Charity

The Ministry of Finance has announced a draft circular encouraging the public to make their social and charitable donations by bank account transfer or electronic payment methods.

After over one year of fielding suggestions on management of such contributions, the Finance Ministry on Wednesday released its draft circular providing guidance for collection, management and expenditure of social and charitable donations as well as grants to relic sites and festive activities.

Regarding charitable donations or funding for relic site protection, donors should directly put their cash contributions into boxes for kindness, transfer their grants to the bank accounts of relic management agencies at commercial banks or state treasuries, or hand over their valuable papers to those agencies.

In case valuable papers are certificates carrying their owners’ names, donors are required to get through the transfer procedures as prescribed by current regulations.

For donations in forms of precious metals or stones, relic management agencies are allowed to put them up for auctions or sell them to commercial banks, with proceeds from the sale recognized as cash contributions.

In the draft circular, the Finance Ministry also set forth many principles on fund-raising and receipts of charitable donations.

Accordingly, the ministry strictly prohibits taking unfair advantage of any festivals or using relic sites for individual or group interests.

All receipts and expenditures of charitable donations must be recorded fully, correctly, publicly and transparently.

Certificates of donation must be issued at the donors’ requests.

In case a relic management agency receives a donation of VND100 million (US$4,300) or more, the agency must put it into its account at a commercial bank or a state treasury branch.

With respect to management of charity boxes, relic management agencies must regularly check and count the money inside such box on the daily, weekly or monthly basis.

Such activities must be made in writing with signatures of the keeper of the charity box key, the accountant in charge, and the representative of the security guard team at the relic site.

Donations to relic sites are intended to be spent on purchase of incense sticks, flowers, offerings, stationery and supplies; restoration or construction works; payment of wages and expenses on use of public services; and other expenses related to the relic site’s daily activities.

Expenditures from a donation must be within the relics’ internal spending regulations and the expectations of its donor.

In case the donation recipient is a religious entity as a public non-business unit, expenditures from a donation are required to meet both the donor’s expectations and the spending rules of state agencies.

Festival organizers and relic management agencies must open their bank accounts at commercial banks or state treasury branches to receive cash donations so that the receipt of and payment from such donations can be monitored.

In case the donation receiver is a state agency or a public non-business unit, it must open its account at a commercial bank to receive and manage all cash donations.

When the receiver needs to use the money, it must transfer such amount to its account at the State Treasury for the purposes of expenditure management and settlement.

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Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro speaks at the press conference (Photo: VNA)

The programme, first launched by the Italian Government in 2018 in 40 countries and territories, aims to promote Italian cuisine and this Vietnamese edition will be the first staged by ICHAM since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

“True Italian Taste 2020” will feature four main activities. The one specialising on pasta – a traditional Italian dish – will be held at the Caravelle Saigon Hotel on June 3 with the participation of three well-known Italian chefs in HCM City.

Speaking at the press conference, Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro said pasta has become an iconic Italian dish and is now served around the world.

A global survey by charity Oxfam named it the world’s most popular dish, he added.

He also voiced a belief that bilateral trade will further thrive when the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) officially takes effect, which is expected this year.

ICHAM Executive Director Pham Hoang Hai said the programme is expected to help importers, food distributors, food and beverage (F&B) providers, hotels, and consumers select authentic Italian goods and avoid any issues relating to product origin.

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Italy hit 5 billion USD in 2019, with Vietnam purchasing foodstuffs worth more than 100 million USD./.VNA

Positive working environment

Over 14 years, Sun Group has developed iconic landmarks in Vietnam, including unique resorts, world class entertainment complexes and real estate ecosystems.

Sun Group has created its own organizational culture, continually attracting and retaining young, dynamic and highly sought-after talent in Vietnam. It seeks to hire and train highly qualified and principled individuals.

The group has sought out talents in Vietnam since the beginning. To attract and retain top talent, it offers not only competitive salaries, but also a forward-thinking and positive working environment, where employees can develop their career and benefit from international labor standards.

“We invest in the well-being of employees, making sure they always feel valued and happy to be part of such a dynamic team. A positive, high-energy and friendly workplace would inspire personnel to do their best,” a Sun Group representative said.

To handle work pressure, Sun Group creates a work-life balance at the office. It offers wellness programs, sports events, on-site gym facilities, even smoking cessation programs to promote healthy lifestyles.

Sun Group build employee wellness programs, sports events… to promote healthy lifestyles. Photo by Sun Group.

A family-like working environment

Sun Group strives to take care of its employees in the same way a family would. For employees working far from home, the company provides accommodation, on-site childcare facilities, and transit services.

Charity programs like Sunflower Fund and Warm Spring support the poor and disadvantaged. “We empower them to be the best version of themselves, boosting creativity as a work culture while retaining a sense of homeliness and togetherness,” the representative said.

“Sun Group contributes to the sustainable recovery of Vietnam’s tourism industry amid Covid-19, and minimizes the impact of the crisis on its employees by implementing flexible policy solutions toward ‘the new normal’.”

By launching campaigns like Go Green, No Plastic Waste, Stop Smoking, Live Happily – Live Healthily, Sun Talents and Change for Future, it aims to spread the message of sustainable and healthier living.

A training workshop at Sun Group. Photo by Sun Group.

Community-oriented projects

Despite operations being severely affected by Covid-19, Sun Group still strives to contribute to the sustainable recovery of Vietnam’s tourism industry, and its actions continue to minimize the impact of the crisis on its employees.

During a challenging time, the company swiftly acted, implementing plans and offering flexible policies to help employees adjust to the ‘new normal’. Sun Group also rolled out various cultural and social media activities to encourage a positive spirit across communities and maintain employee morale.

Responding to the Covid-19 impact on global tourism, the group introduced exciting products and services to boost the industry while supporting the government to eliminate this disease.

Developed by Sun Group, Van Don International Airport has welcomed thousands of flights over the past year, welcoming Vietnamese returning home from countries affected by the pandemic.

In central Vietnam, Sun Group set up Tien Son field hospital in just three and a half days to treat Covid-19 patients. A team of Sun Group professionals was dispatched to Chi Linh Town, Hai Duong, hotspot of a recent outbreak, to support field hospital construction.

“The outbreak came just two weeks before Tet (Lunar New Year), an occasion for family reunions, so I feel a little bittersweet about this outstanding effort. At Sun Group, we all wished to make a contribution in the hope of controlling infections in Hai Duong, so people could welcome the new year safely and happily. It was nothing compared to the ceaseless efforts being made by the doctors, nurses and soldiers on the frontline, who have been battling to contain and eliminate the virus,” said Pham Hoang Tuan, Project Manager in Capital Region of Sun Group.

A Sun Group representative said: “Creating positive working environment, caring for employees as family and inspired them to make a difference… all of these are the reason to explain why Sun Group has consistently been identified as one of the best companies and one of the leading employers in Vietnam.”

Sun Group received “Companies with progressive response to challenging adversity” award. Photo by Sun Group.

In 2020, the group received the “Top 5 Real Esate Companies”, “Top 100 Vietnam Best Places to Work 2020” and “Top 50 for Vietnam’s Most Attractive Employers 2020” awards.

Sun Group was named on the “Top 10 Excellent Companies with Responsive Human Capital Initiative” list, a prestigious award in the field of human resources.

MUSIC & PERFORMANCES

HCMC- New play for children to be staged at dance school

May 9, 3pm

HCM City Dance School, 155 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, D3

The play is based on the short story collection for children The World’s Worst Children, by English bestselling author David Walliams. The collection revolves around five beastly boys and five gruesome girls.

Tickets: VND150,000 and can be bought at https://forms.gle/RMVEpMT7wmi1X2Fa7.

French musical ‘Les Misérables’ tours

April 16-18, Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi

May, National Dance and Music Festival, Dak Lak Province

Early June, Ho Chi Minh City

Featuring famed historical French musical ‘Les Misérables’ by Victor Hugo.

With participation of local artists from the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre (VNOB), foreign artists from Hanoi Voices Choir, along with director Nguyen Trieu Duong and choreographer Linh An.

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EXHIBITION

Hanoi-The Subtle Moves

Apr 30-May 16, Tues – Sun, 10 am – 7 pm
Manzi Exhibition Space, No.2, ngo Hang Bun, Ba Dinh District

From Manzi:

Featuring nearly 30 silk works, which are all composition assignments of art students in their final year of Bachelor’s studies, ‘The Subtle Moves’ introduces to the public the promising representatives of a new artist generation as well as offers the artists themselves essential motivation at their significant turning point.

Ninh Thuan Province-Exhibition of Ninh Thuan – Quang Nam Cham culture

Until May 15,
Displaying nearly 80 artifacts, including photos, statues, pottery, over 1,500 tools, traditional handicrafts, costumes, jewellery, paintings, ancient musical instruments, and 1,400 books and reference materials.

Featuring the unique cultural and artistic heritages of the Cham people in the land of Ninh Thuan – Quang Nam and the exchange of Cham culture with others throughout history.

HCMC-A Dream Of The End At The End Of A Dream

Apr 27-June 26, Tues – Sat, 10 am – 7 pm
Galerie Quynh, 118 Nguyen Van Thu, D1

From the organizer:

An exhibition by Tuan Andrew Nguyen and Wowy. This is their second with the gallery, the latest in a wide range of collaborations since 2008’s Quiet Shiny Words/Cultural Doppelgangbangers, where the artists explored subcultures in the contexts of Vietnam and America.

Binh Dinh Province-Exhibition: ECO-SUS

Opening: Apr 8, 03 pm
Exhibition: Apr 8 – Aug 8
International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education, 7 Science Avenue, Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province

From the organizer:

Featuring 11 Visual artists across Vietnam.

ECO-SUS is curated by artists The Son and Uu Dam, opening along with Winter School for Sustainable Development with 100 excellent fellows and respected speakers organized by Danh Nguyen. ICISE, a European-style building inspired by Binh Dinh nature, situated in the heart of a 21 hectares valley surrounded by majestic mountains and a long yellow sand beach. A remarkable architecture design by the famous Jean François Milou. See you at this fascinating exhibition.

The thrilling ECO-SUS exhibition will take place on the beach at 3 PM on April 8th:
1. 03 pm – Warm-up, kick start with with a viral and ambitious artwork from ECO-ĐI by artist Nguyễn Trần Ưu Đàm on Quy Nhơn yellow sand beach to raise global awareness about the pollution.
2. 04 pm – Opening exhibition of 11 Vietnamese artists with their world-class artworks. Curatorial tour lead by artist/curator Thế Sơn
3. 04:30 pm – “Chula” Fashion show by designer Del Valle Cortizas Diego.

4. 09 Apr – Explore Làng Sông, an old monastery, a beautiful structure that built and stood for 158 years, listen to singing hymns, visit publication in the very historic place where Jesuits record the first Vietnamese sounds in Latin.

HCMC- Exhibitions: ‘Within / Between / Beneath / Upon’ & ‘Home: Looking inwards to the outer world’

Until Jun 6, 10 am – 07 pm
The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre, 15 Nguyễn Ư Dĩ, Thảo Điền Ward, D 2,

From the organizer:

The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre proudly presents two exhibitions: ‘Within / Between / Beneath / Upon’ and ‘Home: Looking inwards to the outer world’.