Environmental protection is viewed as a focal, consistent, and priority task during the management, preservation, and sustainable promotion of the world natural heritage site of Ha Long Bay, stated head of the bay management board Vu Kien Cuong.

To help Ha Long Bay remain a green, clean, and beautiful destination attractive to domestic and international visitors, joint efforts by all local residents, tourists, and the international community are necessary, he said.

Located off the coast of northern Quang Ninh province, Ha Long Bay, the first world natural heritage site of Vietnam, was recognised by UNESCO in 1994 for its natural landscape value, and in 2000 for the values of natural landscape, geology, and geomorphology. It was listed as a special national relic site in 2009 and became one of the new seven natural wonders of the world in 2011.

In September 2023, the World Heritage Committee approved the extension of the world heritage site’s boundary to the neighbouring Cat Ba Archipelago of Hai Phong city.

Boasting globally and nationally outstanding values and holding many domestic and international titles, the bay has long been a tourist magnet in Vietnam as well as the region and the world.

However, this heritage is now under multidimensional pressure, especially environmental issues, as its onshore areas are adjacent to many localities with fast urbanisation while the bay is a venue for a wide range of socio-economic activities such as tourism, aquaculture, fishing, and sea transportation.

Cuong said realising the importance of environmental protection, the bay management board and local authorities have paid consistent attention to communications to enhance the local community, businesses, and tourists’ sense of responsibility towards the task.
He noted that the board has stepped up the collection and treatment of waste and wastewater, as well as the control over waste sources. Waste collection focuses on two zones – along the edge of the bay to prevent waste discharged from urban and concentrated residential areas, and in the bay’s core areas where tourism, services, and other socio-economic activities take place.

Ha Long Bay is also taking the lead in applying scientific and technological advances to environmental protection, especially wastewater treatment, he said, noting that with support from Japanese experts, the waste treatment system at places of interest is being upgraded to use the Jokaso technology, which treats wastewater at source by Japan’s biotechnology.

The quality of the bay’s water environment has been monitored quarterly and found to be within the permissible level under Vietnam’s standards. Besides, wastewater from tourist vessels, attractions, and coastal residential areas has also been handled.

In 2019, a campaign named “Ha Long Bay free of plastic waste” was launched by the bay management board and has received strong support from businesses, travellers, and locals to eradicate the use of single-use plastic products in tourism activities, Cuong continued.

In addition, authorities have also promoted the replacement of polystyrene in floating facilities on the bay with sustainable materials. In the core zone of the heritage site, tens of thousands of polystyrene objects have been replaced, reaching 94%, the official said, describing this as encouraging.

Hanoi prioritizes development of smart transport

Hanoi has prioritized the development of an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) as a key factor in creating a sustainable transport network, according to Nguyen Phi Thuong, Director of the city's Department of Transport.

He said ITS is an advanced application that aims to provide innovative services related to different modes of transportation and traffic management. It enables users to be better informed and make safer, more coordinated, and smarter use of transportation networks.  

Some of these technologies include emergency calls in the event of an accident using surveillance cameras to enforce traffic laws or signs that indicate speed limit changes. "ITS technology is being used around the world to streamline busy roads, reduce travel time, improve traffic quality, and limit accidents. In Vietnam, some big cities such as Hanoi have deployed AI application solutions in traffic control and piloted smart traffic models such as intelligent traffic management systems and open road ticketing," Thuong added.

The application of science and technology in traffic management and operation in Hanoi laid the foundation in 2014 when the Hanoi People's Committee tasked the city's Department of Transportation to renovate and upgrade the traffic light control center and peripheral devices.

"ITS provides real-time information and flexible traffic control solutions to ensure traffic order and safety, reduce travel time and costs, minimize traffic accidents, protect the environment, creating a smart and safe city," Thuong stressed.

Hanoi currently has about 2,300 traffic intersections, of which 540 intersections are equipped with traffic lights. Of these, 474 are monitored by the 54 Tran Hung Dao Street control center. In addition, the city has 579 CCTVs at 149 intersections to watch traffic, punish violators, and detect vehicles.

Smart traffic applications in Hanoi include a bus search application, surveillance cameras to ensure bus safety and order, software to manage road traffic infrastructure systems, and electronic passes on some bus routes.

The department also piloted a vehicle overheight warning system at the Thai Ha-Chua Boc overpass starting December 1, 2022. The signs help detect, classify, and identify oversized trucks and vehicles and display their license plate on the electronic board as a warning.

According to the Hanoi Department of Transport, there is currently no comprehensive study on the status and orientation of the application of modern technologies for synchronized traffic management and operation, especially the development of ITS.

"High-quality human resources with qualifications and knowledge in ITS management and operation still cannot meet the demand. On the other hand, most drivers use motorcycles, which makes it difficult to access real-time online traffic information and undermines the effectiveness of ITS," Thuong said.

He stressed that Hanoi needs a strategic direction to develop ITS within 5-7 years. The most important thing is to create a long-term, unified, and sustainable ITS master plan that focuses on addressing the shortcomings of Hanoi's current traffic and future vision.

Hanoi has set a goal to complete the digital transformation of operations in the construction, management, and maintenance of traffic infrastructure systems; create a traffic management database; and equip all expressways and national highways in the city with a smart traffic management and operation system.

"By 2030, it is necessary to establish Hanoi's Smart Traffic Operations Center to integrate at least 10 major functions, including monitoring, control, traffic information, violation handling, public transport monitoring and operation, electronic payment data integration, traffic demand management, freight transport management, traffic infrastructure management. Human resources must ensure effective mastery, use and operation of technological applications of the industrial revolution 4.0," Thuong stressed.

South Korean farm music performed in Hanoi

The traditional Nongak ("farm music") dance of South Korea will be one of the highlights of this year's "Vietnam-Korea Cultural Friendship Road" festival.

With the theme "The Friendship Road", the festival will be held from December 2 to 3 at Tran Van Lai Street, My Dinh-Song Da Urban Area, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi.

Nongak is a dance combining traditional wind instruments with a percussion orchestra, a typical Korean performance art inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014.

In addition to Nongak, the audience will enjoy the unique Korean drum dance art (Samulnori), also known as "the play of four things". Samulnori creates many folk-like rhythms that fully depict the agricultural life of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) of Korea.

Speaking on behalf of the organizing board, Chang Eun Sook, President of the Korean People's Association in Hanoi, said that Samulnori and Nongak have a strong and energetic rhythm that carries the Korean cultural identity. That is why the organizer chose these two art forms to introduce to the Vietnamese public.

This year's event is expected to have about 100 booths, offering many cultural and culinary experiences, displaying unique products, and promoting the image of Vietnamese-Korean agencies and businesses. Some large booths belong to the Korean Embassy, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) in Vietnam, the Korean Cultural Center, Woori Bank, and Samsung.

On December 2, the opening ceremony will be held with musical performances by popular young singers such as Hoang Ton and Liz Kim Cuong from Vietnam and classical music groups Pilgrim and Lieblings from South Korea.

The second day of the event will feature performances by a Korean traditional instrument group, a Korean b-boy dance group, and most notably, the legendary singer Wax.

Korean singer Chang Eun Sook will perform music that evokes nostalgia and beautiful memories. This is a gift from the organizing board to the Korean community living in Hanoi.

The organizing committee hopes the program will become a cultural event that symbolizes harmony between the two countries and promotes the development of the My Dinh-Song Da area, known as the "Korean Quarter in Vietnam".

The organizer also hopes the event will become a magnet for Korean and Vietnamese tourists, especially young people, to engage in cultural exchange and friendship.

Enhancing professionalism and effectiveness in hospital social work: A call for standardisation

The significance of social work in hospitals continues to grow, playing an increasingly vital role in medical facility operations, experts agreed yesterday at a seminar on social work in hospitals.

The seminar, hosted by the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Administration under the Ministry of Health, discussed the urgent need to standardise social work within hospitals, ensuring higher professionalism and effectiveness. It also invited feedback on amendments to a circular on the tasks and operation of social work at hospitals in the southern region.

Associate Professor Nguyễn Tuấn Hưng, Deputy Director of the Department of Personnel and Organisation at the Ministry of Health, highlighted that social work departments and groups had been established in all central hospitals in Việt Nam, with provincial and district hospitals following suit at rates of 96.8 per cent and 89.9 per cent, respectively.

Over the past decade, social work activities in medical facilities made strides towards professionalisation across legal documentation, human resources, training, scientific research and practical applications.

According to Hưng, the organisational models for social work departments vary widely across the country, with the majority situated under departments and faculties, particularly the Nursing Department (36.8 per cent). Only 18 per cent of units currently have a dedicated social work unit, while 7 per cent have independent social work teams.

Despite the progress, challenges persist. Legal documents governing social work in medical facilities exhibit limitations such as overly broad and general tasks, task overlap, and exceeding the capacities of social workers. Moreover, some leaders within the Department of Health and medical facilities show insufficient interest in social work, particularly in preventive medicine and population health.

Addressing the impediments to genuine development, Lương Ngọc Khuê, Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, noted the prevalence of part-time human resources (constituting over 60 per cent) within the social work field. The proportion of officers and employees with specialised training in social work remains low. Additionally, there is currently no standardised training program for social workers in hospitals or medical examination and treatment facilities, and competency standards are lacking.

Trần Văn Hùng, Head of the Social Work Department at Hồ Chí Minh City Medicine and Pharmacy University’s hospital, suggested the establishment of competency standards for hospital social workers, the issuance of practice certificates akin to other medical staff, and the inclusion of additional duties, such as assessing and providing psychosocial interventions, in patients' medical records.

Conference delegates recommended the establishment of social work departments in hospitals or, alternatively, the formation of Social Work Groups. These groups, not necessarily affiliated with specific departments, would allow hospitals to tailor their structures based on unique tasks, operational scales and organisational arrangements.

Furthermore, there was a call to support medical staff in their social work activities, providing psychological support and coordinating resources for financial and material assistance. Simultaneously, fostering improved relationships between medical staff, patients, and their families was emphasised.

In conclusion, participants agreed that the standardisation of social work activities in hospitals was crucial for ensuring professionalism, efficacy, and the overall well-being of both healthcare professionals and the patients they serve.

Travel time from HCM City to Cần Thơ to be shortened when bridge, expressway completed

The expressway from HCM City to Cần Thơ City, which is more than 160km long, will be connected and shorten travel time to just over two hours instead of the current nearly four hours.

The target can be reached when the two projects including Mỹ Thuận-Cần Thơ Expressway and Mỹ Thuận 2 Bridge are completed by the end of this year.

The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has requested investors and construction contractors to urgently speed up the projects’ progress.

A report of the Transport Construction Investment Management Authority (TCIMA) under the MoT shows that the Mỹ Thuận 2 Bridge project is 6.01km in length.

The main bridge is about 1.9km long, has six lanes and a designed speed of 80km per hour.

The road leading to the bridge is 4.7km long, including 4.3km long on the Tiền Giang Province side and 0.4km long on the Vĩnh Long Province side.

The project has a total investment of more than VNĐ5 trillion (US$206.8 million). It started in March 2020 and is scheduled to be completed next month.

The road sections are now completed, whereas the main section of the bridge was finished in the middle of last month.

The MoT requested the investor to direct contractors to concentrate all resources and organise construction all days to ensure the schedule, said a spokesperson from the TCIMA.

The Mỹ Thuận-Cần Thơ Expressway project has a total length of nearly 23km.

The expressway has four lanes and its roadbed width is 17m.

Its total investment is more than VNĐ4.8 trillion ($198.3 million).

The project started in January 2021.

Up to now, construction output has reached 76 per cent of the scheduled progress.

The bridge has been basically completed, and the asphalt work has been done for more than 8km.

In the context of frequent traffic jams during holidays and Lunar New Year, the MoT’s leaders confirmed that the earlier the projects opened for public use, the more effectively they would serve the society.

The projects will not only solve people's travel needs and limit traffic accidents, but also meet cargo transport capacity, contributing to socio-economic development.

Exhibition promotes Hanoi Old Quarter’s heritage values

Hang Gai Ward People's Committee, in collaboration with curator Nguyen The Son and Young Artists Group "From Tradition to Tradition," presents the thematic exhibition "The Story of the Street's Communal House" at Ha Vi and Tu Thi Communal Houses in downtown Hanoi.

The cultural event aims to celebrate the 18th anniversary of Vietnam's Cultural Heritage Day, which falls on November 23, and the Hanoi People's Committee's recognition of the Hoan Kiem Lake area - its surroundings and the Old Quarter of Hanoi - as a city-level tourism zone.

The exhibition features a variety of Hanoi's traditional handicrafts, such as silk, lacquer, and hand embroidery, as well as sketches and photographs of Hanoi, among others.

In addition, the new collection of brand identities of Ha Vi and Tu Thi Communal Houses will also be launched. By scanning the QR code, visitors can find useful information about these two communal houses, the map with directions to other relics on the website www.hoankiem360.vn.

Nguyen Quoc Hoan, Deputy Chairman of Hoan Kiem District People's Committee, hoped that the activity would help attract tourists and contribute to the preservation of traditional crafts in Hanoi.

"The exhibition aims to promote Hanoi's unique traditional handicrafts. It vividly depicts the historical history of Hanoi's 36 handicraft streets," he said.

In Hanoi's Old Quarter, there are many communal houses dedicated to the patron saints of the guilds. Today, there are still 14 communal houses dedicated to guild patron saints. For example, the one on Hang Quat Street worships the founder of the fan craft; the Kim Ngan Temple worships the founder of the goldsmith guild; the Hoa Loc Thi Temple worships the ancestor of the dyeing craft and others.

The Ha Vi communal house at 11 Hang Hom Street is dedicated to Tran Lu, Vietnam's patron saint of lacquering. The relic itself has an impressive architecture that bears artistic characteristics of the Nguyen dynasty: stone steles, bronze bells, worshipping cranes and thrones, spirit tablets, couplets, and horizontal inscribed boards.

Today, the newly restored Community House is like a mini-museum that vividly demonstrates the development of traditional handicrafts in the 36 streets of the ancient capital - Thang Long.

Meanwhile, the Tu Thi Communal House is located at 2A Yen Thai Street, which venerates Le Cong Hanh, the founder of the embroidery guild (1606 - 1661).

Embroidery has been practiced in Vietnam since the third century, but for a long time, artisans embroidered simple decorative motifs for royal fans or banners. In the 17th century, a high official, Le Cong Hanh, traveled to China as an envoy of King Le Chan Tong and learned more sophisticated embroidery. Upon his return, he taught the craft to the people of Quat Dong Village, Thuong Tin District, Hanoi.

Khmer people in Mekong Delta preserve Ok Om Bok Festival

The Ok Om Bok Festival – Ngo Junk Race is held in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang in the 10th lunar month, but some months before the festival, pagodas encourage Buddhist followers and young mento train for the junk race.

This is an important community event to preserve this unique cultural and sport festival and strengthen community bonds.

Early each morning, Ly Chi of Chau Thanh district goes to tend his field and remove the wild grass. As soon as he finishes his farm work, he practices Ngo junk rowing at Champa pagoda to prepare for the Om Bok festival. Chi is the key rower of the pagoda’s Ngo team. The 31-year-old has competed in four previous races. 

“When I finish my work, I come here to practice for the festival and to improve my fitness. I’m glad that many junk teams from other pagodas will come here to compete in the festival. The province has put a lot of work into organizing this event,” says Chi. 

A month before the festival, Champa pagoda is noisy with the sound of people cheering for the boats. Muscular young men follow the coach's whistle to time their rowing movements. 

“If we have new rowers on the team, we only train for about eight minutes at a time. More experienced rowers can train for more than 10 minutes at a time. We row four or five times in one evening. The rowers get better year after year,” elaborates Thach Hieu, coach of the Ngo junk team of the pagoda.

Lam Binh Minh, head of Champa pagoda’s Management Board and head of the Ngo junk team, says the most important thing is that all the villagers and Buddhist followers attend the festival. 

“Young people voluntarily support the pagoda, whose boat team has participated in every festival. It’s an opportunity to promote our national cultural identity,” says Minh. 

The Ok Om Bok Festival – Ngo Junk Race in Soc Trang province is also an opportunity to promote tourism, attract investment, and raise community awareness of tourism development.

According to Tran Minh Ly, director of the Soc Trang provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Ok Om Bok Festival – Ngo Junk Race is a traditional festival of the Khmer which has been held for many years.

“We hope it will attract more tourists to Soc Trang,” says Ly, adding the government has approved the construction of a deep-water port to tap the local potential for development.

Soc Trang has years of experience organizing junk racing tournaments and has the largest junk fleet in the Mekong Delta. The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism allows it to organize a provincial race every year and a regional race every two years. 

Malnutrition rate among children in poor areas likely to drop to 38% by year-end

The rate of malnutrition and stunting in children under 16 years old in poor districts and extremely difficult communes in coastal, coastal and island areas is expected to decrease to 38% in 2023 thanks to the implementation of a project under the national target programme on sustainable poverty reduction, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

This year, the project to improve people’s nutrition is provided with 270 billion VND (11.12 million USD) from the central budget, 21.35 billion VND (879,688 USD) from local budget and 1.2 billion VND from other sources, the ministry said.

A report from the Government showed that in order to implement the project, the Ministry of Health has organised a conference to give guidance on its implementation, along with eight training courses to provide professional instructions to 180 officials from disease control centres of target provinces, and published professional guidance.

Localities have organised nutrition consulting activities and provided multi-micronutrient supplements for malnourished children under 16 years old, and products to treat acute malnutrition following professional guidance of the Ministry of Health in poor districts and extremely difficult communes in coastal and island areas, as well as for children under 16 years old in poor households, near-poor households, and households that have just escaped poverty. The rate of children receiving vitamin A and deworming drugs has reached over 90% in target areas.

Meanwhile, localities have supplied multi-micronutrients to 46,402 pregnant and breastfeeding women in 1,089 communes covered by the programme, with a total of over 8.45 million tablets of the supplements. At the same time, they have distributed nearly 11.14 million vitamin A tablets of 200,000 IU and nearly 1.48 million vitamin A tablets of 100,000 IU to children between 6-59 months old.

Besides, communication activities have been strengthened following the instructions of the Ministry of Health.

Vietnam, Cuba strengthen military, national defence cooperation

A delegation of the National Defence Ministry led by its Deputy Minister Senior Lieutenant General Vo Minh Luong has been paying a working visit to Cuba from November 18-25.

The visit is made at the invitation of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, aiming to promote the two sides’ cooperation in building laws on military and national defence – a new area that they have potential and demand for.

At the talks with the Vietnamese delegation, Senior Lieutenant General Álvaro López Miera, Minister of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, welcomed the delegation and emphasised that their visit helps strengthen traditional friendship relations between the two countries and two armies.

The two sides agreed that since the official visit to Vietnam by Miera in June, agencies and units of the two sides have actively coordinated to realise the cooperation contents agreed upon by the two ministers, particularly the cooperation in military and national defence legal system.

Luong affirmed that Vietnam always treasures its relations with Cuba, in which their defence cooperation enjoys much attention.

The Vietnamese official also proposed the Cuban ministry support Vietnam in training relating to the military and national defence legal system.

The two sides affirmed that in the coming time, they will promote cooperation through delegation exchanges, training, and experience sharing in building legal systems, as well as provide each other with information and documents that both parties need.

Within the framework of the visit, the Vietnamese delegation laid wreaths at the monuments of Cuban national hero José Martí and President Ho Chi Minh; visited the National Defense College of Cuba, the Cuban Western Army, the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnam Defense Attache Office in Cuba; and met overseas Vietnamese military students.

Representatives from the Legal Affairs Department under the Ministry of National Defence worked with their Cuban counterparts.

Border districts of Vietnam, Laos strengthen multi-faced cooperation

Officials from the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum's Dak Glei district and Xan Xay and Dak Cheung districts of the Lao provinces of Attapeu and Sekong gathered at a conference on November 23 to review the results of their past cooperation and map out tasks, solutions and plans for partnership in the coming time.

Secretary of the Dak Glei district Party Committee Thai Van Tuong said the event aimed to review the implementation of the signed documents. The contents signed at this conference are favourable conditions for the districts to boost socio-economic development while ensuring national defence and security, and further cultivating their solidarity, friendship and cooperation.

At the 18th cooperation conference among the districts, the three sides agreed to maintain the time-tested traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation, thereby contributing to socio-economic development and bettering people's lives.

Besides, they consented to further strengthen cooperation on joint patrol to maintain security along the shared borderlines and create conditions for forces to search and repatriate remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Laos during the wartime.

In the coming time, they agreed to continue lifting cooperative relations in all spheres, conduct high-level delegation visits, create favourable conditions for trade exchanges as well as agricultural products; and stimulate and promote cooperation in socio-cultural areas.

On the occasion, leaders of the three districts presented gifts and 585 million VND (24,000 USD) for a friendship construction work. Dak Glei district also awarded 20 scholarships to impoverished students in Xan Xay and Dakcheung districts of Laos.

They agreed to hold the 19th cooperation conference in Dak Cheung district of Sekong province in 2024.

Experts share international experience in promoting carbon market in Vietnam

Experts have shared international experience and gave recommendations for Vietnam in developing the domestic carbon market, including completing relevant institutions and policies, enhancing the quality of human resources and infrastructure systems, and promoting international cooperation mechanisms.

Amid the inevitable trend of green transition, and low-carbon development towards circular economy, the building, operation and promotion of the carbon market becomes an increasing important tool, they said at a seminar in Hanoi on November 23.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu said that green standards are being shaped and brought into reality in the direction of associating international trade and investment with criteria in carbon emission reduction, sustainable development, labour and environment.

Meanwhile, new green linkages and initiatives are being strengthened, which is a good time for Vietnam to set up and raise its position in the global green value chain, the official said.

Vu underlined that the development of the green financial market, especially the carbon market, will be the key to successful green transition. However, this is not an easy job, especially for developing countries which lack systematic and quality green standards and criteria, he said.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Tuan Quang, Vice Director of the Department of Climate Change under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said that Vietnam has issued important strategic documents regarding green growth and sustainable development, including a roadmap for the development of carbon pricing tools, especially the compliance carbon market.

Initially, Vietnam aims to speed up the process of building regulations on carbon credit management and greenhouse gas emission quota exchange activities and guiding the implementation of domestic and international carbon credit exchange and offsetting mechanisms in accordance with the provisions of law and international treaties and pilot a carbon credit trading floor from 2025, he said.

At the conference, representatives from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) hailed the Vietnamese Government's efforts in promoting green growth and sustainable development, and expressed impression at the country’s commitment to net-zero emissions given at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). They held that Vietnam boast high potential in developing a dynamic, high-quality and efficient carbon market.

Participants noted that the compliance carbon market in Vietnam is being shaped. So far, Vietnam has had 150 projects granted 40.2 million carbon credits, becoming one of the four countries with the most registered investment projects under the clean development mechanism.

A number of European businesses and experts said that the EU's carbon credit exchange system has contributed to reducing emissions and promoting sustainable growth in profits without reducing the competitiveness of businesses, while creating new jobs and promoting the building of social climate funds to support those severely affected by carbon taxes and climate change.

The OECD representatives asserted that in order to build a carbon credit trading system, countries need to clearly define the goals and limits of the system and ensure legal transparency in related fields.

Representatives from international organisations advised Vietnam to pay greater attention to promoting a multi-stakeholder approach, strengthening cooperation among sectors, fields and levels, encouraging the participation of the private sector in the work, while building a carbon database.

They pledged to support Vietnam and cooperate with the country in promoting the carbon market.

Programme spotlights great national solidarity, cultural heritages

The “Great Solidarity of Ethnic Groups-Vietnamese Cultural Heritage Week 2023" opened at a grand ceremony held in Hanoi on November 23.

The annual event aims to promote the national solidarity spirit, and honour, preserve, and promote values of the cultural heritage of the country's 54 ethnic groups, contributing to raising public awareness of the importance of conserving and practicing culture.

It comes as part of the activities to celebrate the 93rd anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) (November 18, 1930-2023) and Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23).

Addressing the opening ceremony, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the VFF Central Committee Do Van Chien stressed solidarity is a valuable tradition of Vietnam.

He noted that the strength of the great national solidarity is one of the most important resources for the Party, people, and army to overcome all difficulties and challenges, successfully implementing the reform process towards prosperity, democracy, fairness, and civilisation.

 Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the VFF Central Committee Do Van Chien joins a cheraw dance at the event (Photo: VNA)
The leader requested the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to continue launching measures, particularly those in the cultural development strategy toward 2030, to ensure the conservation and promotion of ethnic groups’ cultural identities and make culture deeply embedded in social life, and foster the interconnected strength of national solidarity.

The solidarity-culture week is set to feature art performance festivals, programmes to enact festivals and cultural rituals, those to introduce traditional foods and costumes, and a photo exhibition.

Quang Binh takes drastic measures to fight IUU fishing

The central-coastal province of Quang Binh is taking drastic and urgent measures to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, with the responsibility of heads of Party committees and authorities closely attached to the implementation results.

Accordingly, departments, sectors, and localities continue to enhance their sense of responsibility, focus resources to effectively implement solutions to combat IUU fishing, and contribute efforts to get the European Commission to remove its ‘yellow card’ warning against Vietnamese seafood, considering this an opportunity to rectify fishing activities for sustainable development.

The province will ensure resources, arrange qualified and professional staff, urgently complete the overcoming of shortcomings and limitations in the fight, and resolutely punish organisations and individuals who intentionally commit illegal acts for their own benefit that affects national interests and the country's image in the international arena.

Attention will be paid to raising the awareness of fishermen and relevant organisations and individuals of the fight, and seeking effective solutions to prevent the province's fishing vessels from infringing upon foreign waters.

In addition, Quang Binh monitors 100% of its fishing vessels operating at sea through the fishing vessel monitoring system (VMS), and ensures that 100% of those with a length of 15 m or more entering and leaving the port must have sufficient documents and have the VMS installed.

The province now has 1,124 operating fishing vessels of 15m or more that have installed the VMS device, reaching 96.2%.

Vietnam joins ballast water management convention

The Government has agreed that Vietnam will join the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM).

A Government resolution to this effect was issued on November 23, under which the Ministry of Transport is assigned to coordinate with other relevant ministries, agencies and localities to put the convention in place.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will complete diplomatic procedures in line with regulations, according to Resolution No. 197/NQ-CP.

The convention, adopted in 2004, aims to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic organisms from one region to another, by establishing standards and procedures for the management and control of ships' ballast water and sediments, according to International Maritime Organisation.

Under the convention, all ships in international traffic are required to manage their ballast water and sediments to a certain standard, according to a ship-specific ballast water management plan. All ships will also have to carry a ballast water record book and an international ballast water management certificate. The ballast water management standards will be phased in over a period of time. As an intermediate solution, ships should exchange ballast water mid-ocean. However, eventually most ships will need to install an on-board ballast water treatment system.

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