buon Ma Thuot coffee brand in particular and Vietnam's specialty coffee in general to international friends.
Armenian Ambassador to Vietnam Vahram Kazhoyan said this is the first time he has come to Dak Lak and is very pleased to witness and listen to stories from producers, growers, processors and producers in the coffee industry.

Saying the province possesses lots of potential for cooperation in various fields, he affirmed that his embassy will work to step up join works between Armenia and Vietnam, especially Dak Lak, in the near future.

Asia-Pacific countries seek to improve stamp collections

The Federation of Inter-Asian Philately (FIAP) held a conference in Hanoi on March 10 to improve the level and skills of forming and upgrading stamp collections among countries.

Underway from March 10-12, the event draws delegates from Thailand, Singapore, China, Hong Kong (China), Taiwan (China), the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Australia, Qatar, among others.

On this occasion, the FIAP Executive Board organised training programmes to help stamp collections become qualified to take part in international stamp exhibitions.

According to Chu Thi Lan Huong, President of the Vietnam Philatelic Association, and Deputy General Director of Vietnam Post Corporation, 28 years ago, the association first hosted the FIAP Executive Committee Meeting in Ho Chi Minh City.

She said that with FIAP’s support, Vietnam’s stamp collecting activities have been growing strongly. Now, there are 33 stamp collection associations across the country with thousands of members including children and students.

FIAP is a non-profit and non-political federation of philatelic societies in Asia and Australasia, founded in Singapore on September 14, 1974.

Currently, the federation has 31 members which are stamp associations of the Asian region, Australia, and South Africa. Vietnam has been an official member of FIAP since 1993.

Nguyen Du Lao-Vietnamese bilingual school marks 15th anniversary

The Nguyen Du Lao-Vietnamese bilingual school celebrated its 15th founding anniversary in Vientiane on March 11.

The school, formerly known as Nguyen Du I and Nguyen Du II primary schools, is a place for children of Vietnamese expatriates in Vientiane to study the Lao national curriculum along with the Vietnamese language.

In 2005, the Vietnamese Party, State and Government offered over 500,000 USD in funding to build the school, with two three-story buildings and 39 classrooms on a site of over 10,000 sq.m provided by the Lao Government. After three years of construction, the school was inaugurated and put into operation.

Currently, it has 30 classes with over 1,000 students from preschool to high school level, and 66 officials and teachers. The Vietnamese students account for about 45% and the rest are Lao students.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung said in recent years, the school has become a prestigious one in Vientiane, meeting the national standards of both Laos and Vietnam.

During the 2021-2022 academic year, the school was chosen by the two countries’ education ministries as a pilot bilingual school for teaching Vietnamese and Lao from grade 1 to grade 12. The target is to replicate this educational model across Laos, thereby helping its younger generations have a deep understanding of special friendship between the two nations, he said.

Truong Sa Dong infirmary performs emergency surgery on fishermen

The High Command of Naval Region 4 said on March 11 that the Truong Sa Dong island infirmary in Truong Sa island district, the central province of Khanh Hoa received and performed emergency surgery on a fisherman suffering from accute appendicitis late March 10.

Fisherman Ngo Van Tuu, 28, is native to Long Hai commune, Phu Quy district, the south central province of Binh Thuan.

While fishing at sea at 9am on March 10, Tuu showed signs of fatigue, indigestion, and dull abdominal pain. Later, due to the severe pain in lower abdomen, he was taken to Truong Sa Dong island for treatment by fishermen on the fishing vessel BT 96448 TS.

After examination, the military medical staff diagnosed that the patient was suffering from acute appendicitis and recommended immediate surgery. The surgery was successful after one hour.

Currently, his health is in stable condition and he still stays there for treatment.

Vietnam proposes China speed up market opening for farm products

Vietnam expects China will accelerate the opening of its market for farm produce and resume seafood imports, making it easier for Vietnamese products to reach out to Chinese consumers.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu made the proposal during his talks with Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Nong Rong in Hanoi on March 10.

Vu also proposed China create conditions for Vietnam to establish more trade promotion offices in the country and increase the quotas for Vietnamese goods in transit by Chinese railway to a third country.

He also put forward measures to promote bilateral cooperation in the fields of investment, finance, transport infrastructure connection, education, and culture – sport.

He welcomed China’s recent decision to add Vietnam to the list of countries for pilot group tours from March 15 and suggested the two sides soon resume flight routes, and well deploy group tours, to bring tourism cooperation back to normal soon.

Nong, for his part, affirmed that China acknowledges Vietnam’s cooperation proposals and will continue to expand the import of goods, including promoting the licensing of more Vietnamese agricultural products.

China will encourage its businesses to expand investment, and work closely with relevant Vietnamese agencies to remove obstacles in several cooperation projects, he said.

The Chinese official proposed both sides accelerate the disbursement of Chinese aid funds to Vietnam in the fields of health care, education and improving people's livelihoods, and continue coordination in multilateral mechanisms.

The two sides agreed to continue fully implementing the high-level perceptions and thoroughly prepare for the 15th meeting of the Steering Committee for Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation and step up bilateral cooperation in different areas.

They agreed to increase cooperation between the two foreign ministries, by maintaining regular meetings and exchanges between their leaders, as well as between their agencies to share experience in economic diplomacy.

With regard to border and territorial issues, the two sides agreed to continue coordination in managing and protecting the shared border in accordance with the three legal documents on the land border and related agreements. The two countries will accelerate the upgrading and opening of several pairs of border gates, seriously implement high-level common perceptions; well control disagreements, and maintain peace and stability at sea.

Vu affirmed that Vietnam consistently pursues the mechanism of negotiations and exchanges between the two countries regarding maritime issues, and satisfactory settlement of disagreements and disputes in the East Sea through peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

He suggested the two sides maintain a regular mechanism of negotiation and exchange to address arising issues, providing humanitarian treatment for fishing vessels and fishermen at sea.

The same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son met with the Chinese official.

Bến Tre Province expands forest cover with eye on climate change

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Bến Tre plans to increase its forest cover, especially by growing mangroves, to mitigate the impacts of climate change and combine them with aquaculture to increase people’s incomes.

It will protect existing forests and grow new ones for environmental protection, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Đoàn Văn Đảnh, director of the department, said the province plans to plant 171ha of new forests this year.

It now has 4,470ha of forests, all in the coastal districts of Ba Tri, Bình Đại and Thạnh Phú and comprising 2,247ha of protective forests, 1,868ha of special-use forests and 355ha of commercial forests.

Most are mangrove forests that have low commercial value but play a key role in mitigating the impacts of winds and waves and preventing erosion along coasts.

The province has allocated more than 2,800ha of mangrove forests to households and organisations to protect and exploit, according to the protective and special-use forests management board.

The households are poor, do not have much farmlands or recently switched livelihoods.

They can breed aquatic species in the forests using extensive farming models to ensure a steady livelihood.

Lâm Văn Đồng in Ba Tri District’s Bảo Thuận Commune has been allotted two hectares, which has improved the life of his family.

Besides a sum of money he is paid every year for tending the forest, he also earns more than VNĐ10 million (US$400) a month from selling shrimp, mud crab, fish, and oyster he raises in the forest, he said.

The programme has helped many households escape poverty.

Last year the province planted 395,000 trees to create 140ha of forests.

It is implementing a project to plant 10 million trees in residential areas and forests in 2021-25, and plans to strengthen advocacy to enhance public awareness of the benefits of forests.

With a coastline of 65 kilometres and a dense network of rivers and canals, planting trees helps protect dykes and environment, according to the department.

The province aims to have forest coverage of 2 per cent by 2025. 

National Tiền Phong Marathon attracts record number of runners

A record of nearly 4,000 runners will compete in the traditional Tiền Phong Marathon, the national championship, in the northern mountainous Lai Châu Province late this month.

The annual tournament, which is in its 64th edition in 66 years, will be held over three days from March 24 by the Tiền Phong newspaper, Lai Châu People's Committee and the Việt Nam Athletics Federation.

Athletes will compete in different categories ranging from 5km to full marathon for both elite and amateurs of multiple age groups.

A total of more than VNĐ500 million (US$21,000) in prize money and a number of gifts are on offer. Apart from awards for outstanding individuals, organisers also give bonuses to the teams with the best results.

In the 42km for elite, national champion Hoàng Nguyên Thanh of Bình Phước Province will defend his title. Thanh, who is Việt Nam's first male SEA Games marathon champion, is the favourite candidate.

He must be faster than many potential marathoners such as Nguyễn Văn Lai of the Military and Lê Văn Tuấn of Đồng Nai.

While Tuấn is a well-known competitor in the running community after taking many top podiums, Lai is a secret threat to everyone. The multi-time SEA Games winner in 5,000m and 10,000m has just switched to marathon recently.

This will be his first official tournament but a high finish will push him to the national team for the 32nd SEA Games in May in Cambodia.

The women's race will see national champion Hoàng Thị Ngọc Hoa of Bình Phước, who also won a SEA Games bronze, up against National Sports Games winner Lê Thị Tuyết of Phú Yên and SEA Games 10,000m winner Phạm Thị Hồng Lệ.

Many other national team members also take part in the Tiền Phong event.

They are Nguyễn Thị Oanh and Phạm Thị Huệ in the women's classes and Đỗ Quốc Luật, Phạm Tiến Sản, Lương Đức Phước, Nguyễn Trung Cường and Lê Tiến Long in the male categories.

The amateur race will see national top marathoners such as last year's winner Đặng Anh Quyết, ultra mountain runner Trần Duy Quang and Boston Marathon qualifier Nguyễn Đông Định.

Thái Thị Hồng, Nguyễn Thị Minh Hiền and Nguyễn Phan Thuỳ Vân were the top three females runners last year on Côn Đảo Island.

They will have to work hard to defend their positions as raising star Hà Thị Hậu and Boston Marathon qualifier Thái Thu Trang will put up strong challenges.

During the three days, organisers will also hold many other activities such as music and dance performances, a local cuisine festival and an orchid festival to entertain runners and tourists.

Tống Thanh Hải, vice chairman of Lai Châu Province's People Committee, said late March was the best time to admire the regional orchid blossoms. Tiền Phong race would take place at the right time when the flowers are in full bloom.

Lai Châu expected to attract more visitors to the province and use it as an opportunity to publicize its unique cultural and historical values.

Tiền Phong Marathon is the oldest athletic competition in Việt Nam. The first event was held in 1958. 

Pencak Silat stars grapple with rule changes, limitations at SEA Games

Despite Việt Nam's international pencak silat dominance, they have lowered their target to just three gold medals at the 32nd SEA Games in May as they grapple with rule changes and limitations placed on the event by the hosts, Cambodia.

Although pencak silat originated from an Indonesian martial art, Vietnamese athletes have long been among the world's best.

The four coaches and 30 athletes summoned for the Games will compete in 13 tanding (combat) and four seni (performance) events. Their target is three golds less than the previous Games in Việt Nam last May.

Head coach Nguyễn Văn Hùng said the modest target is due to injuries and the rules and competition format set by the organisers.

Two key fighters, Trần Đình Nam and Nguyễn Văn Trí, will miss the Games due to injuries. Nam is a SEA Games defending champion, while Trí is the reigning Asian Games champion.

Cambodia has used its right as host to reduce several tanding events, including weight classes from U75kg to U95kg, Việt Nam's strongest categories.

It means that the champion of the men's U85kg Nguyễn Duy Tuyến and men's open class (over 95kg) Lê Văn Toàn are staying at home, while women's world U75kg champion Quàng Thị Thu Nghĩa is cutting weight to compete in the U70kg class.

Losing weight is a nightmare for every fighter. Their strength is diminished, their stamina is lessened, and they are more susceptible to injuries during training.

Việt Nam faces personnel problems in the seni events, as many veterans retired after the recent National Sports Games, and their replacements are inexperienced at international competitions.

Cambodia also regulates that every participating country, except for the hosts, can only take part in a maximum of 70 per cent of events in martial arts.

In addition, the World Pencak Silat Federation has issued a new competition format and altered how points are given to fighters.

Coach Hùng said it would take time for athletes to become fluent under the new ruleset. He hopes they will perform strongly at the SEA Games and then the Asian Games in September in China.

As part of their preparations, the team will follow a programme of three periods focusing on improving fitness, increasing strength and stamina, and preparing for competition.

It is expected that an intensive training course abroad will be organised so that athletes will sharpen their skills better before the Games. 

New discoveries at the Citadel of Hồ dynasty

The ruins of the Hồ Dynasty Citadel, a fortress in central Việt Nam built during the Hồ dynasty between 1400 and 1407, has recently undergone excavation, leading to the exposure of gates and walls.

The excavation in Thanh Hóa Province also uncovered vestiges of the Royal Road within the inner city, including green stone embankments and slate paving in the middle of the South Citadel.

It has also revealed details of relics such as rectangular bricks, decorative leaves of the Trần-Hồ dynasty period, flat tiles, grey trough curved tiles in the Lê dynasty period, and ceramic pieces of glaze from the Trần-Hồ dynasty period and Early Lê era.

Some clusters of stone cannon-balls and bullets were found near the North and South gates.

The discoveries demonstrate the unique characteristics in the use of large stone slabs in the Hồ Citadel.

The Institute of Archaeology and the World Cultural Heritage Conservation Centre of the Hồ Dynasty Citadel reported initial findings on four city gates of the ruins of the Hồ Citadel, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, at a joint conference.

Đặng Văn Bài, vice chairman of the National Council of Cultural Heritage, highlighted the significant contributions of the excavation to the understanding of the structure and construction techniques of the Hồ Citadel gate area throughout historical periods.

Thanh Hóa Province will focus on the overall planning and excavation of the South Gate of the Hồ Citadel to create a complete South Gate that will attract both domestic and foreign tourists. 

'Hanoi Thunder', an etchings exhibition

An exhibition of etchings by a London artist shows Hà Nội frenetic cityscape.

Entitled Hanoi Thunder, the gallery show serves as a retrospective of Simon Redington’s etchings. His collection of Hà Nội urban scenes, which are entangled and overlaid with landmark symbolism lead the exhibition.

Redington told Việt Nam News that “Hà Nội was a very different place than it is today. It was a town, now it is a big city. And I would like to say it’s quite easy to put up a town of blocks, quite hard to replace a thousand years of culture.”

Redington came to live in Hà Nội 25 years ago. Hà Nội became his muse and his work since has often focused on a dialogue with the city itself.

He took five years wandering around talking with people, going to festivals to search for the meaning of these particular images.

The exhibition has been delayed twice.

This body of work is displayed alongside prints from his earlier epic portfolio The Ten Kings of the Courts of Hell, first shown in Hà Nội in 2002 at Art Vietnam. These two series are supplemented by single standalone etchings from throughout his print career.

Trịnh Lữ, a 75-year-old artist, said: “I was particularly struck by the work Thập Điện Diêm Vương (The Ten Kings of the Courts of Hell). He has shown his profound understanding of Vietnamese culture and religion. I could see that he has a lot of respect for our country as he put his art in a very well-preserved place. It shows that he is completely enamoured with our heritage. This is also a way to facilitate cultural exchange.”

Redington takes inspiration as he says “from the masterful etchings of Rembrandt, the visionary illuminations of William Blake and the merciless insights of Goya”.

The event had a lot of attendees on the first day.

The exhibition is open until March 21, from 9.30am - 7pm at Work Room Four Studio, No 31, Alley 67, Tô Ngọc Vân Street, Hà Nội. 

Misconceptions put vehicle registrars in difficult position

After the recent indictment and detainment of several vehicle registrars in Hà Nội, those still working are now facing intense scrutiny and public backlash. Negative perceptions still linger over their alleged wrongdoings.

A staff shortage has left the remaining registrars to shoulder an immense burden as they work tirelessly to address the mounting backlog of vehicles awaiting registration.

With so much pressure to perform, these registrars are working hard to restore confidence in the system and meet the demands of their constituents, Lao Động (Labour) reports.

At 6am, Nguyễn Tuấn Anh - an inspector at the Vehicle Registration Centre 2906V (Thanh Trì District, Hà Nội), issued a waiting ticket for a customer's vehicle inspection. 

Tuấn Anh is one of the suspects recently charged by the Ministry of Public Security's investigative agency concerning irregularities at this registration centre but was allowed to work while on bail.

As he inspected the vehicle's underside and entered data into the system with one hand, Tuấn Anh was under considerable stress due to the severe staffing crisis at the centre.

According to Tuấn Anh, the centre previously had 27 employees, including registrars and office staff, working across four production lines.

Seventeen people have been charged recently, including six who have been detained and 11 who have been banned from leaving their residences. Some registrars have been sent to support other centres, leaving only eight inspectors working there.

The registrars have been encouraging each other to work hard, making the most of their time to meet the needs of people, and ensuring technical safety and environmental protection in traffic.

He also said that compared to sitting at home worrying, returning to work and serving people made him feel better and happier.

Given the negative news surrounding registrars across the country, Tuấn Anh has encouraged himself and his family to be selective with the news they read and to continue cooperating closely with the investigative agency to clarify the situation.

A vehicle registrar from Inspection Centre 2906V opened up about his profession amidst the "tsunami" of charges sweeping through the industry.

He described the difficulties of working in a polluted, dusty environment with a meagre income and the pressure of public opinion.

Despite earning only VNĐ8 million (US$337), he has to work hard to support his family. The inspector also suffers from insomnia since being charged and avoids answering the phone or going online to avoid negative news about his profession.

He hopes people can empathise with the hardships faced by registrars.

According to Trường, his centre resumed operations on February 15 with 17 staff members. After that, three people quit, leaving only four registrars to maintain one inspection line.

Since the centre resumed operations, it has encountered many difficulties regarding personnel and facilities.

Among them, four important computers were sealed by the police for investigation. The registrars are tired and stressed. However, they still try their best to complete their work.

Every day, they inspect about 70 vehicles by issuing paper tickets. The centre does not accept registrations by phone or app because priority is given to those who line up in person.

Nguyễn Đức Trung was also detained on January 9, but was released on bail after ten days. After contributing to the investigation, he was allowed to return to work at Inspection Center 2901V in Hà Nội.

Trung's family has been a great source of encouragement for him, and he said he was "fortunate to have his family by his side".

He wants to receive the lightest possible sentence because he asserted that he had done his job correctly and professionally in inspecting vehicles.

Trung said that although the vehicle inspection industry had gone through a crisis, if given a choice, he would still choose to work in this field. 

Hà Nội needs solution for sorting solid waste at source

The problem of domestic solid waste treatment is a challenge for the sustainable development of Hà Nội.

Article 79 of the Law on Environmental Protection in 2020 stipulates that localities must classify domestic solid waste discharged from households and individuals by December 31, 2024.

The deadline is less than two years away, but localities are still struggling to find the appropriate plan.

Up to now, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has not yet issued specific guidance for cities and provinces nationwide.

The Law on Environmental Protection regulates the classification of solid waste into three categories of recyclable solid waste, food waste and other domestic solid waste.

Hà Nội is the second largest city in the country with an estimated population of more than nine million people who discharge about 7,000 tonnes of domestic solid waste per day that needs to be treated.

According to statistics, among the 7,000 tonnes of daily domestic solid waste, food waste accounts for 51.9 per cent, equal to 3,600 tonnes, inert substances such as leather, wood and rubber account for 38 per cent (about 2,700 tonnes), and recyclable solid waste is 7.1 per cent (about 500 tonnes).

Currently, 98 per cent of domestic solid waste is collected and dumped in landfills, while only 2 per cent of domestic solid waste is treated by burning.

Therefore, the treatment of domestic solid waste becomes a vital issue for the sustainable development of the city.

The classification of domestic waste has been piloted since 2006. At that time, the city carried out a pilot project of waste separation at source, known as project 3R funded by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA).

With the aim to reduce, recycle and reuse waste, the project achieved many remarkable results.

After the pilot period, the amount of waste sent to landfills decreased by 30 per cent, which helped reduce environmental pollution, save waste treatment costs and extend the life of landfills.

However, in just three years, the project had to stop because JICA stopped funding the programme.

Currently, most dust bins in streets are too small so garbage is always overflowing out while garbage trucks are too old so garbage water flows into the street. Moreover, there are no separate vehicles for separate types of waste.

Temperatures drop in north before strong cold spell hits

Temperatures in northern localities on March 11 plummeted by 3 or 4°C compared to the previous day before a new strong cold spell is forecast to strike the region on March 12.

On March 11, it’s cloudy and foggy with temperatures hovering at around 23-25°C compared to 27-29°C as recorded on March 10. 

Temperatures will continue to drop considerably when a new cold spell grips the northern region, starting Sunday (March 12) afternoon.

A strong cold air wave is moving fast towards Vietnam, and it is forecast to hit the northern highlands on March 12 afternoon before sweeping across the northern region, said the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

The new cold spell, according to weather experts, will send temperatures tumbling sharply to 12 - 15°C in the highlands, and 14-17°C in the lowlands, including Hanoi capital.

Several localities in the northern highlands will even see temperatures fall to as low as below 12°C.

Meanwhile, temperatures in provinces from Quang Binh to Thua Thien-Hue will also drop to 17-19°C when the air front moves further inland.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, cold spells in late winter often have a short duration of impact, and the March 12 spell is no exception.

Temperatures are expected to rise slightly on March 14, and from March 15, it will be only cold at night and in the morning.

Parents cheated in child-health-related scams

Dozens of parents in HCM City have been tricked into transferring money to save their children after being told their children faced life-threatening conditions that needed urgent operations.

The scams have been uncovered after some local hospitals reported about some parents coming to look for their children.

Cho Ray Hospital has received seven parents looking for their children since last week. They told doctors almost the same stories that someone who claimed to be a teacher of their child had called them on the phone, informing them that their child had been taken to the emergency room at the hospital after a serious accident.

"We were asked to transfer the money immediately in order for the doctors to perform the surgery," the parents said.

Six of the seven parents had transferred money of between VND20-200 million each to the bank account they were provided before rushing to the hospital and realised they had been scammed.

Only one parent who lives near the hospital did not transfer the money but came to see his child for himself.

Some other hospitals including the HCM City Children's Hospital and the Nam Sai Gon International General Hospital have also reported the same situation. The Nam Sai Gon International General Hospital on Tuesday announced that four parents were tricked by the same scams in which someone told them by phone that their child needed urgent brain operation here. Two parents had transferred VND50 million to the bank account provided by the caller.

Besides warnings issued by the hospitals, the HCM City Department of Education and Training has also advised parents not to share their personal information on social websites.

Police are now searching for the people who made the phone calls.

USAID administrator visits HCM City and Mekong Delta region

Samantha Power, administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), began the second day of her Vietnam on March 8 trip by heading to Ho Chi Minh City.

She met with a local women-led start-up to hear how a USAID-supported app is boosting the efforts of freelance collectors seeking to increase urban recycling and help to prevent plastics from entering the ocean. On International Women’s Day, she highlighted the USAID’s strong commitments to empowering women to earn a sustainable income and advance locally-led solutions.

Power then visited a factory belonging to American-owned VF Corporation in order to observe its renewable energy systems that were installed with USAID regulatory support and are currently powering factory operations. She highlighted how the USAID is partnering with the country to accelerate its clean energy transition and achieve its net zero emissions commitments made at COP26. 

Next, she paid a visit to Phu Ly Pagoda in Vinh Long province where she heard from local leaders and members of the local Khmer community about how climate change is harming their harvests and negatively affecting the future of farming in the Mekong Delta region. 

Power concluded the day with a visit to one of more than 10,000 floating aquaculture farms throughout the Mekong Delta where she interacted with fish farmers and heard their concerns about the various impacts of climate change.

She heard about how the farmers are coping with changing water levels and growing salinity in the Hau and Tien Rivers, both which are two main tributaries of the Mekong in Vietnam.

The administrator highlighted that a critical part of the future of the bilateral partnership with Vietnam is USAID’s commitment to addressing the impact of climate change in the region.

Cultural tourism and traditional values promoted through festival

The Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Son Tay town, on the outskirts of Hanoi, will host a number of events to promote cultural tourism and traditional values.

Around 100 people will take part, including actors from the Theatre of Ba Ria – Vung Tau and members of 15 different ethnic groups.

The "Mua xuan va Tuoi tre" (Spring and Youth) programme includes a gong festival and other festivities for preserving and promoting the cultural values of the country.

A highlight activity titled “Thang Ba mua con ong di lay mat” (March is when bees go collecting honey) will be presented at the end of the week. Ethnic groups introduce special types of coffee and enjoy them with tourists.

Art performances about the spring and the nation are a part of the event “Mua xuan yeu thuong” (Spring of love) by the Ba Ria – Vung Tau theatre.

Visitors will be able to experience ethnic cultures at the cultural village space.

There are activities for visitors such as cooking family meals, playing traditional musical instruments and folk games.

Participants could also experience making traditional crafts like wickerwork. They could bring home products such as a lovely basket or a model of communal house after finishing.

There are also daily activities to introduce the cultures and customs of various ethnic groups in the country.

Events run throughout the month of March.

Mother drowns two children in Nam Dinh

A mother has drowned her two small children in a river in the northern province of Nam Dinh.

Chairman of Nghia Son Commune People's Committee, Tran Anh Duong, said that the incident occurred at 10 am the same day at the Ninh Co River.

"The 32-year-old woman was seen drowning her two daughters at the river bank," the official reported. "Some people rushed to save the children and took them to a local health centre but they were already dead."

The woman was taken to the police station where she told the police that she had decided to kill her two daughters, aged 5 and 2, as she was afraid that they would commit social crimes when they grow up.

According to the official, the woman used to work as a teacher at a local kindergarten. However, she was on sick leave since late last year due to depression.

The woman's family said that her condition has recently improved and on Wednesday morning she said she wanted to take her two daughters out for a while. The incident occurred shortly after that.

Local police are further investigating the case.

Kon Tum province hit by two consecutive earthquakes

Two consecutive tremors were reported in Kon Plong district in the Central Highlands of Kon Tum province during the early morning of March 9, according to the Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Centre under the Institute of Geophysics of Vietnam.

The first earthquake was measured at 2.9 on the Richter scale and was felt at 5:09 a,m. with a depth of 10 kilometres. One hour later, the second 2.8-magnitude tremor happened at 6:24 a.m. with the epicentre at a depth of about 8 kilometres.

Fortunately, the earthquakes did not pose a disaster risk.

The Institute of Geophysics is therefore continuing to monitor developments of the phenomenon.

Yesterday, an earthquake measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale also jolted Kon Plong district. In addition, March 7 saw the district record four minor earthquakes on a single day.

Drawing competition on European characters in Vietnam launched

The EU National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) in co-ordination with Hanoi-based Nguyen Tat Thanh school held a drawing competition on European characters in Vietnam.

The event is being held as part of European Literature Days 2023 and is open for all European literature lovers of school age from five to 18.

Contestants will draw and write about characters in famous European literary works, such as Don Quixote from the Spanish epic novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, little mole cartoon Krtek from a Czech fairy tale, and Peter Pan of the renowned British novel Peter Pan written by Sir James Matthew Barrie.

The organisers have not placed a limit on the number of entries for each individual. Entrants must submit their works before April 5.

The five best works on each European character will duly be selected. The winners will then take part in an exhibition during European Literature Days 2023 which is scheduled to take place in Hanoi this May.

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