President To Lam held the first-ever meeting in Hanoi on May 28 with and presented gifts to children of police martyrs, foster children of the Police Women's Union and communal police, and children of officers and soldiers who won national and international awards during the 2023-2024 academic year.

The event was part of the "Summer of Love" programme held by the Ministry of Public Security to mark the Action Month for Children, International Children's Day (June 1), and in the lead-up to the Vietnamese Family Day (June 28).

Maj. Gen. Ngo Hoai Thu, Deputy Director of the ministry’s Party and Political Affairs Department affirmed that the Central Public Security Party Committee and the ministry’s leaders pay special attention to about children's affairs and building happy, sustainable families for police officers.

So far, there have been 3,084 orphaned children with difficult circumstances are being cared for by various police units and local authorities. Among them, 1,886 orphaned children are being fostered and nurtured by Women's Unions at different levels.

President Lam reiterated the Party and State’s consistent policy of caring for the disadvantaged and families of martyrs, especially young children.

He commended the officers and soldiers of the People's Public Security, the People's Army, social organisations, authorities at all levels, and the public for directly providing care, fostering, and educating thousands of children living in need. Additionally, he praised the children of martyrs, poor children and winners of national and international awards for overcoming challenges and attaining outstanding academic accomplishments.

The President proposed that the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union direct its chapters to oversee the enforcement of the 2016 Children Law. He emphasised the importance of addressing social issues related to children, especially in fighting school violence, accidents, injuries and child abuse in disadvantaged, ethnic minority, border and island areas.

He also called for spreading effective childcare models and campaigns and assigned the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to effectively perform children-related tasks in the National Target Programme for the 2021-2025 period and the National Action Programme for Children for the 2021-2030 period./.

Int’l Defence Expo 2024 promises to provide memorable experience

In preparation for the upcoming Vietnam International Defence Expo 2024, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) Sen. Lieut. Gen Phung Sy Tan chaired a conference in Hanoi on May 28 to approve a plan for the economic-defence booths.

The expo, scheduled for December 19-22 on the outskirts of Hanoi, carries the theme "Peace, Friendship, Cooperation for Mutual Development". It coincides with the 80th founding anniversary of the VPA and the 35th anniversary of the All People's National Defence Festival.

Divided into three sections, the event will offer a multifaceted experience for attendees. They can delve into the VPA's rich tradition, explore technological advancements and digital transformation efforts in the Vietnamese army, and learn about economic-defence products, national brands, regional cultures, tourism, and specialties.

The Ministry of National Defence plans to invite over 120 international delegations from 50 countries to the event which will also feature business exchanges, military seminars and cultural activities, providing a platform for international networking and showcasing Vietnamese culture./.

Progress recorded in recovering corrupt assets through int’l cooperation

International cooperation in recovering corrupt assets have seen positive progress, leading to a higher rate of assets recovered from corruption, heard a seminar co-hosted by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Internal Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Hanoi on May 28.

Deputy head of the commission Nguyen Thanh Hai cited a report as saying that between 2012 and 2022, the rate of asset recovery from corruption increased to over 34%, and in some cases, 100% of lost or embezzled assets were recovered.

However, he also acknowledged persistent difficulties, including corrupt funds being hidden or illegally transferred abroad, limited coordination between relevant agencies and prolonged processing times and uncertain outcomes when requesting foreign judicial assistance.

According to him, the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) dedicates Chapter 5 to asset recovery, with crucial provisions that establish responsibilities and obligations for member states to follow rigorously and effectively within their territories. Therefore, studying international best practices in asset recovery is essential in the process of refining relevant Vietnamese mechanisms and laws.

Several opinions said while the Vietnamese laws are generally considered compatible with UNCAC’s measures and requirements, challenges remain in securing international judicial assistance for the extradition of corruption offenders.

Discussions at the event focused on proposals for improvement, including more detailed analyses and the development of asset recovery mechanisms that don't always require a conviction – these would be tailored to the Vietnamese context./.

Priority must be given to digital transformation, green transition: Deputy PM

Vietnam needs to properly prioritise digital transformation and green transition, emphasised Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang at the Vietnam - Asia Digital Transformation (DX) Summit 2024 held in Hanoi on the afternoon of May 28.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the process and economic development aimed at sustainable growth are inevitable global trends and the shortest path to a bright future for Vietnam.

He said Vietnamese people possess advantageous qualities such as intelligence, diligence, and a readiness to embrace new advancements, while the nation has policies and action programmes to proactively participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Quang also pointed out existing issues, such as the lack of mechanisms and policies to create a "runway" for technology enterprises to "take off." This field has yet to receive prioritised resources and be treated as a pioneering sector. In the global rankings, Vietnam stands at 150th out of 195 countries and territories in terms of leveraging green transition for socio-economic development.

He said that the country needs to prioritise investment in digital infrastructure, focus on technology workforce training, and ensure the availability of high-quality human resources. Additionally, there should be mechanisms to encourage startups to participate.

Vietnam should effectively exploit and utilise global technological achievements through international cooperation and expert connections to achieve digital and green transformation and develop a digital economy.

At this annual event, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung highlighted the importance of core technologies like semiconductors. The ministry has completed the final draft of the national strategy for semiconductor development, he noted.

Truong Gia Binh, chairperson of the founding council of the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA), said that green and digital transformation can only contribute to the development of the digital economy when there is sufficient human resources for these new fields.

The forum will continue through May 29, with six specialised workshops, an exhibition showcasing digital transformation solutions, and business networking activities between domestic and foreign companies./.

Japan helps improve medical equipment at national cancer hospital

Health Minister Dao Hong Lan and Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) – Vietnam Office Sugano Yuichi on May 28 signed an agreement on grant worth 300 billion VND (11.78 million USD) for a project on improving medical equipment at National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Lan thanked the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, JICA and Japanese experts for their support to Vietnam's healthcare sector in the past time. She said she hopes the embassy and the agency will support the hospital to implement the project in the coming time.

The minister asked the hospital to closely cooperate with the Japanese side and relevant agencies to complete procedures, receive and use the equipment effectively.

In Vietnam, non-communicable diseases cause 77% of the total deaths each year, and cancer is the second leading cause.

According to estimates by the Global Cancer Organisation (GLOBOCAN), in 2022, Vietnam had more than 180,000 new cancer cases and about 120,000 deaths due to cancer./.

Wartime bomb safely detonated in Quang Binh

The military command of the central province of Quang Binh coordinated with the PeaceTrees Vietnam project to safely detonated a 334kg bomb left from the war on May 28.

The bomb was discovered on May 27 by soldiers of infantry battalion No. 42 when they were doing gardening in their compound in Bo Trach district.

It was later confirmed to be a M117-750LB.

Only a week ago, a 340kg bomb was found in Ba Don township also in Quang Binh. It was deactivated by sappers of the provincial Military Command and the Peace Trees Vietnam.

Vietnam is among the countries most affected by unexploded ordnance (UXO).

Today, unexploded bombs and mines are hidden underground in almost all provinces and cities, with around 5.6 million hectares of land contaminated, equivalent to 17.71% of the country’s natural land area.

With joint efforts of the Vietnamese government and people, and the support of the international community, over the past 50 years, since the Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam was signed on January 27, 1973, Vietnam has cleared nearly 2.5 million hectares of contaminated land to serve resettlement, ensure safety for people, and build economic works./.

Vietnamese language class opens in German city

The Vietnam-Germany Association in Schwaben region of Germany opened a Vietnamese language class in Augsburg city for young people from Vietnamese and Vietnamese-German families on May 27.

The opening of the class was attended by representatives from the Vietnamese Consulate General in Frankfurt am Main and Gregor Lang, a member of the city’s council.

Addressing the ceremony, President of the Vietnam-Germany Association in Schwaben Le Thanh Huong stressed the importance of teaching the mother tongue to Vietnamese children born and growing up in Germany.

The association has been working hard to preserve the traditional culture, she said, noting that besides Vietnamese language classes, the association has held numerous cultural events and gatherings to help young people to have more chances to use the mother tongue.

The Vietnamese Consul General in Frankfurt am Main, Luu Xuan Dong said the consulate general plans to work with German administrations in localities on the teaching of Vietnamese language in public schools./.

Optimistic signs in Hanoi’s efforts for year-round bustling tourism

The total number of visitors to Hanoi reached 11.55 million between January and May, up 14% year-on-year, according to the municipal Department of Tourism.

Among these, foreign tourists numbered 2.64 million, a surge of 51.9%, while domestic ones totaled 8.91 million, an increase of 6.1%. Revenue from tourism exceeded 45.85 trillion VND (1.83 billion USD), growing by 23% from the same period last year.

In May alone, the capital welcomed 2.37 million travellers, an annual rise of 16.6%. Foreign and domestic arrivals increased by 46.7% to 496,500, and by 10.6% to 1.88 million, respectively. Tourism revenue for the month was over 9.19 trillion VND, up 23.6% compared to May 2023.

Notably, in previous years, the peak season for international tourists in Hanoi spanned from October to April, thanks to favourable weather conditions. However, this year, right from the beginning of summer, the arrivals have continued to grow strongly, a positive signal for its efforts in attracting visitors throughout the year.

Looking ahead, the local tourism sector will focus on enhancing the effectiveness of state management, developing products, promoting cooperation and market development, accelerating digital transformation, and ensuring a safe, friendly, and civilised tourism environment./.

Buffer zone communities to receive financial support

Each community in special-use forests’ buffer zones will receive an average of 50 million VND (over 1,900 USD) a year under a recent degree on several forestry investment policies.

The financial support will be prioritised for agricultural and forestry extension activities, the purchase of seedlings and breeds, and small-scale processing equipment for agricultural and forestry products, along with the construction of public facilities in such areas as clean water, lighting system, communications network, and rural roads.

The beneficiaries must be those who have well protected forests, had their estimates approved, and pledged to the management boards of special-use forests to safeguard the forests.

The management boards are requested to coordinate with communal-level People’s Committees to hold meetings on support plans with the communities.

Meanwhile, the communities are responsible for the implementation of the approved plans in line with legal regulations on grassroots democracy.

The decree will take effect from July 15, 2024./.

Images of President Ho Chi Minh’s journey in France displayed

Valuable images and documents about President Ho Chi Minh while in France were displayed at the Museum of Living History in France in an exhibition opened on May 28.

The exhibits, provided by the President Ho Chi Minh Historical Relic Site, highlighted the Vietnamese leader’s imprints in different places of France such as Sainte Adresse town, Gobelins street or Compoint alley, as well as his friendly visit to France in 1946, his meetings with many delegations of the French Communist Party and French politicians, and his interviews with French reporters in Hanoi as the head of the state of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam).

They give visitors an insight into a great man with a strong will, deep love for the nation, and a burning desire to find freedom for the people and independence for the Fatherland.

Addressing the opening of the exhibition, Le Thi Phuong, Director of the President Ho Chi Minh Historical Relic Site, said that the the exhibition is to recall the most vivid memories of President Ho Chi Minh's years of vibrant activities, his tireless efforts for peace and progress in the world, and his endeavours to build and preserve friendly and cooperative relations between Vietnam and France.

President Ho Chi Minh's activities in France helped many members in the French Government, French people and international public pay attention to and understand clearly about the country and people of Vietnam, about the desire for independence and peace of Vietnamese people, about the goodwill of Vietnam, turning the majority of French people into friends of the Vietnamese people, supporting Vietnam's independence and sincere and equal cooperation between the Vietnamese and French peoples, Phuong said.

She expressed her hope that the event will contribute to strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two peoples, providing visitors with a better understanding on the common history between the two peoples and build a better future.

Christiane Guilleux, a resident of Montreuil city, showed her excitement to explore the places that President Ho Chi Minh passed in his journey in France.

Eric Lafon, Director of the Museum of Living History, said that the exhibition helps enrich the Ho Chi Minh space in the museum which expects a large number of visitors during the Olympic Paris 2024./.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau cracks down on IUU fishing

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the southern coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Nguyen Cong Vinh on May 28 chaired a meeting on the results of handling violations of regulations against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

As heard at the event, local authorities discovered six cases and handed them over to the provincial police for further investigation, including violations of traceability rules and regulations relating to the vessel monitoring system.

Vinh called for continued serious implementation of all relevant instructions, noting the aforementioned cases must be strictly handled to ensure that no criminals slip through the cracks.

He tasked the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development with assessing efforts against IUU fishing in localities, and preparing for the fifth inspection by the European Commission's team./.

Muay Thai team to take part in World Championship

The national Muay Thai team will compete against some of the toughest martial artists on the planet at the World Championship on May 31-June 10 in Greece.

The best 22 athletes including Nguyễn Doãn Long, Hoàng Đình Mạnh and Lý Diệu Phước in the men's side and Bùi Hải Linh, Nguyễn Thị Chiều, Phạm Thị Diễm Trang, Huỳnh Hà Hữu Hiếu and Nguyễn Thị Phương Hậu will represent Việt Nam at the 2024 Senior World Championships.

The tournament will include all Senior Elite & U23 divisions with both performance and combat disciplines ranging from U48kg to over-91kg for men and from U45kg to over-75kg for women. Its rules will align with the stipulated IFMA Rules & Regulations.

Việt Nam's most well-known fighter, Bùi Yến Ly, who won gold at every competition level, will take part in the Greek event as a coach after she announced her retirement recently. 

The Vietnamese delegation set a target to win medals from this tournament. Among Vietnamese competitors, Hữu Hiếu is the most potential fighter. Competing in the women's 45kg class, the 25-year-old has topped the world twice in 2019 and 2021.

At the 2022 edition, they won four bronzes and placed No 29 in the medal tally.

Can Tho pilots Dutch-funded automatic trash collection system

The People’s Committee of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho has approved non-project aid worth 122,000 USD funded by a non-profit organisation of the Netherlands to improve the collection of marine plastic waste by litter traps and set up a recycling system on a trial basis.

The funding from Clear Rivers will be used to deploy trash collection equipment and design a recycling programme with the involvement of the local community, thereby helping to improve the plastic waste collection and management system in Can Tho. The activity will be carried out on Cai Khe canal in An Nghiep ward of Ninh Kieu district from May 2024 to June 2025.

The municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment was assigned to coordinate with Clear Rivers and relevant agencies to allocate the aid and ensure its efficiency.

At an earlier working session with the Can Tho People's Committee, a representative of Clear Rivers said the waste collection system includes a litter trap operating automatically without fuel to collect waste floating on the river into a bag.

The trap, 5.6m long, 2.3m wide and 2.4m high, will be cleaned by Clear Rivers staff twice a week, he said, adding that the collected plastic waste will be reused sustainably in accordance with a circular economy model.

Clear Rivers successfully produced many reusable products from plastic waste on rivers, including floating parks, furniture, and construction materials, he noted.

In April 2022, The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit environmental engineering organisation based in the Netherlands, also handed over Interceptor 003, an automatic trash collection barge, to Can Tho city.

Invented by the organisation, the solar-powered barge can collects over 10 tonnes of waste on Can Tho River each month, not only helping to protect the environment but also contribute to local socio-economic development and river tourism./.

Vietnam strives for tourist areas to be free of single-use plastics by 2025

Vietnam strives for tourist areas to be free of single-use plastics by 2025, which was heard at a workshop organized by the Vietnam Tourism Association in Ninh Binh Province.

At yesterday’s workshop on minimizing plastic waste in tourism, many solutions and criteria to reduce the problem of plastic waste and develop sustainable tourism were presented.

At the workshop, General Secretary Vu Quoc Tri of the Vietnam Tourism Association said that the country’s tourism sector has worked out a development strategy for 2030 for sustainable development and inclusive tourism based on green growth. Under the strategy, by 2030, the tourism sector will truly become a spearhead economic sector and develop sustainably. Vietnam will become a particularly attractive destination, belonging to the group of 30 countries with the world's leading tourism competitiveness, fully meeting the requirements and goals of sustainable development.

To contribute to achieving this goal, the Vietnam Tourism Association has launched a project to minimize plastic waste in Vietnam's tourism sector in collaboration with the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment with the sponsorship and accompaniment of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). After nearly 1.5 years of implementation, the project has promoted plastic waste reduction activities in tourism, contributing to environmental protection and tourism development.

At the workshop, representatives of the Vietnam Tourism Association talked about the criteria for recognizing plastic-free tourism businesses with the chief goal that all tourist areas, accommodation establishments and hotels will not use non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastic products by 2025.

To achieve this, the Vietnam Tourism Association also put forward several tasks such as the development, dissemination and monitoring of the implementation of policies and laws on plastic waste reduction in tourism while implementing the criteria for recognizing plastic-free tourism businesses and applying (App) plastic waste management to tourism businesses. Simultaneously, the association will also develop green tourism products without plastic waste and promote tourism promotion activities associated with plastic waste reduction.

At the workshop, experts from the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment also suggested a number of solutions to minimize plastic waste such as bringing a person’s personal water bottle and refilling instead of using bottled water which will be discarded later, bringing a shopping bag or using a reusable bag when shopping, using leaves to wrap food, dispose of garbage in the right place, collect and classify garbage at homes, workplaces, event venues.

Ministry proposes criminal proceedings against smugglers of foreign breeds

Leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development proposed criminal proceedings against smugglers of foreign breeds.

Due to continued illegal imports of foreign breeds into Vietnam, the Ministry requested localities to take preventative measures against the smuggling of foreign breeds.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien yesterday issued three consecutive dispatches to Quang Ninh, Lang Son and Lao Cai which have recently witnessed increasing smuggling of foreign breeds.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien requested chairpersons of people's committees of these provinces to direct competent agencies to have preventative measures to handle the transport and smuggling of livestock breeds and livestock breed products of unknown origin.

In the official dispatch, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development requested localities to strengthen inspection to tackle illegal transportation and smuggling of livestock breeds and livestock breed products across the border into Vietnam especially at border gates, trails, and openings in border areas. Local administrations can propose criminal proceedings against smugglers of foreign breeds according to the present regulations.

Police to make efforts to crack down on drugs’ disguise as confectionery

As drug dealers and street pushers have increasingly disguised powder and rock cocaine by dyeing it or concealing it in candy wrappers, police make efforts to crack down on this.

The Government Office yesterday issued a document on the implementation of the Action Month for Drug Prevention and Control in 2024.

Under the Action Month for Drug Prevention and Control in 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, Chairman of the National Committee for Prevention and Control of AIDS, Drugs, and Prostitution, requested ministries, agencies, and localities to direct the implementation of the Month of Action on Drug Prevention and Control from June 1 to June 30, with the theme ‘Joining hands to build drug-free communes, wards and towns’.

The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Public Security to carry out a nationwide attack on drug crimes with a focus on fighting and eradicating complex drug spots as well as investigating and destroying inter-provincial and transnational drug trafficking rings from ringleaders to retailers.

The Ministry of Public Security directs local police forces to review, analyze and evaluate the situation of drug addicts and illegal users, especially those with signs of psychosis caused by using drugs. Based on the real situation in the area, police forces will propose a strict management plan, especially in key and complex areas with a large concentration of workers, industrial and export processing zones, and large urban construction project areas as well as continue to effectively implement identification of people’s addiction status for preparation of documents and appropriate detoxification measures.

The Ministry of Education and Training, the Central Youth Union, and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor direct and disseminate anti-drug information amongst officials, union members, students, workers, and laborers. Information will focus on the consequences and harmful effects of drugs, tactics to entice and seduce teenagers to use drugs, especially synthetic drugs and drugs disguised in foods such as candy, drinks, herbs, e-cigarettes and other drugs and prevention solutions.

People's committees in provinces and cities and police forces will work together to fight drug crimes, eliminate complex drug sites and strictly control legal activities related to drugs while having solutions to effectively manage business lines with security and order conditions, to prevent bad guys from taking advantage of them to commit drug-related crimes.

At the same time, municipal and provincial people's committees in coordination with the police force review, make statistics, and accurately assess the situation of drug addicts and illegal users to manage drug addicts to deter them from causing social disorder.

Beware of 'accidental' bank transfers: new scam targets residents

The police of Thu Duc City (HCMC) yesterday warned citizens against a new scam involving 'accidental' money transfers to bank accounts.

Accordingly, scammers are using personal information to deliberately transfer money into people's accounts.

They then pose as debt collectors from a financial company and contact the victim to demand the return of the 'mistakenly' transferred money as a loan.

Alternatively, these ill-intention people may claim to be living abroad and want to receive the 'mistakenly' transferred money from the victim, requesting them to use an international money transfer service through a provided link.

If the victim enters their account information into the link provided by the scammer, all the money in their account will be withdrawn.

Therefore, the police advise city residents first not to spend the money 'mistakenly' transferred into their accounts. Instead, they should contact their bank to report the incident, request a bank account statement, and wait for the bank to verify and return the money to the rightful owner.

Second, when receiving calls from the bank regarding this 'accidental' transfer, people should verify the caller's identity by checking that the phone number is indeed from the bank.

They should never transfer money back to strangers without a third-party witness, and they should not transfer money to an account other than the one to which the money was 'mistakenly' transferred. Then they should wait for the bank to resolve the issue before taking any further action.

Pedestrian street opening proposed in Da Lat

Authorities of Da Lat City in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong have proposed launching a pedestrian street by Ho Xuan Huong Lake.

The city wants to pilot Tran Quoc Toan Pedestrian Street in early June. The 1.6-kilometre street will be open from 6-10 pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
 
The street will host cultural performances, cultural exchanges, street dances, and martial arts shows and stalls to sell Da Lat’s specialities on the street.

The city will install portable toilets, dustbins and decorative lights on the street.

Tran Quoc Toan Pedestrian Street, along with Da Lat Flower Garden, Ho Xuan Huong Lake, Lam Vien Square and Da Lat Night Market, are expected to help boost the city’s tourism development.

Da Lat already has a pedestrian street in the Hoa Binh area that often faces traffic congestion during holidays.

Lâm Đồng defers city expansion plan to 2026-2030

The provincial government of Lâm Đồng has decided to postpone the expansion of Đà Lạt and Bảo Lộc cities to the 2026-2030 period.

The initial plan aimed to merge Lạc Dương District into Đà Lạt City and reassign five communes in Bảo Lâm District – Lộc An, Lộc Thành, Lộc Nam, Tân Lạc and Lộc Tân – to Bảo Lộc City within the 2023-2025 timeframe.

However, the Ministry of Construction expressed concerns about the plan, saying that merging Lạc Dương into Đà Lạt could lead to a downgrade in Đà Lạt's urban classification from Type I to Type II due to a decrease in population density.

Additionally, the number of administrative units in the plan falls short of what was outlined in Resolution No.26 by the National Assembly's Standing Committee regarding the classification of cities.

The Ministry urged the province to revise the plan.

In response, the government of Lâm Đồng issued on May 24 a new resolution pushing the expansion back to the 2026-2030 period.

More than 2,500 runners to take part in Quảng Trị Marathon 2024

More than 2,500 domestic and international runners will take part in the Quảng Trị Marathon 2024 - Journey to the 'Land of Fire' on June 15-16.

Runners will compete in three distances, 21km, 10km, and 5km. The 21km distance has a special route starting from Đông Hà City and finishing at Quảng Trị Citadel, while the remaining two distances take place around Quảng Trị Citadel.

Stars of the national athletics team, such as Nguyễn Thị Oanh and Nguyễn Trung Cường, will compete.

Hoàng Nam, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, said: "Quảng Trị Marathon 2024 has a particularly important meaning towards the Festival for Peace held for the first time in the province.

"Coming to the event and visiting the monuments, runners and tourists will bring with them the dream of reunion and the desire for unity of the people in Quảng Trị.

"This is also an opportunity for runners to fully admire the majestic beauty of the 'Land of Fire' region with the glorious victories of the Vietnamese army and people through the running routes."

Nguyễn Ngọc Thạch, Editor-in-Chief of Việt Nam Agriculture Newspaper, said that this event will raise funds for the Gratitude Fund, spreading love and national pride.

The event is co-organised by the People's Committee of Quảng Trị Province and Việt Nam Agriculture Newspaper. It is also an important event in response to the 77th anniversary of Vietnamese War Invalids' and Martyrs' Day on July 27.

The race is expected to become an annual activity, promoting the development of sports tourism in the local development orientation and spreading the running movement in Việt Nam. 

Young golfers to compete in VGA Junior Tour’s fourth leg

The fourth leg of the Vietnam Gofl Association (VGA) Junior Tour will be held on May 28-30 with the matchplay format applied for the first time.

More than 40 players will compete for titles in age groups of U18, U15, U13, U11, U9 and U8 in three days at the Vinpearl Golf Hải Phòng.

There are two stages. The first stage will see golfers competing in stroke play format in 36 holes of two rounds to identify seeded players.

In the second stage, a group of two will be selected based on the first stage result to compete with each other in a single match to find out the champions.

In addition to competitions, athletes will take part in a US College Golf Camp and meet with golf coaches from the US. They will practise to sharpen their skills through games and exercises and strengthen their mentality during competitions.

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