VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES OCTOBER 3
15:58 National
Green Growth Strategy for 2021-2030 adopted Deputy Prime
Minister Le Van Thanh has signed Decision No. 1658/QD-TTg approving the
National Green Growth Strategy for 2021-2030 period, vision to 2050. The overall
goal of the strategy is to contribute to accelerating the process of
restructuring the economy in association with growth model transformation in
order to achieve economic prosperity, environmentally sustainability, and
social equality. It also aims
to facilitate transition to a green and carbon neutral economy and contribute
to reducing global warming. The
Government will strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per GDP by at least
15 percent by 2030 and at least 30 percent by 2050 compared to 2014. The
Government expects to raise the rate of renewable energy in total primary
energy supply is expected to 15-20 percent and the forest coverage rate to 42
percent over the next decade. By 2030, at
least 95 percent of urban solid waste will be collected and treated in
accordance with regulations./. Vietnam expects to master production technology of 10 types of
vaccines Vietnam is
expected to master the production technologies for 10 types of vaccines and
able to produce at least three by 2025, according to a recently approved
national science and technology programme. The
programme entitled “Research and production of vaccines for human use by
2030” aims to study and master the technology needed to produce vaccines for
human use while enhancing the capacity of domestic vaccine researchers and
producers in order to stand ready to deal with newly arising epidemics. Under the
programme, 100% of domestically produced vaccines are expected to meet
international standards to gradually bring Vietnamese vaccines onto the
international market. Vietnam has
also set the goal of mastering the production technology of 15 types of
vaccines and be capable of producing at least five by 2030. The program
will promote the research into and application of new and advanced
technologies in vaccine production while prioritising mRNA technology,
recombinant protein technology, and virus vector technology to serve in the
production of COVID-19 vaccines, cancer vaccines, multi-component vaccines
and others to meet the needs of disease prevention and control. Up to 100%
of financial support will be provided for the research, clinical trials,
trial production, testing, insurance, and volunteers regarding the production
of vaccines against pandemics. New music video promotes environment protection Numerous artists
have starred in a music video released by the Ministry of
Environment and Natural Resources in response to the Clean Up The
World campaign. The video
features singers Đông Nhi, Ông Cao Thắng, Trọng Hiếu, Trung Quân,
and top 5 Miss Universe H' hen Niê. "The
video by the ministry is meaningful," said singer Đông
Nhi. "I hope
that the video will encourage people to work together in environment
protection making it greener and cleaner." Entitled Việt
Nam Hướng Về Chiến Dịch Trái Đất (Việt Nam Towards Earth Campaign),
the video was released on Tuesday night on Youtube, Facebook
and Yeah1 Music and got nearly 30,000 views by the next morning. The video
was produced by the ministry's Environment and Natural Resources Media
Centre aiming to convey messages and raising public awareness of
the meaning, role and responsibility of environmental protection in
socio-economic development; stepping up activities to promote environmental
protection, sustainable development, disaster reduction and climate change
adaptation in the “new normal”. The video
was released as a part of the activities held virtually in Hà Nội, the
northern provinces of Bắc Giang and Thái Bình, and the central provinces of
Thanh Hóa and Quảng Nam. The campaign
was organised globally for the first time in 1993. It has become one of the
annual international environmental events with the participation
of hundreds of millions of people in more than 130 countries around the
world. The campaign
calls on organisations, businesses, individuals and the entire community to
participate in activities to improve and protect the environment; collect,
treat, and recycle waste; and refuse to use disposable plastic products and
hard-to-degrade plastic bags. Webinar seeks ways to end wildlife trafficking, consumption A webinar
was held in the central city of Da Nang on September 30 to seek ways to put
an end to wildlife trafficking and consumption, gathering more than 100
delegates, including local officials, and domestic and foreign experts. Nguyen Thi
Kim Ha, Vice Director of the Environmental Protection Division of the
municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said that the
seminar aims to find ways to encourage people not to trade and consume
wildlife, while pushing localities to effectively implement policies to
prevent and fight illegal trafficking and consumption of wildlife. According to
the organising board, in the past 50 years, the vertebrate population has
declined by 68 percent. In Vietnam, many wildlife species have faced the risk
of extinction due to illegal wildlife trade and consumption. In this
context, the Vietnamese Government has made great efforts in wildlife
protection, including the promulgation of the new Penal Code with stricter
punishments on possessing and trading in wildlife and wildlife products. In Da Nang,
various decisions have been given with the aim of protecting and developing
the forests and biodiversity and the wildlife, and encourage the community’s
involvement in the work. Vo Van Minh,
from Da Nang University, underlined the significance of education and
communications activities on environmental and wildlife protection. Meanwhile,
Nguyen Hoai Khuong, from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Vietnam, said
that the WWF Vietnam is working with different partners to seek new solutions
for the preservation activities in the country, focusing on communication
measures to reduce the demand for wildlife in Vietnam. Tran Huu Vy,
Director of the GreenViet Biodiversity Conservation Centre, stressed the need
for joint efforts of the community in wildlife protection, which also means
protecting the biodiversity and the earth as a whole. Within the
framework of the webinar, an online photo exhibition has been held to
introduce about 100 photos and video clips on wildlife. The exhibition is
open to the public at http://baovedongvathoangda.org until October 8./. Coronavirus: HCMC daily death toll drops below 100, first time
in three months Ho Chi Minh
City's Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on October 1
said that the number of Covid-19 deaths in the city has dipped below 100 for
the first time in over three months, with 96 deaths registered during the
last 24 hours. The city
Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control held a press
conference to provide information on controlling and adjusting measures to
prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic, gradually easing social
distancing. Deputy Head of Ho Chi Minh City's Steering Committee for Covid-19
Prevention and Control Pham Duc Hai chaired the press conference. Speaking at
the press conference, Deputy Head of Ho Chi Minh City's Steering Committee
for Covid-19 Prevention and Control Pham Duc Hai informed that Chairman of
the municipal People's Committee Phan Van Mai has issued Directive 18/CT-UBND
on continuing control over Covid-19 and adjust measures to prevent
and control the epidemic and gradually recover and develop socio-economic
situation in the southern metropolis on September 30. On the same
day, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City issued Dispatch No.
3232/UBND-KT to people's committees in provinces and cities on coordination
in transporting workers from provinces and cities to work in HCMC. As of 6 pm
on September 30, Ho Chi Minh City logged 389,202 people infected with
Covid-19 announced by the Ministry of Health. Mr. Hai pinpointed that the
drop in the numbers of seriously ill patients, the numbers of hospitalized
patients showed an optimistic sign in the city's epidemic prevention and
control. The number
of seriously ill patients on ventilators decreased to 1,568 cases. Plus,
around 2,046 patients were hospitalized while 2,866 patients were discharged
on September 30. In
particular, the number of deaths on the day was 96 cases whereas they were
106 cases, 113 cases, and 131 cases on September 29, September 28, and
September 27 respectively, Deputy Head of Ho Chi Minh City's Steering
Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control Pham Duc Hai said. Webinar seeks ways to end wildlife trafficking, consumption A webinar
was held in the central city of Da Nang on September 30 to seek ways to put
an end to wildlife trafficking and consumption, gathering more than 100
delegates, including local officials, and domestic and foreign experts. Nguyen Thi
Kim Ha, Vice Director of the Environmental Protection Division of the
municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said that the
seminar aims to find ways to encourage people not to trade and consume
wildlife, while pushing localities to effectively implement policies to
prevent and fight illegal trafficking and consumption of wildlife. According to
the organising board, in the past 50 years, the vertebrate population has
declined by 68 percent. In Vietnam, many wildlife species have faced the risk
of extinction due to illegal wildlife trade and consumption. In this
context, the Vietnamese Government has made great efforts in wildlife
protection, including the promulgation of the new Penal Code with stricter
punishments on possessing and trading in wildlife and wildlife products. In Da Nang,
various decisions have been given with the aim of protecting and developing
the forests and biodiversity and the wildlife, and encourage the community’s
involvement in the work. Vo Van Minh,
from Da Nang University, underlined the significance of education and
communications activities on environmental and wildlife protection. Meanwhile,
Nguyen Hoai Khuong, from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Vietnam, said
that the WWF Vietnam is working with different partners to seek new solutions
for the preservation activities in the country, focusing on communication
measures to reduce the demand for wildlife in Vietnam. Tran Huu Vy,
Director of the GreenViet Biodiversity Conservation Centre, stressed the need
for joint efforts of the community in wildlife protection, which also means
protecting the biodiversity and the earth as a whole. Within the
framework of the webinar, an online photo exhibition has been held to
introduce about 100 photos and video clips on wildlife. The exhibition is
open to the public at http://baovedongvathoangda.org until October 8./. Special, long-term support crucial to ensure best care for
children orphaned by COVID-19  COVID-19 has
killed over 19,000 people in Vietnam, leaving thousands of children orphaned.
More than ever, they are in need of special and long-term care to ensure
their comprehensive development. According to
the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, over 1,500
students in local schools have lost their parents in only two months. But the
figure may be much higher in reality when considering all the children not
included in the education system. Head of the
Children Department under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs
Dang Hoa Nam said that the crisis caused by COVID-19 is different from others
in that there is a crucial need to take care of both physical and
psychological health for children to ease their psychological trauma,
especially among orphans. The Children
Department has asked localities to make accurate lists of needy children,
especially children orphaned by COVID-19, in order to give them timely and
full support and ensure that no child is left behind, and no child has to
leave school due to COVID-19. Along with
efforts from the State and local government, many organisations and
individuals have joined hands in assisting children in overcoming losses. Recently,
three non-governmental organisations in Vietnam - the Management and
Sustainable Development Institute (MSD), Saigon Children’s Charity
(saigonchildren) and Capacity Building and Support Center for Women and
Children (CSWC) - have joined hands to launch the “You are not alone”
campaign to support children orphaned by COVID-19 – the hidden victims of the
pandemic. The “You are
not alone” campaign aims to support disadvantaged children orphaned by
COVID-19 within the networks of participating organisations, as well as
extending support towards the wider community through an open application
system where any orphaned child outside their existing networks can seek
help. In order to
offer timely and suitable support to the orphans, the Ministry of Labour,
Invalids and Social Affairs has asked cities and provinces nationwide to keep
updated on the numbers of needy children and the situation of each case as
well as the aspirations of the children and their guardians. The ministry
has requested localities to prioritise family-based environment for the
children by giving them alternative care in the family of their relatives to
ensure best benefits for them. Nursing facilities will be considered the last
choice. The ministry’s guidance has received support by many children support
organisations, including the UNICEF in Vietnam. UNICEF
Representative in Vietnam Rana Flowers said that this is a timely decision to
ensure that children deprived of parental care due to COVID-19 receive the
support they need to overcome this incredibly challenging and difficult
period, to have love and attention, even though it doesn’t come from their
beloved parents, and through this care to thrive and to develop to their full
potential. Holding that
institutions are not the best choice for orphans, Flowers stressed the need
for the development of a child protection system that ensures alternative
family placements are identified and monitored, Government allowances are
provided, allowing children at risk to stay in a family environment, in their
own community, connected to what they know, able to attend the same school
with the same friends and supportive community. Nguyen Dac
Vinh, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Culture and Education Committee
said that the support to children orphaned by COVID-19 is not a short-term
issue but it needs a long-term policy. He underlined the need for the
Government to design long-term and suitable policies to assist the children
to overcome difficulties and receive best care until they become adults./. HCM City receives more aid for COVID-19 fight The Vietnam Fatherland
Front (VFF) Committee and the managing board of the COVID-19 prevention and
control fund of Ho Chi Minh City on October 1 received further aid from
businesses for the fight against COVID-19. Vietnamese monks, nuns in Laos support local COVID-19 fight Venerable
Thich Minh Quang, head monk of the Phat Tich Pagoda in Vientiane, has handed
over to the Lao Front for National Construction 25 million LAK worth of
essential goods (about over 50 million VND) to help people who are being
severely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those who are
staying in quarantine. The goods
are donated by Vietnamese monks, nuns and Buddhist followers in Vientiane. At the
hand-over ceremony on October 1, the Venerable, who is also head of the
coordinating board of Buddhism in Laos, said the donors hope the goods would
help alleviate some of the difficulties for Lao people. Khamchan
Phomxengsavan - Standing Vice President of the Lao Front for National
Construction highly appreciated the contribution of the Vietnamese monks,
nuns and Buddhist followers in Laos, which she said showed the bond and
concern of the Vietnamese community in Laos for the host country, especially
in difficult times./. Promoting use of legal timber in domestic market The Centre
for Education and Development (CED) has organised an online workshop named
“Sharing communication experience of promoting the use of legal timber in
Vietnam”. The event is
one of the final activities of the project “Ensuring timber legality in the
domestic market and promoting the use of legal and sustainable timber in
Vietnam”. It was
organised with three main objectives, namely sharing results of project
activities that CED has carried out; discussing communication activities that
effectively implement the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between Vietnam and
EU on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade VPA/FLEGT and promote the
use and consumption of legal timber in the next phase of the project; and
sharing communication experience and mobilising the participation of
stakeholders, especially young people. FLEGT/VPA
officially went into effect on June 1, 2019. One of the main commitments of
the agreement is that Vietnam will tightly control timber sources in the
whole supply chain. In order to
fulfil the agreement’s commitments and enforce the Law on Forestry, on
September 1, 2020, the Government issued Decree 102 on Vietnam Timber
Legality Assurance System (VNTLAS). The Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development is continuing to develop circulars to
implement Decree 102, which aims at reaching the ultimate goal of tightly
controlling legality of timber and timber products. The project
“Ensuring timber legality in the domestic market and promoting the use of
legal and sustainable timber in Vietnam,” which is sponsored by FAO-EU-FLEGT
Program, has been carried out by CED from May 2020 to September 2021. This project
aims at encouraging consumers in Vietnam to buy and use timber and timber
products more responsibly. It also facilitates many parties in taking part in
the process of implementing VPA/FLEGT in Vietnam. It includes two main
objectives: promoting responsible purchase and consumption of domestic timber
in Vietnam’s market, and - increasing understanding of Vietnamese consumers’
knowledge, attitude and practices related to legal timber and timber
products. The
September 28 workshop drew the participation of 60 delegates from domestic
and foreign organisations, including sponsors representative from the
FAO-EU-FLEGT Program, representatives from Vietnam Administration
of Forestry (VNFOREST), partner organisations and universities, Hanoi
Industrial and Trade Department, Forest Protection Department from some
localities, and the Environment Young Leader Network of the project of
Forestry (VNFOREST). At the
event, Bruno Cammaert, Coordinator of the FAO-EU-FLEGT Program (the project’s
sponsor), stated that CED’s project activities are innovative and different
from other traditional projects of VPA/FLEGT. It targets the domestic market
and young consumers, involving participation of young leaders who have not
been a great focus in previous projects. Therefore the project shows the
benefit in bringing information to different audiences in the society and
committing to effective VPA implementation. In the
opening session, To Kim Lien, Director of CED, presented the project
activities carried out within 16 months. At the
beginning of the project, a survey was conducted of 304 individuals and
organisations, including 126 young people from the age of 18-24. This survey
was used to estimate the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of using
legal timber and timber products in Vietnam. 90 percent of respondents were
aware of the adverse impacts of using illegal timber on the environment.
These respondents also commented that they would be willing to pay an extra
charge to buy legal timber products. However, nearly 50 percent of
respondents did not understand what constitutes legal timber. The survey
showed that, when it comes to buying timber and timber products, consumers
are most interested in timber quality; with the product’s price coming
second. Only 3.5 percent of the respondents were interested in factors
related to timber legality and its sources (i.e., domestic timber or imported
timber). Based on
that survey’s result, the project developed its communication strategy to
focus on the domestic market in order to promote responsible consumption and
purchase of legal timber. The project
has cooperated with media and communication agencies, as well as the group of
Environment Young Leaders to implement communication activities. The project
has also produced a trailer and television documentary on legal timber use
and market around the country. The project has cooperated with timber
processing associations, design studios, and universities in the northern and
central regions to organise two face-to-face workshops and an online talk on
raising awareness of using legal timber in construction, architecture and
interior design. These workshops and the talk have attracted more than 950
students, lecturers, forest experts, architects, young designers and related
organisations. To support
students and young designers in their creative ideas of using legal and
sustainable domestic timber, 50 young leaders have been trained by the
project. They are students from three universities, namely the National
University of Civil Engineering, Hanoi Architectural University and Mien
Trung University of Civil Engineering. The project has also run a contest for
using timber in designing among universities. 19 student-led initiatives and
projects have entered the final round. This
October, the project is set to launch an exhibition named “Using legal timber
in construction, architecture and interior design” at 282 Design Studio. The
event will run throughout the month until October 30. It will also
be released as a virtual exhibition on the project’s website (flegtvpa.com)
from October 1, 2021 to October 31, 2022. The exhibition has been created to
support students, as well as young professionals and designers to develop
creative projects and ideas that use timber from plantations in Vietnam. It is
comprised of two sections, the first shows innovative and contemporary uses
of plantation timber whilst the second showcases the student-led initiatives
outlined above. This is to advocate the use of sustainable and legal timber
in design and construction, and to inspire students and young designers to
develop creative ideas of using forest-planted timber in Vietnam in their
future designs. To fulfil
the objective “Increasing understanding of Vietnamese consumers’ knowledge,
attitude and practices related to legal timber and timber products,” the
project produced guidance and training materials on buying and consuming
legal timber and timber products for domestic consumers in daily life. It
also developed a toolkit for VPA communication, including information about
VPA/FLEGT, a communication toolkit (in particular the ways of making an
effective communication plan), and VPA/FLEGT contents to be communicated in
the future. Work in
group of the Environment Young Leader (EYL) Network (Courtesy photo of the
project) In the
subsequent session, a presentation on structure of the toolkit for VPA/FLEGT
communication was delivered. This toolkit has been designed to help
organisations launch communication campaigns and provide effective
information about VPA commitments and obligations. Participants will find out
all documents related to information to be communicated in accordance with
Appendix 8 of the VPA/FLEGT, communication toolkits, and the ways of making
an effective communication plan and a detailed communication plan about
VPA/FLEGT in the next session. Nguyen Vu
Phuong, who is Rector of Mien Trung University of Civil Engineering and the
representative of partner universities of the project, shared his feelings
regarding the activities CED and his institution have implemented during the
16 months and his vision for the future. He said:
“The project has contributed to improving students’ skills and raising their
awareness of using legal timber. Especially, it helped to increase
understanding of Vietnamese consumers’ knowledge, attitude and practices
related to legal timber and timber products. The project has also facilitated
many stakeholders, promoted connection and cooperation between our university
and enterprises and professional associations. I hope that, in the future,
CED will run more projects for students like that, and we are willing to
accompany CED to develop community and sustainable developing projects.” Another
important factor that significantly contributes to the success of the project
is the communication activities carried out by the Environment Young Leader
(EYL) Network. Meanwhile,
Tran Quoc Viet, Associate Dean of National University of Civil Engineering
Faculty of Architecture and Planning, suggested that more time is needed for
the communication project to catch students’ and young people’s attention. He said that
EYL training activities and designing contests were just some initial
activities of educating young people about legal timber use. The project
needs more support to maintain activities, and students should be sent to architecture
and design studios to get experience. The project also needs more time to
provide information for timber consumers as well as the community./. Bac Giang aims to have 20 urban areas by 2025 Authorities
of the northern province of Bac Giang have set a target to develop
20 urban areas by 2025, and due attention will be paid
to infrastructure development. The
province’s Bac Giang city will build its urban development plan until 2035,
vision to 2050 and complete its infrastructure network to meet standards for
Class-1 urban area. From now to
2025, the city will step up the construction of some urban residential areas
as well as transportation projects. It is to
attract investment in new housing areas and apartments and improving quality
of existing ones along with public services and malls. Meanwhile,
the province will issue urban development mechanisms and policies to attract
investment in the field and work to enhance urban management capacity. Bac
Giang’s urban population had neared 400,000 as of the end of 2020,
or 21.7 percent. It currently has 16 urban areas. Since 2016,
the province has mobilised dozens of trillions of Vietnamese dong for urban
development programmes. It
implemented 47 urban and urban service development projects with total
investment of over 13.59 trillion VND (589 million USD), along with 14
housing development projects with total investment of more than 8.45 trillion
VND. Of note,
investment in water and transportation infrastructure exceeded 33.5 trillion
VND. Bac Giang is
among the first localities to build a provincial development master plan,
which serves as the foundation for its future socio-economic development,
including urban expansion./. Hanoi completes delivery of support packages to welfare policy
beneficiaries, poor people The capital
city of Hanoi has completed the disbursement of support packages to people
who rendered service to the nation, poor and near-poor households and social
welfare policy beneficiaries, with more than 282 billion VND (12.4 million
USD) for over 282,000 people. According to
the municipal Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, as of late
September 30, the city had paid out 1.37 trillion VND in aid, sourced from
the State budget and socialization capital, to 12 groups of people hit hard
by the pandemic, according to the Government's Resolution 68/NQ-CP and the
Prime Minister's Decision 23/2021/QD-TTg. This is the
positive outcome of joint efforts from the municipal to grassroots levels
with a determination of helping disadvantaged people access support and soon
stabilize their life. On September
21, the city eased social distancing measures, and life is gradually
returning to the new normal. However, local authorities still continue
providing social welfare support packages for needy people. Hanoi has to
date recorded over 4,200 COVID-19 infections and 47 fatalities, according to
data by the Health Ministry./. UN Women supports victims of gender-based violence The UN Women
Vietnam on September 30 handed over essential equipment worth 483.4 million
VND (21,200 USD) to three Peace House Shelters in Hanoi and the Mekong Delta
city of Can Tho to upgrade free helpline (1900 969680) in order to improve
responses to domestic and international calls and reports of violence against
women, and to continue to improve the overall quality of the support services
for victims of violence and human trafficking. The
assistance is part of UN Women’s efforts to put an end to violence and human
trafficking targeting women in the ASEAN region. According to
UN Women, along with impacts on the socio-economic situation, the COVID-19
pandemic has caused a rise in violence against women and children. Addressing
the hand-over ceremony, Elisa Fernandez Saenz, UN Women Country
Representative in Vietnam, said that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,
coupled with rigorous response measures, has exacerbated pre-existing
limitations regarding services to respond to violence against women and
children. Therefore, support to upgrade these services is necessary, not only
in the context of COVID-19, but in the long term to ensure the dignity,
survival and social integration of women who are victims of violence and
human trafficking. UN Women is delighted to accompany Peace House Shelters in
this journey, she stated. In early
2021, within the framework of an urgent response to violence against women
and children during the COVID-19 pandemic, and funded by the Australian
Government, UN Women donated equipment worth nearly 1.5 billion VND (660,000
USD) to improve the quality of support services for women and children who
are victims of gender-based violence. To overcome
systemic challenges posed by limited state budget allocation, UN Women is
committed to continue supporting the Peace House Shelters across the nation
to upgrade psychological counseling services and to strengthen overall
coordination and connection to provide more holistic support to women and
child survivors in Vietnam, said the UN Women representative. Meanwhile,
Duong Ngoc Linh, Director of the Center for Women and Development which is in
charge of the Peace House Shelters, thanked UN Women for the efforts. She
affirmed that the equipment is a meaningful gift which motivates all
employees who are always committed to the peace of women and children. In the
meantime, it contributes to the completion of the service package to support
women and children experiencing gender-based violence, especially in the
context of the COVID-19 crisis, she added. The helpline
number 1900 969680, along with a counseling room, and the three Peace House
Shelters all run by the Centre for Women and Development under the Vietnam
Women's Union, were established to provide emergency and comprehensive
support services for women and children experiencing domestic violence,
sexual abuse and trafficking. After 19
years of operation in Hanoi, and four years in Can Tho, the helpline has
counselled on 8,063 cases, amounting to 9,850 survivors over the course of
12,961 calls. In addition, 3,424 women and child survivors of gender-based
violence from 50 provinces and 17 ethnic minority regions were supported
in-person at the Peace House Shelters. Since the
start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of consultations via both the
helpline and social media channels of the Peace House Shelters increased
seven times compared to 2019, and in the first six months of 2021, the number
of callers increased 140 percent compared to the same period of 2020. The
Peace House Shelters have coordinated with local authorities in crisis
counseling and emergency intervention, intervening in nearly 30 cases, an
increase of 40 percent compared to the same period last year. Victims and
witnesses of violence against women and children can report and seek help via
hotline 1900 969680./. Recovered warriors help fight the pandemic Amid the
outbreak of coronavirus infections in HCM City, hundreds of people including
recovered COVID-19 patients, have volunteered to put themselves on the
frontline in the fight against the pandemic. “Always
available and willing to help at any time, whenever people need” is the new
slogan for Trần Trường Giang, Nguyễn Trọng Hoàng and Trương Trung Thành,
three recovered patients who have joined the city’s voluntary force. Trần Trường
Giang, 29, and his family all tested positive for COVID-19. “I
remembered that my parents and my grandmother tested positive first. The next
day, when I did the test, I also had COVID,” he told Việt Nam News. “At that
time, I was very worried because all my family got the disease. But I had to
force myself to calm down and look for hospitals providing treatment for my
family. “My
grandmother and I then went to the field hospital number 12 in District 2, my
parents went to Nguyễn Tri Phương hospital in District 5. We were all sent to
the emergency room.” During
treatment, he witnessed the amazing dedication of both medical staff and
volunteers. This inspired him to play his part. He
immediately registered to join the voluntary forces after finishing his
self-quarantine period. Giang added:
“During the time I took care of my grandmother in the hospital, I also
understood how hard-working the volunteers are. “Many of
them are from the North coming here to support the South and doctors here.
Sometimes, I saw they slept in the corridor, which was very hard and tiring. “At that
time, I thought that I am a recovered patient and I felt that I owe the
hospital my life, so I wanted to come back to help other patients. “I
registered and was sent to volunteer in the field hospital number 1 in Bình
Chánh District. I was assigned to work in the emergency room.” After
finishing his self-quarantine period, Giang immediately registered to
join the voluntary forces and work in the field hospital number 1 in
Bình Chánh District. Photo courtesy of Trần Trường Giang So when the
fourth wave of coronavirus infections hit HCM City, he instantly
continued his voluntary work after his factory closed due to social
distancing. He worked in
many vaccination points and also donated his company’s products such as paper
cups to hospitals to serve the frontline workers. But not long
after he started, he received some bad news. “After one
week doing volunteer, I tested positive with COVID-19,” Hoàng said. “Nine out of
11 people in my family tested positive, only two children in my family were
not infected. I was really anxious and worried about my parents because my
dad has a number of health issues. “My parents
were sent to a field hospital, other members treated at home. So I think that
my family had wonderful luck as nine of us beat the disease together.” Hoàng was
supported by his wife and two sisters who also decided to volunteer. “When I
decided to volunteer and asked other family members to join me, I was very
happy because I received their support,” Hoàng said. “I think
that I have gone through all the difficult things such as overcoming the
disease or finishing the treatment and now I am healthy. So there is no
reason to be afraid of going out or just stay at home and wait until the city
recovers. “I have to
join the city and I have to do more. So whenever people need help, I can
offer support at any time.” Hoàng
believes he had to volunteer to help the city after beating COVID
himself. Photo courtesy of Nguyễn Trọng Hoàng “No matter
if I had COVID-19 or not, the volunteer spirit in helping people is always in
me,” Thành said. “Even when I
was receiving treatment, I still coordinated with donors to supply milk,
water and fruit for people staying in my quarantine area. “I didn't
know that there was a shortage of those items in the quarantine area until I
stayed there.” Together to
fight the pandemic Working in
an emergency room has a high risk of infection. But for Giang, it is easier
for him to share and motivate patients as he had had experience of receiving
treatment there. “My day
starts from 6am and finishes at around 8pm. My main tasks include preparing
meals, cleaning and disinfecting patient areas,” Giang said. “During my
shift, I also try to encourage patients. I think that patients really need
someone by their sides to encourage them to overcome this disease. It is
mental therapy which is also very important as well as the medical treatment
from the doctors. “When I see
that the patients getting better day by day and joking with each other,
that's the happiest moment that I have had here so far.” For Hoàng
and Thành, volunteer jobs are not something new. But this time, it might be
unforgettable and different from what they had done before. Hoàng said:
“My team supports vaccination points. The main jobs are similar to what I did
before, which are calling people, arranging people to take blood pressure,
measure temperatures and guiding them to queue up for injections. “But now as
a recovered COVID patients, I can understand what patients have to go through
to fight against the disease. So I always try to advise people on getting
vaccinated as soon as possible no matter what type the vaccine is.
Because that is the best way to protect themselves and their family from this
deadly virus.” Thành added:
“During the pandemic, many people in HCM City lacked food or vegetables. I
and my team always try to support and provide food for people in this
difficult time.” Thành
rallied people to donate more than 300 tonnes of vegetables, tonnes of apples
and carrots for people in need in HCM City. “I don't
mind how hard the work is. As long as people stay fine during this tough
time, then I'll be happy. Although I am only one individual contributing very
little to volunteer work, I will try my best to support as many people as
possible,” Thành added. Thành and
his team provide 200 boxes of apples for a quarantine area in Bình Chiểu
District. Photo courtesy of Trương Trung Thành “I think
that at this time, if anyone needs help, I am always willing to support. For
me, my biggest wish is that HCM City will return to the 'new normal' soon, it
might be slow but steady. I always support the policies carried out by the
city's leaders,” Hoàng said. Around 50 inspirational stories encourage ethnic minority girls
to go to school Around 50
inspirational stories were sent from people of various ethnicities and
backgrounds after more than a month of the campaign #KeepingGirlsinthePicture
– “For a future picture with girls” conducted by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in Vietnam. UNESCO
summed up the social media campaign on October 1 after launching it on August
3 as having the aim of collecting personal narratives from the public to
highlight the importance of learning and inspire ethnic minority girls to
continue their education, especially after the disruption of the COVID-19
pandemic. UNESCO
estimates that over 11 million girls from pre-primary to tertiary education
may not have returned to school in 2020 due to school closures and disruption
caused by the pandemic. In Vietnam,
the #KeepingGirlsinthePicture campaign is being implemented under the project
‘We are ABLE – Achieving Better Living and Education’ expected to promote
gender equality and girls’ education in ethnic minority areas. The project
is being implemented by UNESCO in collaboration with the Ministry of
Education and Training and the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, with
support from the CJ Group, and aims to promote education for ethnic minority
girls in Ha Giang, Ninh Thuan and Soc Trang. A Tay ethnic
woman who used to walk 40 kilometers to school has since become a successful
businesswoman. A Xtieng ethnic girl ignored the discouragement of neighbours
and fulfilled her dream of becoming a photographer. A Tai Dam female teacher
overcame a tough childhood and grew into a feminist advocate. These are some
of the inspirational stories from Tay, Thai, Ede, H’Mong, Muong, San Chay,
Xtieng, Khmer, Chinese Vietnamese, Cham and Kinh people living across the
country that have been sent to the campaign. The campaign
gained an organic online reach of around 300,000 and 40,000 engagement on the
Facebook UNESCO Office in Vietnam. UNESCO will be the messenger to bring
those stories to ethnic minority female and male students, parents, and the
community in We are ABLE project areas. “When ethnic
minority girls can hear voices and real-life stories from insiders, peers, or
someone with similar background, they find the message of educational benefit
more convincing and relevant to them. We appreciate all those storytellers
that joined us to encourage ethnic minority students, especially girls, to
fulfil their dream through education,” said Toshiyuki Matsumoto, Education
Programme Specialist, UNESCO Office to Vietnam. Great encouragement given to frontline medical forces in
COVID-19 fight In the
fierce fight against COVID-19, one which has lasted for nearly two years, the
enthusiasm of medical workers at pandemic hot spots as well as their
willingness to face hardships and disadvantages and sacrifice themselves have
been recognised by the whole people with deep admiration and gratitude. In order to
promptly encourage and share with medical workers on the front line against
COVID-19, various meaningful activities have been carried out by indivduals,
agencies and organisations at all levels nationwide to give both material and
spiritual donations for the frontline medical forces, especially their
children. According to
preliminary statistics from the Vietnam National Union of Health Workers,
over 15,000 trade union members and workers in the health sector from the
northern and central regions are assisting the southern provinces and cities
in their fight against the pandemic. They are facing many difficulties,
hardships and dangers; meanwhile, their children are taken care of by their
relatives. During the
recent Mid-Autumn Festival, the Vietnam National Union of Health Workers
presented gifts to over 7,200 children whose parents are medical workers on
the front line against COVID-19 pandemic. The gifts bear a great spiritual
encouragement. In addition,
authorities in many provinces and cities, along with agencies and
organisations have recently visited, encouraged and presented gifts to
families of medical staff working in pandemic-hit localities. Thereby,
families living in difficult circumstances and children in need of equipment
for online learning have received practical support. During the occasions of
Children’s Day, Mid-Autumn Festival and the opening of new academic year, the
gifts conveyed the gratitude from the whole community. For example,
during the fourth outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, Hanoi has sent many
delegations of medical staff to the pandemic-hit localities. Understanding
the hardships and sacrifices of female health workers, Hanoi municipal
Women’s Union has called for its member organisations to give prompt
encouragement and donations to female medical workers participating in the
fight against the pandemic as well as their families and children. In the
community, many meaningful activities have been launched and conducted
effectively by various organisations and individuals. Notably, the
community-based project “Learning with child warriors”, which aims to support
teaching of children of the frontline forces, has attracted nearly 2,000
volunteers to register as tutors. Thanks to that, their children can
confidently perform their duties. Via social networks, many charity
programmes such as the donation of computers, books, scholarships and gifts
to children of medical workers, have received the enthusiastic responses from
people. It is
difficult to make up for difficulties and disadvantages that children whose
parents are health workers are on duty away from home for months. However,
the great attention from agencies at all levels and the whole society has had
practical significances and recognition for the contributions made by medical
workers, helping them alleviate their worries and better fulfill their
assigned tasks. Photo contest "HUEFOTOur 2021" to promote Hue tourism "HUEFOTOour
2021" is expected to become an opportunity for people to send their love
and promote images of Hue people and culture to friends and tourists across
the country, as a way to stimulate Hue tourism demand following the impact of
the COVID-19 epidemic. "HUEFOTOur
2021" is a photography contest simulating the famous annual photo
contest "Canon Marathon" held in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. On October
10, the organising board will offer two topics, with each topic having a
three-hour time limit for contestants to hunt and record beautiful photos in
Thua Thien Hue Province. The contest
prioritises photos capturing moments of ordinary and simple life with good
composition and colours. The event promises to be an extremely attractive
race for photo enthusiasts. The contest
opens for all those who love and have a passion for photography. The
registration period is from September 27 to October 5, 2021 via email:
huefotour@gmail.com. The total
prize value of the contest is VND20 million with many gifts from sponsors.
The contest's judges are famous photographers, journalists, photojournalists,
travel bloggers in Vietnam today, including Vietnamese photographer Ngo Quang
Phuc, journalist and photo editor Thuan Thang (Zing News), and travel blogger
Ngo Tran Hai An. The
organisers of the contest said that "HUEFOTOur 2021" creates a new
and passionate playground for the photography-loving community in Hue. Reading habits get a boost during social distancing Many people,
including children, must stay at home during social distancing due to
COVID1-9. Some of them see the period as a boring time, but others turn it
into reading time, and promote reading culture in the community. 1. Upon
hearing Ho Chi Minh City started social distancing, Huynh Quoc Cuong, a
student of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education who resides in Tan Hung
Ward, District 7, first thought that he would have a "peaceful
summer". However,
life didn’t go as planned. While his father must practice the
“three-on-the-spot” strategy (where employees live, work, and eat on-site to
curb COVID-19 spreading), his grandmother and then his mother both tested positive
for SARS-CoV- 2 and had to be hospitalised for treatment. Cuong and
his brother stayed at home, all they could do was pray and hope for their
grandmother and mother. During that time of panic and anxiety, Cuong found
that books provided a relief for him after a long day wandering around the
house. The reality,
however, became brutal for him as one week after his beloved ones were
admitted to the hospital, Cuong was exposed to COVID-19 and had to undergo
home treatment. The
situation caused the panic to multiply. But Cuong quickly faced his fear to
follow doctors’ guidance while continuing to read as a therapy for the soul,
thus turning his 28-day home treatment into 28 days of reading books. His courage
and positive thinking were rewarded as Cuong tested negative to SARS-CoV-2 in
early September. The book
also helped him reduce the pain of losing his grandmother due to COVID-19,
which also prevented Cuong and his family from being with her during her
final moments of life. “The best
way of entertainment during social distancing is reading books,” Cuong said,
adding that the lockdown provided him an opportunity to immerse himself in
the books he had bought but hadn't had time to read. 2. While the
pandemic continues to see complicated developments the administrators of the
‘Forum of Classic Book Lovers’ have been working to promote reading culture
on the social platform. The five administrators recently hosted a writing
contest themed ‘I love literature, which was launched from July 25 to August
25 with 78 submissions. Nguyen Thu,
the forum' administrator, shared that many entrants chose to write about
books which are hard to read and understand, such as ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’
by American author Harper Lee, and ‘Siddhartha’ by novelist Hermann Hesse. The contest
was launched to celebrate the first anniversary of the club, which has
attracted around 45,000 members, while promoting reading habits among the
community during the period of social distancing. Similar
social forums for book lovers such as Club of Book Lovers, Club of Book
Reviews, and Club of Literary Books, and Reading Club to Develop Critical
Thinking have also seen increases in members and interactions during the
social distancing. The book clubs have provided book lovers with reviews on books
of various topics ranging from life skills to history, science, and
literature. Notably,
members of some clubs have held book-giving events for people in the
pandemic-hit areas. Recently, Do Tien Thanh, a member of the ‘Books for
Vietnam’s rural areas’ programme, joined researcher Nguyen Quoc Vuong to
raise VND34 million to buy books for children in Bac Giang Province. In Ho Chi
Minh City, the city’s youth union launched a programme on providing books to
thousands of local families to help them stay well during social distancing. 3.
Translator and researcher Nguyen Quoc Vuong has authored and translated
around 70 books on history, culture, and education. He once announced that if
students can maintain reading habits during their 12 years of formal education,
they will be equipped with a better background than many university students. According to
him, parents should take advantage of the social distancing period and get
children involved in reading activities while they are not allowed to go
outside. He suggested
that parents limit children's use of phones, iPads, and televisions and join
in the reading time with their children. It is also necessary to create a
reading environment by developing a family bookcase and enriching the book
collection in order to make children more interested in reading. Parents
should read books to their children if they are still young. For children who
can read on their own, parents can discuss with their children about the
books they are reading. Sharing the
same view, Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh, founder of the ‘Reading Books with Children’
Club, also considers the pandemic and social distancing period as an
"opportunity" to develop children’s interest and attachment to
books. In 2020, her
club launched a YouTube programme themed ‘Book of Lullabies’, with each
episode introducing children into the world of knowledge through stories and
discoveries about the world as well as books on life skills and problems
facing both parents and children. In addition, Thuy Anh has also actively participated
in many other programmes to promote reading culture. How one
spends their time while practicing social distancing depends on individual
choice. Some people might get bored of being stuck at home social distancing,
but others make the period more interesting by boosting their reading life. Southeastern provinces slightly lift Covid-19 restrictions Covid-19
restrictions will be gradually lifted 'step-by-step' in Binh Duong Province,
starting on October 1, announced Vice chairman of the provincial People’s
Committee Nguyen Loc Ha. Fully
vaccinated people, individuals who received at least one vaccine dose at
least 14 days after vaccination and recovered Covid-19 patients have been
allowed to travel within the “green zones” while those living in the “red
zones” are required to display negative test result for Covid-19 when they
are travelling. The province will issue guidance for workers who travel
between their home and workplace. People
travelling within localities must comply with mutual regulations passed and
approved by provinces to ensure the prevention and control of the Covid-19
pandemic. “Green lane”
vehicles transporting goods, workers, specialists and other cases of special
necessity received a QR code are permitted to travel. The “Covid
Green Card” has yet been applied in travelling in the province, the
province’s leader added. Ba Ria-Vung
Tau Province has seen a steep drop in new cases over the past week. The
province has imposed social distancing order under the Directive 15 starting
September 23 after spending two months to implement stricter social
distancing measures under the strict Directive 16. Residents have been asked
to stay home and limit non-essential travel. As of
September 30, the province had 75 among 82 wards, communes and towns
recognized as the “green zones”. Meanwhile
the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control of Dong Nai
Province reported that the province has currently six districts that have
been listed as the “green zones”, including Thong Nhat, Xuan Loc, Dinh Quan,
Tan Phu, Cam My and Long Khanh City. Binh Phuoc
Province has suggested departments, units, organizations and the People’s
Committees of districts and towns to simultaneously implement pandemic
prevention and control activities. Traditional craft villages manage to survive pandemic Dozens of
different craft villages in the Southern Province of Dong Nai have been
managing to survive the Covid-19 epidemic. Many businesses have resorted to
the domestic market and online trading. Craft
villages including fine art wood, pottery, stone sculpture, forging have been
making efforts to survive their severe recessionary problems. For instance,
Nguyen Hoang, owner of a furniture manufacturing business in Xuan Tam Commune
in Xuan Loc District, said that he has had to shutter one production facility
and two shops for three months; therefore, tens of workers at the two
manufacturing facilities have returned to their hometowns. Currently,
20 workers have been residing in hostels, and Mr. Hoang has to make an advance
of VND4-5 million per person every month to keep workers. Many goods produced
before could not be delivered and dozens of contracts for wooden furniture
construction were delayed because imported wood materials were stuck at the
port. The
furniture production facility of Ngo Huynh Dieu in Xuan Hung commune also
faced similar difficulties. Currently, tens of workers residing in Dieu’s
production facility have kept producing for prior orders. Dong Nai
fine art pottery village is one of the most famous traditional craft villages
of the province. More than half of the village’s products are exported to
other countries while the rest are consumed domestically. From March 2020
until now, the sales of fine art ceramic products have slowed down, so
ceramic establishments have been forced to reduce their capacity, or
temporarily stop working. Due to the
impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, craft villages in Dong Nai Province have
actively shifted to exploiting the domestic market and focused on finding new
opportunities as well as switching to online trading to maintain production
and survival. Owner of
Tien Vy Furniture Facility in Bien Hoa City Nguyen Van Sy said that his
establishment returned to the domestic market, looking for customers who love
decorative wood for the home and garden. To attract
domestic consumers, he and his designers tried to make new, beautiful
products at competitive rates. Thanks to the dynamism of researching the
needs of the domestic market, plus finding more customers in the country, the
craft village has sold more products. Do Minh Son,
Director of Hoang My Ceramics Company in Tan Hanh Ceramics Industrial Cluster
in Bien Hoa City, said that since the outbreak of the epidemic, he switched
to looking for customers on the internet. Mr. Son has
been both introducing available ceramic products and advising customers to choose
products that are suitable for the trend, interior, color of the house or
garden. Subsequently, the company has received many orders from the end of
2020 to now not worrying about inventory anymore. Similarly,
Hoang Ngoc Toan - an artisan, owner of a ceramic establishment in Vinh Tan
commune, Vinh Cuu district switched to online business. Thankfully, his
ceramic facility has still maintained at 50 percent capacity escaping
disruption. He said Dong
Nai Province in general and Vinh Cuu District in particular have put the
epidemic under control; therefore, many business establishments have
reorganized production. He expected workers will get vaccine jabs soon that
they can be back to work for urgent orders. Preferential policies for research, production of Covid-19
vaccines Deputy Prime
Minister Vu Duc Dam has just signed a decision approving the national
key science and technology program "Research and production of vaccines
for human use by 2030". The aim of
the program is to strive for all of the domestically-manufactured vaccines to
meet national standards that are substantially the same as international
standards ensuring the national expanded vaccination program. Moreover, the
program will gradually help bring Vietnamese vaccines to the international market. Moreover,
the program will help master the technology of producing ten types of
vaccines and produce at least three types of vaccines by 2025. It will help
forward the country’s technology to produce 15 types of vaccines and produce
at least five types of vaccines by 2030. According to
the decision, all organizations and enterprises engaging in research
activities and technology transfer for vaccine production are entitled to
preferential policies as national products and high-tech products prioritized
for development investment and technology transfer. The Covid-19
vaccine manufacturers will enjoy full support for research, clinical
trials, trial production, testing, insurance, and financial support for
volunteers. HCMC Book Street to reopen after lifting of Covid restrictions The
management board of HCMC Book Street has completing the city’s evaluation
criteria for safe business operations. Thus the book street could not reopen
on October 1 as planned, said Director of HCMC Book Street Le Hoang. The Steering
Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control of HCMC has issued a set of
criteria to support safe operations while preventing Covid-19 at production
and business facilities in the city. Offices and businesses need to meet
these evaluation criteria to be able to operate again. Accordingly,
the book street must ensure employees and customers are fully vaccinated.
Besides, publishers’ employees who received at least one dose of the Covid-19
vaccine have to prepare commodities, clean and disinfect their commercial
spaces at the book street before reopening, said the director. HCMC Book
Street has temporarily suspended all operations since May 28. The reading
venue took advantage of social distancing measures to upgrade and repair its
works that are becoming seriously deteriorated after five years of operation. The city
street book‘s management board has also built more facilities, such as an
open space of reading and book exhibition. The Vietnam
Publishers Association-HCMC branch has earlier proposed the municipal
Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control to allow the printing
and publishing industry to reopen under strict Covid-19 rules starting on
October 1. HCMC is the
country’s largest market of the printing and publishing industry. The
reopening and activity resumption of publishers, book stores, and stationery
and office supplies businesses are regarded as a hopeful signal in the
crisis. Deputy
Director cum Editor-in-chief of the Kim Dong Publishing House Vu Thi Quynh
Lien said that the HCMC market accounts for around 60 percent of Kim Dong
Publishing House’ revenue. The Kim Dong book center and the publisher’s book
stall in the book street have yet reopened to the public because they are
completing requirements for Covid-19 infection prevention and control. In addition,
the Tre (Youth) Publisher plans to reopen it stall at the city book street
and a book store located at the No.157 Ly Chinh Thang Street in District 3 on
October 4. The company has finished evaluation criteria for safe business
operation and done much preparation for reopening, said Director of the Tre
(Youth) Publisher Phan Thi Thu Ha. The Nha Nam
Publishing and Communications Joint Stock Company has closed many its book
stores during the social distancing period. The company reopened eight stores
in Hanoi from September 17. At that time, the Ca Chep Bookstore in the
capital also reopened after two-month halt. Seven
bookstores in Hanoi and three others in Da Nang City of the Kim Dong
Publishing House restarted their operation from September 21. The company
earlier closed 13 book shops across the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Source:
VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/SGGP/Nhan Dan/Hanoitimes |
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