The 27th Congress of the ASEAN Federation of Cardiology (AFCC2023) will take place in Hanoi from November 2 to 5.

The AFCC2023, themed "Cardiology at the Crossroads: Challenges and Opportunities", is expected to welcome over 2,000 local and international participants, including 300 leading cardiovascular experts as guest speakers.

The event, hosted by the Vietnam National Heart Association, will focus on cardiovascular disease management in the context of multiple co-morbidities, newly advanced interventions and technology, artificial intelligence, telemedicine, the limited resources of ASEAN and collaboration with other developed foreign partners and countries.

This is an important event for Vietnam's cardiovascular industry, and also a good opportunity for doctors in Vietnam and in the region to exchange and update knowledge and professional skills.

The congress is also an opportunity to spread health messages to the public in the fight against increasing cardiovascular diseases in Vietnam, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of cardiovascular health care for Vietnamese people.

According to the 2022 Global Burden of Disease report, cardiovascular disease has become the leading cause of death worldwide. Each year, it claims 19.5 million lives, accounting for one-third of deaths from all causes.

A worrying reality is that the incidence and mortality from cardiovascular disease is increasing rapidly in low- and lower-middle-income countries (accounting for 75% of total deaths), including ASEAN countries.

According to data from the World Heart Federation, it is estimated that each year in the entire ASEAN region, about 4 million people die from cardiovascular disease.

In Vietnam alone, statistics from the Ministry of Health show that about 200,000 people die from cardiovascular disease every year, accounting for 33% of deaths. The burden of disease and treatment costs has also increased significantly.

Vietnam is also a country with a high rate of hypertension, one in four adults has high blood pressure. Meanwhile, high blood pressure increases the risk of death from stroke by four times and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by three times compared to people without the disease.

Activities planned for World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

The National Traffic Safety Committee will organise many activities across the country in response to the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2023 (November 19).

Accordingly, communication campaigns will be launched on various channels, and a national memorial service for road accident victims will be held in mid-November in Hoa Binh province.

The committee will set up delegations to visit victims’ families in especially difficult circumstances in Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Hau Giang, Soc Trang and Dak Lak provinces.  

Vice Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee Khuat Viet Hung said that the activities are meant to raise the alarm about traffic accidents, enhance the public’s awareness about traffic safety rules, and call for help for traffic accident victims and their families. 

To raise awareness among students about traffic order and safety, all general schools will spend a minute in remembrance and read messages commemorating victims of traffic accidents at the weekly flag raising ceremony on November 13.

Universities, colleges, vocational schools, high schools across the country will broadcast traffic safety messages on the school radio system for a week, from November 13 to 19.

The numbers of traffic accidents, fatalities and injuries in the first seven months of 2023 declined from the same period last year, reported the National Traffic Safety Committee.

Chief of the committee’s office Tran Huu Minh said that 5,928 traffic accidents were recorded during the period (from December 15, 2022 to July 14, 2023), killing 3,428 and injuring 4,117 others.

The respective figures fell 659 (10%), 411 (10.71%), and 143 (3.36%) year on year.

Among the accidents, 5,858 happened on roads with 3,379 deaths and 4,104 injured people, down 9.88%, 9.87% and 3.25% from a year earlier, respectively.

Vietnam holds important position in Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: official

The Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (MEDJCT) of Canada’s Ontario province and the Vietnam Trade Office in Canada on October 24 held a workshop to review the 5-year implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and to promote Canada’s trade and investment to Vietnam.

Canadian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Maninder Sidhu said that Vietnam is currently considered an important partner of Canada in ASEAN and is the leading destination for Canadian goods in the ASEAN region, with a growth rate of 7% over the past 30 years. Vietnam is also considered a gateway for Canadian companies to enter ASEAN.

He said when it comes to Vietnam, Canadian businesses pay much attention to the people-to-people exchange and the about 300,000-strong Vietnamese community in Canada.

A Canadian delegation led by Trade Minister Mary Ng will come to Vietnam soon, which shows how important Vietnam is in Canada's international relations as Canada is implementing the Indo-Pacific Strategy worth 2.3 billion CAD (1.67 billion USD).

Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Pham Vinh Quang said that the CPTPP brings new opportunities to Vietnam-Canada's economic, trade and investment relations.

Taking advantage of free trade agreements, particularly the CPTPP, the two sides can exploit the potential of the dynamic region and have the foundation for common growth.

Ontario province makes up to 40% of Canada's GDP and is also home to large corporations and investment funds.

In 2022, Ontario province's exports to Vietnam reached 173 million CAD, more than doubling over the past 10 years. Ontario's demand for imports from Vietnam also continues to increase. Last year, the province imported nearly 7.3 billion CAD of goods from Vietnam, double the import level compared to five years ago and 10 times that in 2012.

Gender issues, social welfare highlighted in migration studies to better support migrants

Increasing migrant trends are calling for new solutions to ensure migrants’ rights and well-being, particularly for women, said experts at an international scientific conference on migration in social integration.

Scholars and professionals from Vietnam, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Thailand and China gathered on October 24 at the Vietnam Women's Academy (VWA) in Hanoi to share their findings from migration studies, especially in regard to gender issues, health care and social protection.

Hosted by the VWA and the RoK’s Chonnam National University, the event aimed at solutions that mitigate the downside of migration and enhance migrants’ adaptation during the social integration process, thereby promoting gender equality and sustainable development.

In the opening remarks to the conference, the VWA President Dr Tran Quang Tien said that migration has been contributing to socio-economic development, balancing labour distributions and promoting international exchanges and technology transfer. 

According to a 2022 report by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the number of international migrants has been on the rise for the past five decades.

As of 2020, the world counted approximately 281 million migrants, equivalent to 3.6% of the global population.

This figure is 128 million more than in 1990, and over three times the estimated number in 1970, said the report.

“Migration is also changing gender roles in the family, as migrant workers play an increasingly important role in the family’s livelihoods, financial and income improvements,” he added.

The shift in dividing household chores has been found to have positive impacts on the relationships among family members, said Dr Tien.

However, there are multiple issues that need more in-depth studies, such as social welfare, safety in labour and in the migration process, he noted.

According to a study on gender and migration by Dr Dang Nguyen Anh of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam placed second in Southeast Asia in terms of international migration.

With women accounting for 55.5% of domestic migrants and 52% of international migrants, the study also noted that there has also been a feminisation of migration which reflects the shift in gender norms and women’s roles.

The study pointed out that gender also affects the decision-making process of migrating, residing and even returning, yet this factor has not received adequate attention from migration studies.

Another study by Dr Truong Thuy Hang of the VWA pointed out that migration networks play an important role in social integration, both in the destination countries and when migrant workers decide to return to their homeland.

However, even with the increase in knowledge, skills and financial capacity, those who return might encounter challenges in life back home in terms of both employment and mental wellbeing.

Most migrants return to Vietnam still doing jobs that they previously worked at before migrating, unrelated to the skills and knowledge they acquired aboard, the study found.

This is due to a lack of equivalent employment, for example in high technology, for returning migrant workers in Vietnam, one of the district-level leaders in Hau Giang province participating in the study said.

Migrant workers who decided to return also face the stigma of “abandoning their families” from their local community.

A returned female migrant worker in Hai Phong city in the study also recommends that the local government have a way to provide mental support to returning migrant workers and their families.

“Local authorities should provide mental support as it is only with a happy spirit that they build a stable life. It’s hard to continue working if their mental well-being is not alright.”

Exhibition highlights Quang Ninh’s 60-year development

An exhibition on the 60-year journey of formation and development of the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh kicked off at the provincial Exhibition of Planning and Expo Centre on October 25.

On display are over 1,500 images, 40 clips, and 230 artifacts, spotlighting milestones and imprints, and outstanding socio-economic development achievements in Quang Ninh’s development over the last six decades, as well as its beauty.

The exhibition contributes to affirming and honouring efforts made by the local authorities and people to promote the locality’s development, especially during the renewal and integration period.

Addressing the event, acting Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Cao Tuong Huy said this is the largest exhibition ever in Quang Ninh, which creates connection between the past, the present and the future.

It offers a chance for people and visitors, especially youths to study and understand more about the locality’s development, he noted.

This activity is part of a series of events celebrating Quang Ninh’s 60th founding anniversary (October 30, 1963- 2023), contributing to promoting the spirit of solidarity, joint efforts, and tireless determination and the desire to develop Quang Ninh into a prosperous, civilized and modern locality.

Recently, authorities of the northern province of Quang Ninh have rushed to complete many construction projects to mark 60 years of the province's establishment.

Seven out of 36 district-level projects registered for inauguration have been completed, including four projects in Ba Che district and three in Co To district. The inauguration of the projects has importantly contributed to promoting socio-economic development in the localities.

Notably, a project to prevent flood along roads has played a crucial role in definitively addressing traffic disruptions in the rainy and flood seasons, thus facilitating local residents' travel.

Investors have committed to completing the remaining 29 projects in October.

Meanwhile, three among 12 provincial-level projects have been completed.

A wide range of activities are also being held in Ha Long city to celebrate the locality’s founding anniversary.

The city’s authorities are making every effort to complete the remaining two projects, which are the project on upgrading, renovating, and expanding a road from the intersection of the Ha Long-Van Don highway overpass in Trai Me village (Son Duong commune) to Dong Tra village (Dong Lam commune); and the construction of Quang La Secondary - High School (Quang La commune).

Accordingly, the transport project has received a total investment of more than 812.7 trillion VND. The four-lane road spans a total length of 10,118km.

Meanwhile, the education project has a total investment of over 197.5 trillion VND. Covering an area of about 4.17 ha, the school can accommodate up to 940 students.

Work on the transport and education projects has completed 73% and 98% of the workload, respectively. Both are expected to be finished before October 30, 2023.

In addition to the four projects, the city is also working on two other projects: upgrading and expanding Quang Ninh provincial Lung Hospital in Cao Xanh ward; and renovating October 30 Square in Hong Hai ward.

As of September 28, 35 out of 53 projects have been completed in 29 communes and wards in Ha Long city.

Students to vie for trophies of VSBL - Doppelherz Cup

The third Vietnam Student Basketball League sees a huge number of students from 75 schools vying for the Doppelherz Cup.

The league includes two tournaments, one for 50 high schools and one for 25 secondary schools in Hà Nội.

High school teams are divided into groups where they will compete in the preliminary stages from October 30 to November 5. The best 24 teams will advance to the group round.

The group rounds of both school levels will be organised on November 13-December 24 in the home-and-away round robin format.

The best two teams of each group will qualify for the play-off round, competing in a centralised venue which will be confirmed later, from January 6 to February 4, 2024.

The winners of the league will receive trophy, certificate and VNĐ10 million.

The two runners-up will take VNĐ5 million and VNĐ3 million, respectively.

The MVP of the VSBL will bag VNĐ1 million.

Huyền to retire after earning gold at National Athletics Championship

Nguyễn Thị Huyền has decided to hang up her spikes and retire after winning a gold medal at the National Athletics Championships held at Miếu Môn National Military Training Centre in Hà Nội.

Huyền, from Nam Định, continued her dominance in the women's 400m run, surpassing strong rivals and claiming top spot with a time of 52.92 seconds. Nguyễn Thị Hằng of Hà Nội secured silver with a time of 53.23 seconds, while the bronze medal went to Hoàng Thị Minh Hạnh, also from Hà Nội, who finished in 53.63 seconds.

Following her performance, Huyền revealed the 2023 National Athletics Championships would be her final tournament in her competitive career.

"I can't describe my feelings right now," she said.

"As I've grown older, I've noticed a significant decrease in my physical strength during training. Recently, the younger athletes have been training and competing exceptionally well. So, I was a little nervous before entering the competition.

"For me, this will be the last tournament of my life as an athlete. I will turn to a new chapter, that of a coach. It's truly emotional to reflect on my journey over ten years, which was intertwined with the running track and holds many memories."

Huyền cited family as another reason for her retirement. She has been married for five years and has a daughter.

"I want to return home and fulfil my responsibilities as a mother," Huyền said.

Huyền will run one more time in the 400m hurdles, at the National Athletics Championship on October 28.

Athletes to set personal bests at Aquaman Vietnam

The second edition of the DNSE Aquaman Vietnam 2023 will be back in action this weekend where Vũ Đình Duân not only defends his title but also targets his personal best for further career development.

The tournament gathers more than 1,500 athletes who will take part in two events, running and swimming in three categories, at the NovaWorld Phan Thiết Beach, Bình Thuận Province.

In the Sprint Aqua, athletes will swim 500m and run 5km. In the Half Aqua, they will swim 1km and run 10km. And in the Aquaman, competitors will swim 2km and run 21km in individual and relay disciplines.

The organisers will also hold a tournament for children -- the Aquakid – who will swim 200m and run 1km.

Duân is set to reach his peak in the last three months of the year.

As the Aquaman 2023 is set for October 27-29, it is time for him to shine.

Quang Ninh has two more special national relic sites

The Prime Minister on October 24 issued a decision accrediting the special national status of two more relic sites in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh.

The sites consist of the historical and cultural complex of the Van Don port in Van Don district and the architectural and artistic relic of the Tra Co communal house in Mong Cai City.

The Prime Minister has requested the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the authorities of the localities where the relics are located to manage them in accordance with the law on cultural heritage.

The Tra Co communal house is one of Vietnam’s significant historical, cultural, architectural, and artistic relics. It was designated as a national heritage site by the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports, and Tourism (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism) in 1974. So far, no historical or scientific evidence has been found to confirm its precise age. Various theories have been proposed, with the earliest dating back to the 15th century. Based on the architectural features that have been preserved, it can be inferred that the communal house was constructed between the late 17th and early 18th century. The site embodies a rich history and cultural significance, representing the architectural and artistic values of the Red River Delta region and inheriting the artistic essence of a historical period. In 2014, the provincial People's Committee recognized Tra Co as one of the 15 tourist attractions in Mong Cai City, which also included the Tra Co church, Tra Co temple, Xuan Lan Pagoda, and Nam Tho Pagoda.

The Van Don port, meanwhile, was once a major trading port of Dai Viet (ancient Vietnam). Existing from the mid-12th century to the late 18th century in the coastal region that now belongs to Quang Ninh, the port served as a significant and vital trading center for Vietnam at that time. Myriad merchants and ships came here from across Asia and Europe to engage in the trade and exchange of goods.

Other special national relic sites in Quang Ninh include the sacred Buddhist land and historical site of Yen Tu in Uong Bi city and a memorial site dedicated to late President Ho Chi Minh on Co To island.

The Yen Tu relic site features many pagodas on Yen Tu Mountain. Here, King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308), the third king of the Tran dynasty, founded the Truc Lam Zen Buddhist sect.

On May 9, 1961, President Ho Chi Minh visited the Co To, the only destination he allowed to erect a statue of him when he was still alive. The memorial site was built in 1968, recognized as a national relic site in 1997, and received its latest accreditation in mid-January 2022.

In 2023, Quang Ninh – home to UNESCO-recognised Ha Long Bay – strives to become a "can't-miss" destination in Vietnam. It aims to attract 15 million visitors, 500,000 visitors higher than the figure in 2019 before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. During January – September, the locality hosted 13 million visitors, up more than 40 percent year-on-year.

Festival to honor craft villages in rural Hanoi

The 4th Festival of Phu Xuyen District's Craft Villages will run from October 26 to 29, with 220 booths showcasing handicrafts from 1,000 villages, OCOP (One Commune-One Product) items, and culinary quintessence of Phu Xuyen and other districts in Hanoi and 15 provinces and cities nationwide.

The event aims to celebrate OCOP products and promote sustainable consumption in Hanoi.

At the event, the organizing committee will announce the decision of the City People's Committee to recognize the Leather Shoe Craft Village in Phu Yen Commune as a tourist destination and the inauguration of the e-commerce platform of Phu Xuyen District, among other activities.

The festival program includes a ceremony dedicated to the ancestors of traditional craft villages; a palanquin procession of ancestors in Phu Tuc, Chuyen My, Phu Yen, Phuong Duc, and Van Tu communes; introduction tours of handicraft villages; skill demonstrations by artisans making to he (traditional toy figurines), bamboo and rattan products, and mother-of-pearl inlay handicrafts.

Visitors can also enjoy local folk games and traditional music performances.

Le Van Binh, Chairman of Phu Xuyen District People's Committee, said that the above activities will help Phu Xuyen to showcase its strengths in socio-economic and cultural development, promote brands, and expand markets.

According to Binh, Phu Xuyen, with the advantage of being close to downtown Hanoi and a transportation hub between central Hanoi and neighboring provinces, is the cradle of many famous handicraft villages such as Phu Yen leather shoes, Van Tu garments, Chuyen My pearl mosaic, Tan Dan and Van Nhan furniture, Dai Thang metal engineering, and Phu Tuc rattan products.

Phu Xuyen is known as the "District of Craft Villages," with all of its 154 villages engaged in some business models, in addition to rice farming, of which 43 villages have been recognized as traditional craft villages by the Hanoi People's Committee.

"The fact that the products of Phu Xuyen District's craft villages are sold throughout the country, and the world contributes to promoting local economic development and improving the lives of people in the area, as well as spreading the district's culture and creating favorable conditions for the development of craft village tourism," Binh said.

The local leader hopes visitors will feel an impressive space with famous handicrafts of Phu Xuyen District and enjoy special art shows honoring the traditional cultural heritage.

Relaxed visa policy opens new period of Vietnam-Hong Kong partnership: Diplomat

The relaxed visa policy by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China) for Vietnamese citizens will open a new period of bilateral partnership, stated Vietnamese Consul General in Hong Kong Pham Binh Dam.

The diplomat held that the policy will allow Vietnamese businesses and people to start up and seek employment opportunities in Hong Kong, while exploring the capital market to exploit Hong Kong's financial services for the development of the Vietnamese economy in general and Vietnamese businesses in particular.

On October 25, Hong Kong officially granted working visa to Vietnamese workers and loosened its multiple-entry visa policy for Vietnamese visitors. Earlier in 2021, Hong Kong started granting visa for Vietnamese students.

According to the Consul General, in terms of economy and trade, Vietnam and Hong Kong is the 10th biggest partner of each other. Hong Kong was one of the first to invest in Vietnam after the country opened its door, he noted, holding that the two economies can supplement each other.

Therefore, Hong Kong’s opening of its labour market to Vietnam amid its shortage of human resources in various areas will create many employment opportunities for Vietnamese labourers and businesses, he said.

Meanwhile, Associate Prof. Nguyen Tuan Anh from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) said that one of the priorities of Vietnamese students when choosing Hong Kong as their place for studying is to seek jobs after graduation. Thus, the limited visa policy that Hong Kong applied previously caused difficulties for them.

Anh held that Hong Kong’s issuance of visas to Vietnamese people will help promote cooperation and academic and research exchange between the two sides, contributing to promoting science-technology partnership between Vietnam and Hong Kong.
In early 2024, the HKUST will invite a number of graduates from the University of Natural Sciences – Vietnam National University Hanoi to conduct joint short-term researches in the KHUST, he said.

Dr. Nguyen Phuong Anh, a researcher at Zeta Motion Hong Kong company, said that Hong Kong is facing a serious shortage of computer programmers, expressing his hope that the relaxed policy will enable Vietnamese workers to access an open international working environment.

Experts are optimistic that along with the sound relations between Vietnam and Hong Kong in recent years, the new visa policy for Vietnamese workers and travelers will open up abundant employment and business chances for Vietnamese workers and enterprises, contributing to further promoting the bilateral partnership. 

Culture week promotes Hanoi’s craft village tourism

A culture, tourism, and trade week kicked off in Van Phuc Silk Village in Ha Dong district, Hanoi on October 26, aiming to promote the traditional cultural values and attract more tourists to the locality.

Themed “Van Phuc, colours of integration”, the eight-day event features a series of activities, including a procession ceremony to honour the craft village’s ancestors, an exhibition to introduce Hanoi’s handicraft products, a show of “ao dai” (traditional long dress) made from local silk, an art performance programme, and a calligraphy contest.

Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ha Dong district Pham Van Chien said through the event, the locality wants to introduce the unique cultural values of Van Phuc traditional silk village to domestic and foreign visitors, thus promoting its potential and strengths in the fields of creative design and cultural industry.

The event, which is part of activities in the framework of the ongoing Vietnam Craft Villages Festival 2023 and Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2023, is hoped to promote attractive destinations and traditional festivals, intangible culture heritages, craft villages, and the culinary art of Hanoi, he added.

With a history of more than 1,200 years, Van Phuc is proud to be the most ancient silk weaving village in Vietnam. Van Phuc silk once was used to make royal clothing and its silk items were favoured during the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945. Introduced at the Marseille International Trade Fair in 1931, Van Phuc silk became widely valued for its sophistication.

Since 1990, Van Phuc silk has been exported to many countries around the world.

Kumho Asiana foundation grants scholarships to Vietnamese students

The Republic of Korea’s Kumho Asiana-Vietnam Scholarship and Cultural Foundation will present scholarships to 63 selected Vietnamese students from seven universities across the countries.

Accordingly, the scholarship, each worth from 20 million to 30 million VND ( 812 USD – 1.200 USD), will be awarded to first-year students who have high scores in the 2023 university admission exams and are from disadvantaged backgrounds.

They will be selected by seven training institutions namely the Vietnam National University - Hanoi, University of Industrial Economics and Technology, Hanoi Medical University; Hanoi University of Civil Engineering; Hue University; Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Kumho Asiana founded Kumho Asiana Vietnam Scholarship & Cultural Foundation (KVSC) in 2007, which not only presents one-time scholarship to selected students but also grant scholarship throughout the course.

Tetanus infections on the rise in Hanoi capital

The capital of Hanoi has seen 23 patients suffer from tetanus since the beginning of the year, marking an a two-fold increase compared to the same period last year, with two deaths recorded.

The Hanoi Centre for Disease Control (CDC) stated on October 25 that the city had recorded a new patient with tetanus.

A 60-year-old man residing in Ba Dinh district had gone to Saint Paul General Hospital after having two injured legs on gas burns. While receiving treatment, he suffered lower extremity spasticity, jaw stiffness, and limited movement.

He was then admitted to Bach Mai Hospital and subsequently diagnosed with tetanus. Most notably, the patient had not been vaccinated against the disease.

Health experts noted that the infection rate amongst manual labourers and males is higher than amongst females who are usually injected with the vaccine during pregnancy.

Common initial symptoms of tetanus are a headache and muscular stiffness in the jaw (lockjaw), followed by stiffness of the neck, difficulty in swallowing, a hardening of abdominal muscles, spasms, sweating, and fever. Symptoms usually begin around eight days following infection, but onset may range from three days to three weeks. Due to the seriousness of the infection, patients should be taken to a hospital for treatment immediately or they may die.

The number of tetanus patients is increasing because people eschew vaccinations or neglect the need for booster shots, according to doctors.

HCM City speeds up digital transformation for growth

Võ Thị Trung Trinh, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Information and Communication, said the city has concentrated on establishing digital data to share, exploit, and analyse on its way of becoming a digital economy, society, and government, and smart city by 2030.

The city is one of the five leading localities in the country for digital transformation, with most administrative procedures available for use online.

The rate of administrative documents handled online has reached 60 per cent. The minimum percentage of online administrative documents successfully processed online at the municipal, district and ward levels are 50 per cent, 40 per cent, and 35 per cent, respectively.

Trinh said that digital transformation and data management is a long-term project that needs adjustment from time to time to better exploit advanced technologies.

“Therefore, it is necessary to form an agency to chair this process and devise suitable solutions so that the integration and designing of common digital services for the city are more effective,” she said.

All state agencies are now focusing on data development, connection, sharing, and analysis for the growth of a digital government, society, and economy, where residents and businesses only need to provide information once for all online public services and businesses can access shared data by State offices for manufacturing and trading purposes, she said.

“State agencies use data that are provided by formal information systems and updated in real time to reduce manual reports,” she added.

Statistics from the Department of Information and Communications show that the city occupies the second position in digital transformation nationwide thanks to impressive achievements.

According to a report from the Ministry of Information and Communications, the digital economy contributed about 18.7 per cent of the city's gross regional domestic product (GRDP) last year.

There are now more than 7,000 ICT businesses working in the city with a total e-commerce value of US$7.8 billion, accounting for nearly half of the country's total.

The city has set various targets for its digital transformation by 2030.

Operations of the digital government apparatus in the city are transforming to boost the growth of a digital society and economy.

It strives to become a healthcare centre of Việt Nam and the ASEAN region with a medical ecosystem of 6,000 modern clinics and hospitals that provide medical care, and implement AI in disease diagnosis and treatment.

It is developing a booming digital economy with an expected contribution of 25 per cent and 40 per cent to the city's GRDP in 2025 and 2030, respectively, to maintain the national leading position economically.

Nguyễn Trúc Vân, director of the city Centre for Socio-Economic Simulation and Forecast, said in order to develop its digital economy, the city needs to increase its economic competitiveness via favourable conditions for the implementation of digital technologies among businesses of all scales and digital levels.

“It also needs the participation of localities in the development of industries, and the preparation of a proper legal frame for the digital economy where new business models and digital industry clusters exist,” she said.

To accelerate digital transformation, the city is upgrading its digital infrastructure, tightening information security, introducing digital platforms for important city-level information systems, forming an innovative ecosystem, and implementing AI-related technologies.

“This transformation is a long-term plan requiring the cooperation of the whole political system, businesses, and residents, with the ultimate aim of turning the city into a smart one,” vice chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Dương Anh Đức said.

The city has launched a system to collect necessary information to serve administrative tasks based on data.

This system helps city leaders monitor and comprehensively evaluate the socio-economic status of the city so that they can quickly respond to issues arising in the community.

HCM City is the national leader in digitising 12 million civil status books in the four fields of marriage registration, birth registration, death registration, and parent-children recognition registration.

It has completed the database on schools, classes, students, teachers, and other educational employees.

It is on the way to building the database for high school graduation and qualifications. These valuable data are expected to serve the educational management of the city.

A geographic database at the scales of 1:2,000 and 1:5,000 with 87 data layers for map creation has been completed.

The city uses the hotline 1022 to receive feedback and reports from its dwellers and has formed a system for the municipal authorities to monitor the handling of these reports. 

Bắc Giang initiates social housing projects for workers

Bắc Giang Province is working towards its goal of addressing housing concerns for about 80 per cent of beneficiaries of social housing policies by 2025, with priority on workers in industrial zones and industrial clusters.

In the upcoming time, the People's Committees of city and districts will focus resources on land clearance for social housing projects for workers, according to Phan Thế Tuấn, vice chairman of the provincial People's Committee. 

Investors involved in the social housing projects will accelerate construction progress for projects on allocated land and with construction permits.

The investors will also conduct investment, construction, business and real estate project management in accordance with the law, ensuring full and accurate disclosure of information regarding the projects and real estate for business purposes. 

They will refrain from mobilising capital until they meet the conditions for real estate business as prescribed by the law.

Bắc Giang province has given preference to planning social housing projects for workers in locations near industrial zones and clusters. 

It has also reserved land development funds for social housing for workers in urban planning. 

From June 2021 to now, the provincial People's Committee has approved 10 planning projects, with an area of about 944.46ha, of which about 187.79ha are for residential land and approximately 50.27ha for social housing.

Currently, there are 12 social housing projects for workers in Bắc Giang, either in progress or in the phase of feasibility studies and land clearance compensation. 

These projects occupy about 76.73ha of land, with a total investment of over VNĐ19,800 billion (US$813.88 million), and will provide accommodation for around 94,644 workers.

In 2022, two social housing projects for workers in Bắc Giang were completed and put into use, addressing the housing needs of around 15,000 workers. 

Image of Long Biên Bridge wins first prize of logo design contest

An image of Long Biên Bridge with a sunny background by author Bùi Bảo Đạt won the Winning Prize in a logo design contest held by Long Biên District, Hà Nội.

Overcoming 347 entries, Đạt received the VNĐ150 million prize with the project "Prosperous Flow - Long Biên Imprint".

Speaking about the winning work, Đạt said he came up with the idea and drew it in seven days. The design takes the image of the Long Biên bridge, which is familiar to the people in the capital as well as the whole country, with the sun shining behind.

“The image of the bridge shows movement, the colours change over time from dawn to dusk, through the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The logo's message aims at a strong, sustainable connection from the past to the present and the future,” said Đạt.

The contest's organisation board also awarded the Impressive Prize, worth VNĐ50 million, to artist Trần Thiên Quý. The Idea Prize, worth VNĐ25 million, went to artists Hà Huy Khánh while Nguyễn Văn Sao pocketed the Distribution Prize, worth VNĐ25 million.

Chairman of Long Biên District Nguyễn Mạnh Hà awarded the prizes to the four winners of the contest at a ceremony on October 26.

“Creative ideas about Long Biên are truly vivid proof of the district's potential and aspiration to grow to become the central urban area in the North of Hà Nội," said Hà.

The contest is one of a series of activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Long Biên District (November 6, 2003 - November 6, 2023).

The contest aims to promote the image of Long Biên District with a youthful, dynamic and progressive new vitality.

The contest was launched by the People's Committee of Long Biên District in coordination with Việt Nam Architecture Magazine since May 25.

Long Biên District was established in 2003, with an area of ​​60.38 square kilometres, and a population in 2019 of more than 300,000. It is located on the left bank of the Red River, connected to the centre of the Hà Nội through the Long Biên, Chương Dương and Vĩnh Tuy bridges.

Short Film Festival in HCM CITY kicks off on October 27

The first Short Film Festival in HCM City has received 96 submissions, including 60 fiction films, 23 documentaries, and 13 animations from both professional and amateur filmmakers, showcasing a diverse range of topics.

The festival is organised by the People's Committee of HCM City, HCM City Film Association, and the HCM City Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; and produced by HCM City Television.

The judging criteria for this festival prioritise creative films centered around HCM City, its historical and revolutionary traditions, and efforts in combating COVID-19.

The maximum duration is 15 minutes for documentaries, 10 minutes for animations, and 45 minutes for fiction films.

The preliminary judging panel, consisting of nine members, evaluated the films on Tuesday and Wednesday to select the deserving winners of the prestigious Golden Bee Award for the best films.

Once approved by the Evaluation and Film Classification Council, the selected films will be screened for free at Cinestar Hai Bà Trưng, Youth Cultural House, HCM City University of Theatre and Cinema, as well as on television channels in HCM City, An Giang, Vĩnh Long, Bạc Liêu, Bến Tre and Quảng Trị.

The opening ceremony of the Short Film Festival in HCM City will take place today, and the closing ceremony and award presentation will be held on Sunday evening at the HCM Opera House.

The organising committee will award one first prize; one second prize; three third prizes; and three honorable mentions for each category, namely fiction films, documentaries, and animations.

Awards will be given for directing, screenplay, design, music, and outstanding male/female lead actors.

Winners will receive support to participate in at least one international film festival in the region or worldwide.

As part of the event, a seminar on "The Power of Short Films in Driving Social Transformation and Development in HCM City" will be held on Saturday at the Union of Arts and Literature Associations of HCM City in District 3.

Additionally, there will be exchange programmes and meetings between established filmmakers and young filmmakers, as well as the release of the festival's commemorative publication during the event.

The Short Film Festival in HCM City aims to be a biennial professional cinematic event.

Travelling kiosk of French fashion magazine stops over in Hà Nội

The public in Hà Nội can explore the imaginative and innovative spirit of Le Monde d’Hermès magazine – a publication by the French luxury fashion house Hermes, through several exciting activities.

Presented at the Diên Hồng Park close to Hoàn Kiếm Lake from October 26 to 29, the publication kiosk offers visitors a glimpse into the creativity, curiosity and diversity of the Hermès world through stunning visuals and captivating conversations.

Guests can immerse themselves in the world of “Astonishing Hermès” – the House’s annual theme for 2023, and enjoy several exciting activities.

Welcomed by Mr Kiosk, visitors can enjoy ice cream, a pony dance flash mob or caricature painting. They can also play board games or dance along with a musical performance in the evening. On their way out, they will receive the latest issue of the magazine and a bouquet of fresh flowers.

The first Le Monde D’Hermès Kiosk, inspired by the iconic Parisian kiosks, was debut in Prague in autumn 2021. It then has travelled to Barcelona, Singapore, Knokke (Belgium), Rotterdam, Tokyo, London, Kuwait, Austin (Texas, US) and Haikou (Hainan, China). In June, it made a stopover in Jakarta, before landing in Lisbon in September.

Created in 1973, Le Monde d’Hermès is a bi-annual magazine with a print-run of 600,000 copies, published in 10 languages. An editor-in-chief and an artistic director are invited to create two issues per year with Hermès’ teams, who collaborate each season with selected writers, illustrators and photographers.

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