Craft villages

Deputy Director of the Hà Nội Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Mai Trọng Thái. — Photo hanoimoi.com.vn Deputy Director of Hà Nội’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Mai Trọng Thái, talks to Hà Nội Mới (New Hà Nội) newspaper about the capital city’s environmental protection efforts. Environment is a top concern of urban areas, including Hà Nội. Could you briefly explain the current situation of the capital city’s environment? Through the sector’s review and assessment, you can see that the main source of environmental pollution in Hà Nội is water surface pollution of rivers, lakes and channels. Air pollution and pollution caused by untreated solid waste and household waste. The city is estimated to release around 900,000cu.m of waste water each day while the capacity of wastewater treatment facilities in the city has reached only 276,000cu.m, dealing with just 28.8 per cent of the waste water. The remaining wastewater has been discharged …

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Song Mooc Village has been dubbed a "miniature Sa Pa" of the highland commune of Dong Van, Binh Lieu District, Quang Ninh Province thanks to its cool climate and gorgeous landscape. Song Mooc Village is considered as "miniature Sa Pa" of Binh Lieu District. Photo courtesy of Ly Van Vinh Summer brings heat nationwide, but Song Mooc Village usually has quite a cool and fresh climate as it is located in the middle of Phieng Che--Cao Ba Lanh mountain system. The village is located on a mountain range that rises to more than 1,000m above sea level in parts, covered with green cinnamon forest and white clouds. The village has many rammed earth houses which are still intact. The village has focused on the development of its tourism sector and although it is a highland village, travelling to the village is easy due to the convenient road system. The village is only about 30km from the centre of Binh Lieu Town. The first thing that strikes you about Song Mooc Village is …

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‘Phoi Chieu Coi’ (Drying sedge mat) by Dzung Nguyen (Photo: VAPA) Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA) has brought home two honourable mention certificates in the print and digital categories at the International Federation of Photographic Art ( FIAP )’s 29th Colour Biennial , the association has announced. The two certificates were presented to two photo collections themed ‘Traditional Crafts’ in the print section and ‘Vietnam Viewed from Above’ in the digital session. ‘ Traditional Crafts ’ comprises 10 photos, while ‘Vietnam Viewed from Above’ is a collection of 20 photos, both taken by different photographers. Regarding individual photo awards, Vietnamese photographer Dzung Nguyen won an honourable mention certificate for his photo entitled ‘Phoi Chieu Coi’ (Drying sedge mat), which is one of the ‘Traditional Crafts’ collection. Biennials is one of the most important events offered by FIAP. They are organised every two years …

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Nguyễn Thế Dũng working on his orchard in Bắc Ninh. VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Văn Nhiều BẮC NINH – The provincial Youth Union in the northern province of Bắc Ninh, has given a helping hand to save several young start-ups heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Secretary of the Bắc Ninh Youth Union, Nguyễn Đức Sâm said that the COVID-19 pandemic had pushed most of the youth start-up models into difficulty, especially in high-tech agricultural production that provides clean and high-quality foods for supermarkets and restaurants. To ensure smalls start-ups in the region could survive, the Union co-ordinated with the Việt Nam Bank for Social Policies to support two loan extensions: one for 10 start-ups to the tune of VNĐ7.1 billion (around $309,000) and the second tranche for six more new start-ups totalling VNĐ4 billion ($174,000). Nguyễn Thế Dũng, a secretary of the Youth Union of Giang Sơn Commune, Gia Bình District, used to be a shining star in the youth start-up movement …

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Rangers of Cuc Phuong National Park on patrol (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – While unprecedented environmental challenges threatening the health and lives of millions of people around the world are ringing alarm bells for human behaviour towards the nature, Vietnam is home to a primeval forest described as a “big school” that has helped spread the love for nature for the past nearly six decades. Nostalgia for Cuc Phuong Filled with the nostalgia for the first national park in Vietnam, musician Tran Chung wrote a famous song titled “Nho ve Cuc Phuong” (Missing Cuc Phuong). To many, the park spanning the provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh, and Thanh Hoa is more than nostalgia but a yearning for the place full of secrets awaiting visitors to explore. “To me, it was a fairytale land and an extremely meaningful reward that my school presented to good students like me. Returning after more than 30 years, the biggest surprise to me is that Cuc Phuong remains almost intact. I’m …

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The two certificates were presented to two photo collections themed ‘Traditional Crafts’ in the print section and ‘Vietnam Viewed from Above’ in the digital session. ‘Traditional Crafts’ comprises 10 photos, while ‘Vietnam Viewed from Above’ is a collection of 20 photos, both taken by different photographers. Regarding individual photo awards, Vietnamese photographer Dzung Nguyen won an honorable mention certificate for his photo entitled ‘Phoi Chieu Coi’ (Drying sedge mat), which is one of the ‘Traditional Crafts’ collection. Biennials is one of the most important events offered by FIAP. They are organized every two years in a different member country. Even years for Black and White and Nature Biennials, odd years for the Color Biennial. Biennials have a very particular characteristic, different from the international contests. It is not only the quality of the individual work that counts, but FIAP ask for coherent collections, as well of the viewpoint of inspiration and …

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Việt Nam Olympics Team arrive Tokyo safe and sound on July 19. — Photo courtesy of Việt Nam Olympics Team HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese athletes have wasted no time after arriving in Tokyo and have immediately started training for their upcoming Olympic competitions. The two archers, Nguyễn Hoàng Phi Vũ and Đỗ Thị Ánh Nguyệt, will be first up with their first competitions at the Tokyo International Forum tomorrow, just hours before the opening ceremony. Rowing duo, Lường Thị Thảo and Đinh Thị Hảo will compete at the Sea Forest Waterway on the same day. "Waves and wind are stronger here than in our training centre at home. It is our first training so we are just getting familiar with the water and the route," said rower Thảo. Runner Quách Thị Lan however will be the last to compete with her first run at the 400m hurdles taking place on July 31. Meanwhile, the badminton team has not been given permission to practice at the competition venue. They can only currently go to the gym and …

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Xèo Chu poses next to his paintings that were auctioned on Sunday and Tuesday. — Photo courtesy of Xèo Chu Arts HCM CITY — The 14-year-old art prodigy Xèo Chu has joined the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by donating all of the proceeds from two online auctions of his paintings to the city’s healthcare workers. The VNĐ2.85 billion (US$123,500) he received from selling eight paintings during the auctions, will be used to provide medical supplies and equipment. The proceeds will be given to the University Medical Center of HCM City. Chu, who set sales records with his 'Jackson Pollock' like paintings selling for over $217,000 in an exhibition in New York in 2019 when he was only 12, says the money will be used to buy six ventilators, 1,000 protective suits, and 10,000 N95 masks. The young artist will also give VNĐ355 million ($15,400) to healthcare staff at the city’s Tâm Anh General Hospital to buy vegetables that are in short supply in HCM City. Xèo Chu seen to work …

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As many as 259 children, aged between seven and 14, joined a swimming competition in the southern province of Đồng Tháp in October last year. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Văn Trí HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has approved a programme to prevent and manage children’s accidents and injuries for the period 2021-2030. The programme’s objective is to reduce the number of children having accidents and injuries, particularly drowning and traffic accidents. The programme aims to reduce the rate of childhood accidents and injuries from 500 per 100,000 children to 5 per 100,000 by 2030. This will include an annual reduction of from five to ten per cent in the number of children killed and injured in road traffic accidents. As part of the programme 15,000 schools will meet Safe School standards by 2030. The programme will also strive to have 95 per cent of children aged from six to 16 fully aware of how to behave safely on and near roads, and to ensure that 60 per cent of …

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"Going home" - a newly-launched free tour at the Cuc Phuong National Park in the northern province of Ninh Binh allows tourists to release animals back to nature. (Photo: the Cuc Phuong National Park ) Hanoi (VNA) - "Going home" - a newly-launched free tour at the Cuc Phuong National Park in the northern province of Ninh Binh allows tourists to release animals back to nature, thereby helping to spread the message of nature conservation among the public. For the first time in a national park in Vietnam, visitors can join authorities in releasing rescued wild animals back to nature. According to the Director of the national park Nguyen Van Chinh, each visitor joining the tour will become an “ambassador” who helps raise public awareness of nature conservation . Established in 1962, Cuc Phuong is the first and largest nature reserve in Vietnam. The park is located around 120km southwest of Hanoi and nestled in the convergence of three provinces: Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and …

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