We love our city

Central Huế City has been selected to join 45 other cities worldwide in a global social media campaign called “We Love Cities”, part of World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour City Challenge.— Photo huedisan.com.vn HÀ NỘI — Central Huế City has been selected to join 45 other cities worldwide in a global social media campaign called “We Love Cities”, part of World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour City Challenge. The campaign aims to use an engaging social media platform to connect citizens with local leaders so that they can work together to build climate resilient cities. For the next eight weeks, people across the globe are invited to vote for their favorite cities, and to share what they love about them through photos and videos on Twitter and Instagram. Voters can also submit suggestions on additional actions they believe cities can take to make a mark on sustainability. The digital voting lasts from 26 April to 19 June on the campaign’s official site www.welovecities.org . … [Read more...] about WWF launches “We Love Cities” comp

Three Vietnamese cities, Đà Nẵng, Hội An and Đông Hà, have entered the final round of the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF)’s 2017 – 2018 One Planet City Challenge programme along with 37 other cities around the world.– Photo hoianworldheritage.org.vn HCM CITY – Three Vietnamese cities, Đà Nẵng, Hội An and Đông Hà, have entered the final round of the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF)’s 2017 – 2018 One Planet City Challenge programme along with 37 other cities around the world. Chosen from out of 132 cities in 23 countries, these 40 have convinced the jury by offering strong pledges and programmes to reduce CO2 emissions, especially from transport, the key topic in this competition. As cities and urban populations expand across the globe, the problems in cities also tend to multiply, but fortunately solutions exist with the potential to meet the demands of urban lifestyles without exhausting the planet’s ecological capacity. So WWF created the One Planet City Challenge (OPCC) … [Read more...] about Three VN cities enter final round of global environmental challenge

NEC reports 98 per cent election turnout Nation turns out for elections Polling stations offer support to older residents on Election Day 95% of eligible voters cast ballots in HCMC as of 5 pm. Election Day at a polling station Archbishop Paul Bùi Văn Đọc in HCM City votes at polling station 41 in Ward 6, District 3, HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Viet Nam News HCM City – HCM City voters took part in the election for the 14 th Việt Nam National Assembly this morning, which saw cooler temperatures after an overnight rain. All electoral places were solemnly decorated with flags, banners and information about candidates. Since early this morning, voters have queued up at electoral places even before the official opening time of 7am. Nguyễn Thiện Nhân, Politburo member, chairman of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front’s Central Committee and deputy chairman of the National Electoral Council, paid a short visit to HCM City Archbishop Paul Bùi Văn Đọc … [Read more...] about Election atmosphere in HCM City

The Kids Read project encourages primary school students to read for pleasure in the classroom as well as at home. Source www.britishcouncil.hk Viet Nam News HCM CITY — Kids Read, a project encouraging primary school students to read for pleasure in the classroom and at home, was launched on Friday in HCM City. The project, organised by the British Council in co-operation with the city’s Department of Education and Training, includes the opening of libraries and donation of 200 storybooks each to six schools in outlying districts. Nearly 4,000 students at the six schools will have the opportunity to read more books and participate in storytelling competitions. The libraries will organise reading sessions for children and for teachers to encourage them to include creative reading activities in their classrooms. Students’ parents will have access to book lists and reading methods to help nurture children’s love of books. Jon Glendinning, director … [Read more...] about Kids Read project kicks off in HCM City’s outlying districts

The HCM City Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee has honoured 60 war invalids and 50 relatives of wounded and sick soldiers. — Photo www.hcmcpv.org.vn Viet Nam News HCM CITY — Sixty war invalids and 50 relatives of wounded and sick soldiers were honoured at a conference held by the HCM City’s Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee in the city on Tuesday. The head of the city’s Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee, Tô Thị Bích Châu, said the people honoured at the conference had made great efforts in overcoming difficult circumstances. She recalled the late President Hồ Chí Minh’s saying: “ Thương binh tàn nhưng không phế ” (Wounded soldiers are disabled but they are not discarded; they are still useful). On the occasion of the annual 70th Day for War Invalids and Martyrs (July 27), the city honoured 60 war invalids who made sacrifices for national freedom and are now running businesses and making positive contributions to the development of the country. Nguyễn Phan Tâm, … [Read more...] about HCM City honours 110 war invalids and their relatives

A police officer direct traffic in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Linh Viet Nam News By An Phương HCM CITY – You’ve probably heard of multiple measures to ease traffic congestion in HCM City, but are you aware that the city plans to restrict motorbikes by 2030? As far as I know, HCM City is the third city, besides Hà Nộ i and Đà N ẵng, to come up with a roadmap to limit private vehicles travelling to the city centre and to areas prone to traffic congestion. According to the proposal’s first phase from now until 2020, the city will increase parking fees, restrict parking for motorbikes and impose a toll on vehicles entering the city centre. During peak hours between 7am and 7pm, motorbike travel will be restricted between Tân Bình District’s Tr ư ờ ng Sơn Stree t and District 1’s Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai Street, and between Pasteur Street (Lý Tự Trọng – Điện Biên Phủ section) and Nam Kì Khởi Nghĩa Street (Điện Biên Phủ - Lý Tự Trọng section). The city will also … [Read more...] about Is a motorbike restriction or ban the way to go for HCM City?

Expatriates love Vietnam’s “city for bikes” By Nhan Tam A Spanish family cycling around town - PHOTOS: NHAN TAM Expat Life escorts expatriates riding bicycles around the ancient town of Hoi An—a paradise for cyclists to get around on their bikes Paul Thauvin, a Frenchman, together with his wife and three children, last week traveled to Hoi An after celebrating the New Year in the port city of Bordeaux, his hometown. They had planned to stay in the ancient town for one month in order to experience the local way of life. The French family had also heard praises of Hoi An from their friends. “Hoi An is so peaceful,” says Thauvin. “The green fields remind me of the French countryside.” Thauvin is taking a break on An Bang Bridge after cycling along the rice fields on Hai Ba Trung Street. Cycling along the Hoai River to discover local rice fields, visit Tra Que vegetables village, have lunch at An Bang beach and return to the hotel in the downtown area is their … [Read more...] about Expatriates love Vietnam’s “city for bikes”

A kaleidoscope of cuisine in Danang City By Nhan Tam Mr. Happy (L), founder and CEO of DNIFF, talks to a Vietnamese chef - PHOTO: NHAN TAM DANANG - Danang International Food Festival (DNIFF) 2019 is a chance for talented master chefs from around the world to introduce fusion food with international flavors to locals. Founder of DNIFF Keerthi Hapugasdeniya, also known as Mr. Happy, said the guest chefs would visit local markets just before they start preparing their dishes to make sure that Vietnamese markets can have ingredients for international fusion dishes. “The definition of good food to me is a well-balanced taste in your mouth,” Mr. Happy said. “Fusion food in another way is non-traditional food which most people try outside home. Vietnamese dining is all about traditional food that tastes awesome in your mouth and a great way of using the local seasonal ingredients.” Not just fusion food… Chef Ray McCue from Mexico will bring with him some special … [Read more...] about A kaleidoscope of cuisine in Danang City

Exhibition marks Hanoi’s 20th anniversary of City for Peace recognition The Saigon Times Daily Some elderly people enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of Hanoi - PHOTO: VNA HCMC - An exhibition has been opened in Hanoi to mark the 20th anniversary of the capital city being recognized as a City for Peace by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The exhibition is being held at the Exhibition Information House, 45 Trang Tien Street, Hoan Kiem District by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports and the Ho Chi Minh Museum. The exhibition has three main parts: “Hanoi and a thousand years of civilization”, “President Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi’s culture”, and “Hanoi learns from President Ho Chi Minh's thoughts, morality and lifestyle”. On display are 200 photos depicting the late president’s life and his love for Hanoi, as well as the capital city’s elegance and charm. On the occasion, a carnival was held on the pedestrian streets … [Read more...] about Exhibition marks Hanoi’s 20th anniversary of City for Peace recognition

An eighteen-year journey of love with students By Hong Ngan A group of volunteers of the “Adding Strength in the Exam Season” pose for a photo It is called generosity when a certain enterprise makes a big donation to benefit the society. When such generosity is repeated on and on, for years or decades, it has turned love. For 18 years now, Thien Long Corporation has sustained its sympathy with students, accompanying them from their very early footsteps on their path of learning. The company’s history of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices, widely known in the society as the “Adding Strength in the Exam Season” campaign, is full of heart and humanity. Nearly two decades ago, when the university/college entrance exam and the high school graduation exam had yet to be merged into one national exam, many places across the country were always overwhelmed by hundreds of thousands of students and their parents,especially those from the countryside, who flocked … [Read more...] about An eighteen-year journey of love with students