Social News In Brief Vietnamese culture introduced at tea party in Laos    Vietnamese cuisine, tourist information and handicraft products were introduced at a tea party held in Vientiane, on November 17, by the Women’s Union of the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Vietnam’s booth at the event was among 30 set up by the female staff members of Laos, as well as other countries and international organisations. The Women’s Union of the Vietnam Embassy in Laos brought books and magazines to the tea party, popularising Vietnam’s tourist attractions, cultural essences, and people, as well as Vietnamese dishes such as ‘nem cuon’ (spring roll), Da Lat wine, cakes and ‘banh bot loc’ (clear steamed tapioca cake). Works on display also include sophisticated Vietnamese handicrafts and souvenirs. Vietnamese students, who are studying in Laos, performed a conical hat dance at the event and received great applause from the audience. The tea party is held annually as an activity to tighten the friendship and solidarity among domestic and foreign female diplomats and popularise their countries’ identities. This year event, attended by more than 300 guests, also aimed to welcome Lao National Tourism Year 2018. Fifteen traditional handicraft villages join festival in central Vietnam The festival of traditional handicraft in central Vietnam kicked off yesterday in the central City of Da Nang with the participation of fifteen handicraft villages from the central provinces of Quang Nam to Da Nang. Of them, nine villages in Da Nang include cake Quang Chau in Hoa Vang District, Cam Ne village widely known for its long-standing sedge mat-making craft, fish sauce Nam O in Lien Chieu District; bamboo bed Tan Hanh, Can wine Phu Tuc (wine drunk out of a jar through pipes), girdle cake Tuy Loan and veggies... Quang Nam province has six village participants including bronze-casting village Phuoc Kieu in Dien Ban District, pottery Thanh Ha; carpenter Kim Bong, lantern-making village Hoi An, Palm-leaf conical hat Duy Xuyen and brocade-weaving Co Tu - Nam Giang. Speaking at the opening ceremony, director of Da Nang museum Dinh Quoc Thien said that traditional handicraft villages are alive museum and treasures of cultural heritage. Time flies, traditional handicraft villages become important part of the countryside districts’ history and culture Nowadays, many such villages in Quang Nam province and Da Nang City not only make products but also become interested tourist attractions. On the contrary, these villages are facing harsh competition with modern products which are likely to be lost in oblivion." Accordingly, the festival aims to honor and develop traditional handicraft villages in the central Vietnam. It is also a chance for people to find out the beauty and cultural value of these villages generating sympathy with villagers; and then join hand with the government to reserve and help them to develop the country's traditional culture values more, Thien said. The festival which wraps up on November 19  have also cultural performances of traditional musical instruments, performance of kid in Ao dai, experience in making products with artisans. Ministry, contractor find cause of cracks at Vam Cong bridge The Ministry of Transport has pofficially confirmed cracks which were discovered on the girder of under-construction Vam Cong Bridge. The construction of VND5,700 billion ($250. 7 million ) which connects Dong Thap Province and Can Tho City across the Hau River has to be delayed due to the crack. Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Nhat November 17 convened a meeting with the participation of many sides to correct the bridge because it is going to be completed and opened to the traffic. The Vam Cong Bridge project is funded by the official development assistance (ODA) from the South Korean government and counterpart fund from Vietnam. It is examined by South Korean Joint Venture of Dasan - Kunhwa – Pyunghwa, and the contractor is Joint Venture of GS Engineering & Construction Corp and Hanshin. During performing the construction of the bridge, the crack was discovered on November 14. Right after informed the incident, the transport ministry then asked the Cuu Long Corporation for Investment, Development and Project Management of Infrastructure (Cuu Long CIPM), the developer of the bridge, to cease the construction to ensure safety for workers as well as its structure. The Ministry sent a team of officers from the Transport Engineering Construction and Quality Management Bureau, the Department of Science and Technology, and local pundits to examine the work. Results showed that there were no other cracks on the bridge except those found on abutment No.P29. In the meeting, Deputy Minister Nhat said the Ministry wanted a thorough assessment from design to construction to find out the cause and adopt measures to ensure the bridge quality. It has sought help from South Korean experts to examine the error at the construction of Vam Cong bridge as well as proposed remedies. Contest for island sovereignty songs kicked off The politics division of border guard in coordination with the Vietnam Music Association have met musicians in the South for the launch of border, island and border guard contest. Entries should have content to praise the country’s tradition of keeping border and forefather’s heroic courage in protecting and building the country in border crossing as well as martyrs’ example in fighting for the country’s sovereignty and island. Moreover, entries laud examples in the process of protecting and building the country. Furthermore, entries should reflect movement “ All Vietnamese people take part in protecting the country’s sovereignty and border security, the solidarity between races in the country and between Vietnam and its neighboring nations. From December, 2017 to May, 2018, some Vietnamese musicians will make a tour in border crossings in the North, the South, the central highlands, to have more documents and emotion for writing songs. Entries should be sent before October 31, 2018. The organizer will give prizes to 20 good entries. The first prize will be VND50 million, the second prize VND30 million, the third VND10 million and the encouragement VND5 million. Dak Nong province plans to allocate $4.8mln for square construction The Highlands province of Dak Nong planned to allocate VND900 billion ($39,670,443); of which VND110 billion ($4.8 million) for building square while the remaining amount of VND700 billion for compensation and resettlement for 220 households. People’ Committee yesterday announced the square construction project in Gia Nghia Town. Speaker of the People’s Committee Ngo Xuan Loc said that the work is located in the area of 19.5 hectare and the square is on the area of 1.7 hectare. The project aims to offer playground for the communities, helping to turn Gia Nghia into the province’s center of politics, economics and culture. However, he emphasized that the amount for the construction is not exact because the project will be under examination of relevant ministries and agencies before submitting to the government. OVs in Czech Republic fundraise for storm victims A large number of overseas Vietnamese living in the Czech Republic gathered for a November 16 music performance and charity auction in Prague raising funds for victims of the recent storms and floods hit the central region of Vietnam. The event was also attended by Vietnamese and Czech artists and singers. Czech artist Eva Buhlova said he found out about the event through a Vietnamese student and decided to join in to offer help to Vietnamese people affected by the recent natural disasters. Nguyen Minh Nguyet, an organizing member of the event, said the program to support storm victims has received a positive response from many OVs throughout the Czech Republic since its launch on November 7. Some pictures went on sale at the event to raise funds for storm victims. The organizers said they had collected around VND360 million so far and will continue to receive money from benefactors until November 23. They will then travel to the central region on November 24 to deliver support to storm victims. Children's voices to be heard on World Children's Day On World Children’s Day, November 20, Vietnamese children will join millions of other children from around the world in raising their voice to help save children’s lives, fight for their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. They will meet with senior leaders of the National Assembly, the national government, and provincial governments to learn about the work being carried out by the legislative body and government agencies to advance children’s rights and will discuss the challenges children face, especially disadvantaged children. They will also “take over” UNICEF’s Vietnam social media for a week to reflect the voices of children in different regions of the country. November 20 marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989 and the first World Children’s Day. Children around the world will also “take over” key roles in the media, politics, business, sports, and entertainment, to help put children’s issues on the public agenda. Phu Tho hosts exhibition on Hoang Sa, Truong Sa An exhibition displaying maps and documents on Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos opened in the northern province of Phu Tho on November 17. The event, which runs until November 22, was co-organised by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and the People’s Committee of Phu Tho province. At the opening, Deputy Minister of the MIC Hoang Vinh Bao said the event is part of important activities to raise awareness of the country’s sea and islands among local people, especially youths. It is also designed to nurture people’s love for the nation and enhance their solidarity and responsibility in protecting Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos. The event is organised annually across the country to affirm Vietnam’s sovereignty over the archipelagos through historical documents. To date, a total of 97 exhibitions have been held in 63 localities, 11 island locations and districts, and 22 military units of Vietnam. On display are documents, items, publications and nearly 100 maps published by domestic and international researchers and scholars, including materials in Chinese, Nom (old Vietnamese writing using Chinese characters), modern Vietnamese and French issued from the 17th to the 20th century by the Vietnamese feudal states and the French government in Indochina (on behalf of the then Vietnamese state) proving Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos as well as the country’s exercise of sovereignty over the islands. The exhibition also features 65 maps certifying that the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos belong to Vietnam, published by Western nations and Vietnam since the 17th century. Photos depicting activities of soldiers and people on Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands, and contributions of the provincial Party Organisation and local residents to the country’s seas and islands have been also displayed. After the event, all the exhibits will be presented to the provincial People’s Committee for further display.       Week highlights great national unity, Vietnam’s cultural heritage A week themed “Great National Unity – Vietnam’s Cultural Heritage” kicked off at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Hanoi on November 18. The annual week aims to honour cultural heritage of Vietnam’s ethnic groups and help enhance the great national unity bloc. It marks the founding anniversary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (November 18, 1930) and the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23). This year’s event draws the participation of nearly 200 people from 13 ethnic groups, namely Tay, Dao, Mong, Muong, Thai, Kho Mu, Ta Oi, Co Tu, E De, Khmer, Cham, Kinh and Raglai, along with local tourism associations and travel companies. A highlight of the week, which lasts until November 23, is the re-enactment of the culture of Cai Rang floating market, which is part of national intangible cultural heritage. Cai Rang, one of the three biggest floating markets in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, specializes in trading fruit and specialties of the Mekong Delta region. The re-enactment of Cai Rang market’s culture will include performances of the art of “Don ca tai tu” music and song, named in UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Various activities will be held as part of the week such as ethnic groups’ exchanges, a workshop on developing the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism, and the inauguration of phase I of Phap An Pagoda in the village. At the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man said the great national unity bloc is always the most important and strongest resource for the whole Party, people and army to weather every difficulty and challenge to succeed in reform and national development. Great unity is also one of the most precious cultural values of the Vietnamese people, he noted, calling on people from all social strata to join hands to bring into play the strength of the great national unity bloc.             Tourism programme promotes heritage sites in Viet Bac region A ceremony was held at Ba Be Lake in the mountainous northern province of Bac Kan on November 18, to open the ninth tourism programme entitled ‘Through Viet Bac Heritage Sites’ and Ba Be – Bac Kan tourism week. The annual programme aims to introduce the land, people, culture and tourism potential of six provinces in Viet Bac region, including Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Lang Son and Thai Nguyen. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien said that the programme is a meaningful event to promote the values of the historical and cultural relic sites and landscapes in the region. The event also contributes to enhancing the cooperation and exchange among the regional localities to build unique tourism products in order to attract more domestic and foreign investors and visitors, gradually turning the tourism sector into a spearhead economic sector. The main activities during the programme and the Ba Be – Bac Kan tourism week include: cultural and arts exchange performances, a folk arts festival, a show of traditional costumes from the ethnic minority groups in the six provinces, and a photo exhibition on the tourist sites and people of Viet Bac localities. They will be held in Bo Lu village, Nam Mau commune, Ba Be district. The programme will also feature a wide variety of other activities, including tourism activities at Ba Be Lake; a display of books, newspapers, paintings and photos of the land and people of Bac Kan provinces; screening of films on the Viet Bac region; and pavilions to introduce the typical products from the localities. At the opening ceremony, more than 1,000 actors, actresses and artisans from six localities in Viet Bac region gave performances of folk songs and dances praising the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, as well as reproducing festivals and cultural identities of each locality in the region. Hokkaido wants to exchange human resources with HCM City Businesses from the Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido are keen to cooperate with Vietnamese partners in Ho Chi Minh City to exchange human resources in nursing, agricultural machinery manufacturing, agricultural production and trade. Vice Governor of Hokkaido Tsuji Yasuhiro expressed his wish at a meeting with Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong in HCM City on November 17. He said Hokkaido wants to boost cooperation with Vietnam in general and HCM City in particular, especially in such potential areas as agriculture, trade, seafood and tourism. The prefecture’s administration and business association have proposed the launch of a direct air route between Hokkaido and Vietnam with the hope of promoting the bilateral trade and tourism relations, he said. Hokkaido considers HCM City a potential partner and wants to introduce high-quality agri-products to the local customers, he added. Phong recommended the Japanese prefecture enhance cooperation programmes with the city such as exchanging apprentices and highly-skilled workers as Hokkaido small-and medium-sized enterprises are facing a shortage of human resources due to the country’s aging population. He believed that Hokkaido’s high quality farm produce will soon win customer confidence in HCM City. Chinese firm facilitates Vietnamese workers in Algeria Che Quan Qing, director of a construction company of the Metallurgical Construction Corporation of China (MCC Group), has pledged to create all favourable conditions for Vietnamese workers hired by his company in Algeria. He made the assertion at a reception for Nguyen Van Dung, first secretary in charge of consular affairs at the Embassy of Vietnam in Algiers, who came to visit the company’s construction site of social houses in Berrouaghia, about 120km from Algiers capital, on November 17. Qing said his company has freshly received nearly 50 Vietnamese workers, increasing the total number of Vietnamese workers at the company to 195. He highly valued the working style and skills of the Vietnamese workers and hoped to employ more. After completing contracts in Algeria, many Vietnamese workers have been introduced to work at companies of the MCC Group in Vietnam. The Vietnamese workers at Qing’s company in Algeria have an average monthly salary of 600 USD. Skilled workers have earned up to 1,000 USD per month. On behalf of the Vietnamese Embassy in Algeria, Dung thanked the Chinese firm for facilitating Vietnamese workers over the past time. He affirmed that the embassy will propose the discussion of the Vietnamese labour issue at the 11th inter-governmental meeting held in Algeria from November 27-29 to create more favourable conditions for them. National development, great national unity bloc inseparable: PM Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on November 17 joined residents in Dien Bien ward of Hanoi’s Ba Dinh district in the great national unity festival, an annual event held nationwide to mark the founding anniversary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (November 18, 1930). Local officials reported that in 2017, authorities, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and organisations in Dien Bien ward, where many top agencies of the Party and State are headquartered, presented hundreds of Lunar New Year gift packages to low-income and policy beneficiary families. Local authorities and residents have paid attention to caring for revolution contributors and the elderly. Meanwhile, solidarity and mutual support have been maintained, becoming a cultural custom in the community. Offering his best wishes to Dien Bien residents, PM Phuc said national development and the great national unity bloc are inseparable. He applauded the ward’s achievements, especially in supporting impoverished households and promoting civilised lifestyle. He asked Dien Bien authorities to enhance people’s role in managing and developing the ward. The Government leader also called on locals to uphold solidarity and mutual support and join hands to build a strong political system, thus continuing to bring into play the strength of the great national unity bloc. At the event, the PM, National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu and Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung presented gifts to deprived families in Dien Bien ward. Khmer ethnic culture festival opens in Bac Lieu province The seventh Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival of the Khmer in 12 southern provinces kicked off in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on November 17. The traditional festival themed "Preserve and Promote the Khmer Ethnic Culture to Meet Demand for Sustainable Development of the Country" will close on November 19. Participants include 2,000 artists, actors, musicians, spectators and Khmer groups from the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and the southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City as well as the provinces of Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, An Giang, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Bac Lieu People’s Committee Duong Thanh Trung said the festival creates a good opportunity for the province to promote solidarity, arts and cultural exchanges that help preserve ethnic Khmer’s traditional culture. The festival aims to have "all people unite to build a cultural life" and new countryside, he said. Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh said the Khmer community had made great contributions to the nation’s independence and freedom in the past and sustainable development in recent years. He praised the provincial authorities for supporting the Khmer people’s spirit and culture. “Besides paying attention to reviving and preserving traditional culture, localities should promote new cultural values, especially in the border areas,” he noted. The three-day festival features traditional ethnic Khmer activities, including folk games, art and musical performances, costume shows, and cuisine and sports competitions. The province has built and upgraded nine Ghe Ngo (traditional Khmer boats) and 17 traditional Khmer pentatonic musical instruments. Every three years, the event features sports, culture and tourism traditions of the Khmer community and offers visitors an opportunity to take part in various activities. In 2014, the sixth Khmer festival was hosted by Hau Giang province. Vietnam wants to develop multifaceted ties with Nigeria Vietnam places importance on developing multidimensional ties with Nigeria, regarding the country a prioritized partner of its investment in Africa, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has said. At a reception for Minister of Agriculture of Nigeria Audu Innocent Ogbeh in Hanoi on November 17, Hue spoke highly of Nigeria’s leading position in West Africa in particular and Africa in general and its contributions to peace, stability and development in the region and the world. He said potential for bilateral cooperation remains vast, suggesting the two countries to elevate their relations, step up the exchange of visits at all levels, and seek specific joint projects to fully tap their potential. Vietnam is very keen on developing bilateral trade ties and encourages the two countries’ businesspeople to invest in telecommunication, information technology, and especially agriculture, he said. He stressed the need for both countries to create a favourable business environment to attract their businesspeople to pour their money into sectors of the respective country’s strength. Minister Audu Innocent Ogbeh said he is impressed with Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements attained under the Party’s leadership and the Government’s drastic steering. He said his visit aimed to seek increased cooperation with Vietnam in agriculture, hoping Vietnam will transfer farming machineries and plant varieties to his country. He also sought cooperation opportunities with Vietnam in trade and education. The Nigerian Government welcomes and provides all possible conditions for Vietnamese businesspeople to come to seek long-term investment and business in Nigeria, the minister underlined. Government, NA leaders highlight importance of education National Assembly deputies who are teachers and former teachers gathered at a meeting in Hanoi on November 17 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Vietnamese Teachers’ Day (November 20). The event was attended by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, among others. Addressing the function, PM Phuc emphasised the important role played by education and training as well as teachers in national development, especially during the cause of industrialisation, modernisation and international integration. He urged teachers to make more thorough preparations to contribute to national construction and development in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. The PM’s views were echoed by NA Chairwoman Ngan who noted that the Party and State have always given top priority to education and the NA is responsible for completing a legal framework on education and training. She lauded contributions made by NA deputies who are teachers and former teachers to finalising the legal system in general and laws on education and training in particular. Website, logo of 26th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum launched National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and her deputy Tong Thi Phong launched the official website of the 26th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26) at a ceremony held in Hanoi on November 17. The website, available at http://appf26.vn, consists of seven main sections in Vietnamese and English. It offers official and updated information on the event, which will be held in Vietnam in January 2018. Delegations of participating countries and news agencies can also register to online conferences through the website. At the ceremony, the APPF-26 logo was also introduced, which features the image of the Vietnam National Assembly House and national flag. The APPF was founded by former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone on March 15, 1993. Bringing together parliamentarians from across the Asia-Pacific region, the forum aims to directly assist the APEC, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region. The APPF is a mechanism that enables parliamentarians to discuss issues of common concern, and to deepen their understanding of the region and the interests and experience of its diverse members. The forum’s proceedings address political, security, economic, social and cultural issues, thus furthering regional cooperation and building relations between and among parliamentarians from the Asia-Pacific region. Vietnam hosted of the 13th APPF in Ha Long city in January 2005. PM appoints two VNA Deputy General Directors Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has signed decisions on the appointment of two Deputy General Directors of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA). Vu Viet Trang, head of the VNA’s Editorial Secretariat and International Relations Department, and Le Quoc Minh, Editor-in-Chief of VietnamPlus, an e-newspaper of the VNA, were appointed to the posts under the PM’s Decisions No. 1830/QD-TTg and 1831/QD-TTg, respectively. The VNA is a Governmental agency which is responsible for providing official information and documents of the Party and State, according to the Government’s recently-released Decree No 118/2017/ND-CP. The decree also regulates that the VNA provides information in service of the Party leadership and State management; and collect and provide news through various forms of press and multimedia for mass media agencies, the public and readers of all kinds at home and abroad. The VNA is managed by the Ministry of Information and Communications in terms of press, broadcasting and television. The VNA is also responsible for collecting and compiling information for public consumption and reference via various forms of media and multimedia in service of the Party leadership and State management; announcing official viewpoints of the State on “hot” issues; adjusting direction regarding information that is not in line with national interests; correcting wrongful information; and issuing announcements to reject distorted information when necessary. Performing its function as a key national external news agency, the VNA collects, compiles and provides information about Vietnam in different languages for domestic agencies and organisations and foreign media outlets as well as for foreigners and Vietnamese people abroad. The VNA is also tasked with providing information and publishing news materials for ethnic minority people in their languages. It is in charge of archiving information, building an information and data bank and managing national photo materials; and providing information and coordinating with relevant agencies to provide information in services of national security and defence. According to the decree, the VNA has a system of news units including the Domestic News Department, the World News Department and the Press Photography Department. It also has several newspapers, both print and online, including the Viet Nam News, Le Courrier du Vietnam and VietnamPlus. The VNA has representative offices for the South and the Central and Central Highlands regions, in cities and provinces nationwide as well as major cities worldwide. It also has news support units including the VNA Technical Centre, the VNA Training Centre, the VNA Media Development Centre, the VNA Informatics Centre and the VNA International Cooperation Centre, and five consultancy and functional units to assist the VNA General Director. The VNA has a General Director and a maximum of four Deputy General Directors. The VNA General Director and Deputy General Directors are appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister in line with laws. Drug traffickers arrested in central Thanh Hoa province Two men were arrested on November 17 in Na Meo commune, Quan Son district, the central province of Thanh Hoa, for allegedly transporting 26,200 methamphetamine pills. They are 40-year-old Sung Van Dinh and 34-year-old Sung Van Ly, both residing in Cat hamlet, Nhi Son commune, Muong Lat district, Thanh Hoa province. The men confessed that on November 15, they illegally entered Laos to buy the methamphetamine pills which were hidden in cans of beer and soft drinks, and intended to be sold in Vietnam. The case is under further investigation. On June 15, Thanh Hoa police also captured a man residing in Laos’ Houaphan province for transporting 1,200 methamphetamine pills. Earlier this month, three people were arrested in the province for smuggling three bricks of heroin from Laos to Vietnam. Vietnam, China foster literature cooperation Measures to bring Vietnamese literary works, especially contemporary literature, closer to Chinese readers were discussed by writers from the two countries at a meeting held in Hanoi on November 17. President of the Vietnam Writers’ Association Huu Thinh noticed that enhancing the translation of Vietnamese works into Chinese is a significant move. A line-up of Chinese works was translated into Vietnamese, helping Vietnamese people understand the value and quintessence of Chinese literature and culture, Thinh said. For his part, Li Jingze, Vice President of the China Writers’ Association, said that literature has made significant contributions to fostering cultural exchanges as well as relations between the two associations. Visits to Vietnam by representatives of the China Writers’ Association are catalysts to promote ties between the two associations, he said. Li hoped that further literature exchanges will be organised, creating opportunities for writers from both sides to discuss ways to promote values of Asian literature. Role of livestock in achieving SDGs in spotlight Experts and policy-makers from eight Southeast Asian countries gathered in a workshop on “The Role of Livestock in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia” in Hanoi on November 16. The event, held by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), sought to enhance current contribution of the livestock industry to the sustainable livelihood and develop its potentials in the region. Speaking at the workshop, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh said Vietnam has adopted the National Action Plan to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which promotes sustainable agriculture among its goals. The country has been implementing agricultural reforms, including steps to improve added values of livestock farming and at the same time, develop livelihoods of the farmers, protect the environment and ensure food safety, Doanh noted. The livestock industry grew about 4.5 – 5 percent annually between 2011 and 2016 and contributed to around 30 – 32 percent of the agricultural earnings, he added. Director of the National Institute of Animal Sciences Nguyen Thanh Son said progress in livestock farming plays a major part in achieving ten out of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He expected public awareness of the significance of the livestock industry to the SDGs will be improved in the time ahead while there will be more activities to encourage investment into the sector to maximize its contribution to the SDGs. Livestock helps boost economic growth, creates incomes, and improve food security, nutrition and human health, said ILRI Director General Jimmy Smith, adding that research and development activities and policy support programmes are able to transform small and medium-scale breeding farms in the region into more adaptive, efficient and dynamic food supply systems, bringing better opportunity for women and young people. At the workshop, attendees shared experience and study findings about the growth of the livestock in Southeast Asia and the regional countries’ priorities and investment plans for the sector to develop sustainably. They also discussed ways to step up cooperation between the countries and organisations in the region to address common challenges in the field. HCM City department wants rational master plan The HCM City Department of Construction has called for amending the agricultural zoning master plan, promoting housing development and changing the construction inspection model to reduce violations, which increased by 16 per cent year-on-year in the first 10 months of this year. “Each locality must decide which lands cannot produce crops any more to amend the master plan and avoid a situation where urban plans are made on fertile lands while land suitable for urban development is used for farming,” Trần Trọng Tuấn, director of the department, told the Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn) newspaper. Nhà Bè District Party Secretary Nguyễn Văn Lưu agreed with Tuấn, saying current land use and construction plans were released nearly 10 years ago and many things need to be changed. “Many places were earmarked for building new residential areas or green public spaces, but now people are living there. “A master plan that has been in place for too long has forced people to build without permission to meet their living needs.” Tuấn cited the example of Bình Chánh District, whose 25,000 hectares of land includes 10,000ha of land designated as agricultural. But agricultural land in Phạm Văn Hai and Lê Minh Xuân communes don’t produce crops as there are industrial parks in these communes. He revealed that by the end of this month his department would draft regulations for issuing licences for temporary construction on agricultural land and changing the purpose of farm land that is no longer fertile. “There is real demand and the department must guide local authorities in meeting development demands and reducing unlicensed construction,” he added. For instance, he pointed out, some constructions need to be done on farmlands for growing organic vegetables, but cannot get licences. In many places, the local community needs buildings for activities such as sports on unused lands, he added. So far this year the authorities have uncovered 2,545 cases of construction violations, 48 per cent of them without licences and 37 per cent violating licence provisions. Faced with a shortage of space for economic activity, HCM City wants the Government to give it more authority to decide land use. It has also petitioned the National Assembly to adopt a resolution allowing it to use 10 hectares or more of contiguous rice paddies for other purposes. The city is focusing on the development of services and industry, and needs land for the efforts. According to land use statistics, farm lands accounts for some 118,000ha, or more than 55 per cent of the city’s total area, but agriculture makes up less than 1 per cent of the city’s economy. Services and industry use 14,265ha, or 6.8 per cent, but make up 99 per cent of the economy. According to the city People’s Committee, services and industry add 813 times the value agriculture does from a hectare of land. Thus, if just a quarter (28,875 hectares) of the agricultural land is used for services or industry instead, the economy would expand 1.68-fold. As for agriculture, the city plans to allocate more land for research centres to develop higher yielding crops instead of for farming. HCM City committee to unclog congested road An inter-departmental team of officials will study the 10 areas with the worst traffic congestion in HCM City and recommend measures to ease the problem by year-end. The 10 areas are Tân Sơn Nhất airport, Cát Lái Port in District 2, Trường Thọ Port and Tây Hoà junction in District 9, Thủ Đức junction in the district of the same name, and the Phạm Văn Đồng – Nguyễn Thái Sơn – Bạch Đằng – Hoàng Minh Giám roundabout in Gò Vấp-Phú Nhuận. The team will consist of traffic police officers, Department of Transport inspectors, Traffic Safety Committee officials, district police officers and others. The HCM City Traffic Safety Committee has warned that officials in the team failing to resolve the problem at any of the spots would face disciplinary action. In the city, 37 areas suffer from major traffic congestion. JICA workshop on construction projects The Ministry of Construction and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) yesterday organised a training workshop on management of construction projects in Việt Nam. The workshop was co-organised as part of a JICA-funded project, launched in April 2015, for improving capacity in cost estimation, contract management, and quality and safety in construction investment projects in Việt Nam. The workshop focused on quality management, safety and environmental management, and cost estimation. The event, which was attended by state agencies, project management units, contractors and consultants, discussed the project’s outputs and focal points related to Việt Nam’s laws and regulations on construction. The project, implemented by the Ministry of Construction and JICA, aims to improve the capacity of staff in the ministry and related organisations to ensure that all construction projects in Việt Nam are managed in accordance with international standards and regulations of public construction projects. Similar workshops will also be held in Đà Nẵng, Cần Thơ and HCM City.  Việt Nam has maintained sustainable economic growth in recent years and implemented a large number of major infrastructure development projects. However, due to inadequate project management and quality and safety management of construction works, many construction accidents have been recorded. In addition, construction contracts that have been poorly managed have led to numerous disputes, obstructing the smooth implementation of construction projects. Community-based care programme in Ninh Bình helps elderly Community-based care for the elderly, a pilot programme in the northern province of Ninh Bình, has helped hundreds of elderly people access better healthcare services. The programme has been implemented in six communes of Yên Khánh District since 2015. It has been expected to promote the role of the elderly in society and to improve their quality of life. After two years of implementation, the project has gained support from the local elderly, who said they experienced a happier and healthier life. Nguyễn Thị Loan, a resident of Yên Khánh District’s Khánh Cường Commune, told Việt Nam News that she was encouraged to join the club nearly a year ago, and found it helpful and interesting. “I was guided on how to take care of my health, especially for chronic diseases that old people usually deal with, such as diabetes and high blood pressure,” she said. Loan said that she previously stayed at home watching television most of her time. Now she walked or did exercises with other members of the association. “It’s much more fun,” she said. Phạm Quang Minh, chairman of the Association for the Elderly, said that the model has attracted 970 members of six communes to join poetry and gymnastic clubs. A special club has been set up to help lonely and ill people living in the commune. This club has gained support from all the people in the commune, including young people, he said. Annually, more than 70 per cent of the association’s members access free health check-ups and examinations, and are given financial support to buy medicines. More than 350 people have been given eye examinations so far. Nguyễn Thị Kim Tuyến, director of the district’s Centre for Population and Family Planning, estimated that there are more than 17,000 elderly people in the district, accounting for 13 per cent of the total number of people. Most of them live in rural areas and have no pension, thus their life is quite hard, especially for those who have serious diseases and cannot engage in agricultural production to earn their living. Thus, the centre worked with the district’s People’s Committee to set up a programme management board to study and implement the programme effectively. Tuyến said the programme contributed to helping 67 per cent of the elderly get health insurance and more than 16,000 get regular health check-ups. More than 70 per cent of the elderly in the district are now eager to join charity organisations. The initial success will encourage more elderly people to join the programme and improve their lives, step-by-step, she said. The programme of consulting and caring for the elderly in the community has been carried out by the Ministry of Health’s General Department of Population and Family Planning since 2010, in 29 cities and provinces. In Ninh Bình Province, the programme has been implemented on a trial basis in six communes in 2015 and will end in 2020. Cars banned on Kim Mã to build metro station Cars will be banned from a 500m-long section of Hà Nội’s Kim Mã Street as construction on an underground metro station begins in December. The Hà Nội Urban Railway Management Board (HURMB) said on Friday that it would set up construction barriers along Kim Mã Street from the Nguyễn Chí Thanh flyover to Alley 415, near Pizza Hut, early next month. The whole one-way lane in the direction of Nguyễn Thái Học Street towards Kim Mã will be blocked for traffic, forcing vehicles of both ways onto the opposite lane. The HURMB said it would demolish two metres of pavement in the opposite lane to make way for traffic. Cars, however, are not allowed into the road section due to the limited traffic space. The nearby Ngọc Khánh parking area will also become a temporary warehouse for construction materials of the metro station. The HURMB added that 50 trees along Kim Mã Street will be chopped, while another 67 will be moved to clear the site for the metro construction. The metro station in question will be the ninth station of the urban railway line No 3, running from Nhổn to Hà Nội Railway Station. The line is now expected to be completed in 2021, having missed several deadlines before. 145 school kids hospitalised due to food poisoning As many as 145 children in Cẩm Khê District in the northern province of Phú Thọ were hospitalised on Thursday night due to alleged food poisoning. Director of Cẩm Khê District Medical Centre Vi Văn Miên said the centre received students with symptoms of exhaustion and nausea last night. All the victims were from Hương Lung Commune’s kindergarten. Sixty-eight of them were treated in Cẩm Khê General Hospital and the remaining children were released immediately after the examination. At 9am on Friday, 59 kids had recovered and the remaining nine were expected to go home in the afternoon, the doctors said. Miên said after eating food, including bánh dầy (round glutinous rice cake), banana and grapefruit, all the students suffered from symptoms of food poisoning. The Food Hygiene and Safety Sub-department took the food samples for testing. Khmer weavers tell stories through brocades The Khmer people in southern An Giang Province take pride in their age-old tradition of brocade weaving. Local artisans in the province produce products including scarves, tablecloths, dresses and even murals depicting folklore stories and legends. It takes a lot of time and attention to detail to make a beautiful piece of brocade, while even more work is required to create a unique pattern, which can become an artisan’s trademark. Materials must be treated, spun and dyed through a process that has been passed down from generation to generation of Khmer weavers. Artisans use only natural ingredients for dying to make sure the colours stay and the product’s texture is soft and silky. Weavers say their ancient trade is not just a great way to preserve the Khmer cultural heritage and identity. In recent years, their products have been well received and started to build a reputation among visitors to the region as well as abroad. Weaving has become an income source for many local families. Ancient town and Andong, Korea to boost cultural exchange The International Mask Arts & Culture Organisation (IMACO) and Andong City, Korea have agreed to work with the Hội An’s information and culture center to promote cultural exchanges in the coming years. The parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Hội An on Wednesday on the occasion of the Andong City Cultural Day held in Hội An. The two cities will host art performances, exhibitions and friendship exchanges. They will promote tourism and introduce each other’s cuisine through regular events. The ancient town already has a history of cultural exchange with Gyeongsangbuk Province, where Andong is located. In June, the art troupe of Hahoe Folk village, a UNESCO-recognised world heritage site in Gyeongsangbuk, performed mask dances in Hội An. In September, Vietnamese art troupes from Hội An also performed in the province. The people of Hội An, an UNESCO-recognised world heritage site, and other residents of the central province of Quảng Nam will host the Korean Cultural Day next month as part of a series of programmes to celebrate Việt Nam-Korea diplomatic ties. Buildings illegally constructed under Haiphong overpass Ten buildings under construction beneath a Hanoi-Haiphong Highway overpass seem to have been ignored by the authorities. The buildings located in Haiphong City’s Kien Thuy District are nearly finished.   Buildings illegally constructed under the overpass on Hanoi-Haiphong Highway A worker at the site said that the buildings seemed to be a billiards hall, building materials shop and restaurants. He added that construction had been carried out for several months. According to chairman of Kien Thuy District People’s Committee Bui Duc Thao, the space under the overpass is managed by the local Transport Board and the Hanoi-Haiphong Highway investor Vietnam Infrastructure Development And Finance Investment Joint Stock Company (Vidifi). Thao guessed that the construction might have been allowed by the investor and the management agency and so far Vidifi had taken no action.   The construction had been carried out for several months Nguyen Van Huyen, head of Directorate for Roads of Vietnam, said such buildings were not permitted under bridges and the directorate would work with Vidifi on the problem. The highway management board admitted the violation, saying that until now, it has not yet caused any problems. The board added that they would persuade local people to stop such building work. US billionaire Bob Parsons pledges more support for Vietnamese children US billionaire Bob Parsons, chairman and founder of Parsons Xtreme Golf, has pledged continued support for impoverished Vietnamese children through charity programs implemented by BRG Group, Vietnam’s leading golf course operator. At a gala dinner to present the Asian Golf Award 2017 on November 16, Bob Parsons, founder of GoDaddy and a US veteran in Vietnam, said he will initially donate US$100,000 to BRD Group’s charity programs, largely the ‘Swing for the Kids’ program. Another US$100,000 will fund other charity programs. During his visit to Vietnam, Bob Parsons attended the Asian Pacific Golf Summit (APGS) held on November 15-16 in central Da Nang City, where he shared his valuable business experience. Korean companies donate over $200,000 to charity More than 130 Korean companies donated over $200,000 to Kocham Charity Night 2017 to promote corporate social responsibility in Vietnam. Park Noh Wan, Consul General of the Republic of Korea’s Embassy in Vietnam, said that Kocham Charity Night is an opportunity for all individuals, companies, and government of Korea and Vietnam to work together for economic growth and the development of the co-operation between the two countries. The trade volume between the two countries already exceeded $50 billion by October 2017 and is expected to reach a new record this year. Based on the expansion of trade and investment, Korea and Vietnam have established inseparable political, social, and economic ties. Now Vietnam´s economic and social development means the development of Korea. More than 5,000 Korean companies have entered Vietnam with a cumulative investment of $55 billion. Korea has earned position as the No.1 investor in Vietnam. “The active participation in charity activities will leave an impression that Korean companies are friendly and responsible in Vietnam, which will be a great help for the development of Vietnamese-Korean co-operation in this 25th year of diplomatic ties,” he said. Kocham Charity Night, which celebrates its 14th anniversary this year, is the annual event where Korean companies doing business in the southern parts of Vietnam combine their efforts to support disadvantaged Vietnamese people. This year, the charity event collected VND4.4 billion ($193,600) in donations as well as gifts worth VND600 million ($26,400). Major sponsors include Hwaseung Vina, Taekwang, CJ Corporation, Hyo Sung, Lotte Group, and Sung Huyn Vina. The donation was awarded to several organisations, like Ho Chi Minh City Eyes Hospital, the Poor Patients’ Support Fund, Tien Phuoc Disability Facility, the Centre for Social Protection in Long An province, and the Ho Chi Minh City Relief Association for Handicapped Children. Starting operations in 2003, Kocham has around 700 company members and represents over 2,500 Korean companies investing in the central and southern regions of Vietnam. Kocham has five branches in the provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Long An, and Ho Chi Minh City. The association also has four main business branches, including garment, finance, commerce, and logistics.  VNN