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Archive for June 19th, 2010|Daily archive page

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Vietnam Responsible Travel brings hearts closer

In Uncategorized on June 19, 2010 at 4:27 pm




Vietnam Responsible Travel brings hearts closer


QĐND – Saturday, June 19, 2010, 20:51 (GMT+7)

The first Vietnam Responsible Travel in Central Vietnam, has attracted, and been appreciated by, numerous international tourists and local people.


To join this month–long trip, nine Canadian tourists first flew to Ho Chi Minh City and then settled in the ancient city of Hoi An, the central province of Quang Nam.


One of the most important things of this special trip is that participants should be over 50.


Mr K.Paul said his group shared a house and meals with Tran Hung family in Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An City.


“I and Mr Hung have gradually got to know each other. Sentiments is the most precious thing I have acknowledged and felt after nearly a month staying here”, confided Mr Paul.


During their stay in Hoi An City, the group has walked around the ancient city of Hoi An, collecting required information useful for their stay.


Moreover, they have Vietnamese language classes from Monday to Friday. They also joined in making meals, teaching English for local children, making pottery products in trade village of Thanh Tra, growing vegetables in Tra Que village and other interesting things.


Importantly, Canadian tourists have volunteered to help handicapped and elderly people in the Quang Nam Social Center as well as children in the Hoi An Orphans Center.  They even joined in cleaning houses; cooking meals, washing clothes and giving baths to the elderly and children.


Besides the ancient city of Hoi An, the group has also visited Hanoi, some of the world’s natural and cultural heritages of My Son Sanctuary, Phong Nha Cave, Halong Bay and contemplated other charming landscapes of Ngu Hanh Son, Museum of Cham, Vinh Moc Tunnel, Hien Luong bridge and Ben Hai river.


Mr Nguyen Hoi living in Cam Chau Ward, who shared his house with a tourist, remarked that “our foreign guest is quite open-hearted; relaxed and supportive. The guest actively took part in making daily meals, watering plants every morning. Especially, he is always cheerfully and friendly”.


Relating to this unique tourism program, Mr Le Ho Phuoc Vinh, the CEO of Le Nguyen International Travel Joint-stock Company in Hoi An city, said that his company has coordinated with Canada-based-Cegep Marie-Victoria Company to put this program into operation.


“Joining this home-stay program, members could have opportunity to chat and have meals with the host and participate in numerous voluntary activities”, he added.


Ms. J.Helene, a Canadian tourist, shared that her companies did not use air-conditioning to save electricity and had long stay in a certain place to limit the use of transportation to reduce the impact on the environment.


“The most wonderful part of the program is that we have an opportunity to give children and the elderly a hand, from the smallest thing. I see that people in Hoi An city are very nice and sweet. It is cultural values that make the life here is so peaceful”, Helene said.


Vietnam Responsible Travel, the newly-launched tourism program, is very impressive as it helped link heart to heart.


Furthermore, it has also helped popularise Vietnamese images among international friends and more tourists will come to Vietnam partly thanks to this special program.


Source: TP


Translated by Mai Huong


Source: QDND

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Da Nang launches tourism programme

In Uncategorized on June 19, 2010 at 4:26 pm




Da Nang launches tourism programme


QĐND – Saturday, June 19, 2010, 20:51 (GMT+7)

A tourism programme called Da Nang-Summer Destination 2010 opened at the Pham Van Dong beach in the central coastal city of Da Nang on June 19.


The programme features interesting cultural and sport events including balloon flying, dragon boat racing on the seas and a painting contest for children to promote the image of Da Nang with exciting sea and forest discoveries.


The highlight of the programme is the 2010 Tourism in the Central Region festival with a number of competitions for hotel staff from the cities along the central region including Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue as well as others in Laos and Cambodia.


Tourism operators in the province will offer new tours including scuba diving, fishing with local fishermen and exploring the natural beauty of Son Tra, Ba Na and Suoi Hoa. Other sea sport activities like canoeing, parasailing, surfing and swimming also promise a dynamic atmosphere for visitors to Da Nang in the summer.


According to the organising board, most of the hotels are fully booked during this time.


To attract visitors to the city this year and ensure sustainable development of the city’s tourism industry in the next years, Da Nang has launched a promotion programme aiming to welcome 350,000 foreign and 1.1 million domestic visitors. The programme includes a promotion campaign called Impressive Vietnam- Grand Sale 2010, and a tourism promotion with preferential offers for tourists in many hotels and restaurants. It also introduces new tourism services and organises various cultural, sport and tourism events.


This programme is part of the country’s tourism promotion programme Vietnam-Your Destination 2010 , that focuses on further promoting the potential of major tourism destinations like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat and the Mekong Deltal and penetrate international markets such as Thailand, Singapore, China and Japan.


The national programme runs training courses for tourist drivers, shop assistants and staff in hotels and restaurants across the country as well as conducting campaigns to make the cities and beaches clean and tidy.


Source: VOV


Source: QDND

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Sports festival for the disabled to open next month

In Uncategorized on June 19, 2010 at 4:26 pm




Sports festival for the disabled to open next month


QĐND – Saturday, June 19, 2010, 20:51 (GMT+7)

The fourth National Festival of Sports and Arts for People with Disabilities will take place in the central city of Da Nang from July 18-26.


the General Department of Physical Training and Sports told a press briefing in Hanoi on June 16 that disabled athletes from cities and provinces nationwide will compete in seven sports events, including track and field, swimming, badminton, table tennis, weightlifting, tennis, and chess.


Art troupes will take part in such categories as solo, duet, group singing, instrumental solo, concert and dancing.


The organising board will present flags of merit and gold, silver and bronze medals to those who record outstanding achievements during the festival.


The festival not only represents the attention of the Party, State and whole society to people with disabilities but also is an activity marking the nation’s important events, including the 63 rd anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day (July 27).


It also aims to maintain and develop sports movements among the disabled in the country and provides a chance for them to exchange experiences and strengthen solidarity.


The opening ceremony of the festival will be held on July 22.


Source: VNA


Source: QDND

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World Food Festival of 2010 to be launched

In Uncategorized on June 19, 2010 at 4:26 pm




World Food Festival of 2010 to be launched


QĐND – Saturday, June 19, 2010, 20:51 (GMT+7)

The World Food Festival 2010 will take place in the southern coastal province of Ba Ria- Vung Tau from July 21st to 25th, said the organising board of the coming event at a press conference held on June 17th. 


The event with the theme ‘Taste the World’ will be organised along Thuy Van water route in Vung Tau City with the participation of famous chefs, artists and artisans from 40 Vietnamese provinces and 40 foreign countries.


About 500 special dishes and culinary cultures of Vietnamese regions and foreign countries will be introduced and sold at the festival.


In addition, traditional art performances and culture identities will be launched during the festival.


It is estimated that over 900,000 domestic and foreign visitors will call at the event, which is believed to be a good chance to promote the local tourism potential.


The festival is expected to be launched every year.


Source: Tuoi tre


Translated by Duy Minh


Source: QDND

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Shouldering community responsibility

In Uncategorized on June 19, 2010 at 4:26 pm




Shouldering community responsibility


QĐND – Saturday, June 19, 2010, 20:49 (GMT+7)

Electricity blackouts are an issue of great concern to businesses and individuals as the electricity sector has constantly cut the power supply on a rotating basis for weeks. While power generation is in a terrible mess, power conservation is considered the best immediate solution.


When summer comes, the electricity sector usually has to cope with power shortages. This year, the situation is worse than usual as the country has experienced a prolonged drought, and early floods expected to flow in Hoa Binh Reservoir – the largest in Vietnam – will arrive later than usual.


Many businesses and policymakers fear that rotating power cuts will have a negative impact on the country’s economic growth and that some national targets set for this year are unlikely to be reached.


There is no denying that electricity plays a key role in people’s everyday life, and power cuts during the prolonged hot weather are making their lives chaotic. Kindergartens temporarily close down, forcing parents to stay out of work to take care of their children at home. Many elderly people look for shaded areas such as green parks or their friends’ houses where power is still on to avoid the extreme heat.


Employees opt to come to the office and enjoy good air conditioning during the daytime, even on weekends, rather than staying at home and doing nothing during a blackout. Many factories and service centres halt operations due to power outages.


In some rural areas, power is cut from 06.00 to 24.00 every day, seriously affecting post-harvest preservation of farm products during harvest season.


By and large, economic losses caused by power outages far exceed the value of the power saved. Some people suggest that the electricity sector develop a system of diesel-fuelled generators to cover the gaps. People and businesses would rather purchase electricity at a higher price than suffer prolonged power cuts.


The electricity sector needs a long-term vision for its future development, and it should have a roadmap for resolving power shortages. Power conservation is an immediate solution to help ease power shortages.


State offices should be pioneers in practising thrift by moderating their use of high-consumption equipment such as air conditioners and electric kettles. Ironically, some offices use air conditioning so excessively that warm clothes are sometimes worn inside while outside temperatures exceed 40oC. 


It is also important to have regulations minimising the use of electricity for electronic advertising boards, electronic office signs, restaurants and public lighting systems.


Power conservation campaigns have been launched across the country and have brought practical results. However, while many residential areas, production workshops and rural areas are experiencing power cuts on a regular basis, many urban areas and entertainment centres are lit up overnight.


Ten rural families will have a bulb lit and a fan operating for every air conditioner that is turned off in an urban area. In other words, saving electricity should receive a greater response from people across all social strata.


Source: VOV


Source: QDND

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Gov’t provides VND100 billion to drought-hit localities

In Uncategorized on June 19, 2010 at 4:25 pm




Gov’t provides VND100 billion to drought-hit localities


QĐND – Saturday, June 19, 2010, 20:49 (GMT+7)

The Prime Minister has decided to allocate VND100.1 billion from the State budget reserve to 12 provinces and cities and two irrigation companies to overcome the consequences of the severe drought during the 2009-2010 winter-spring rice crop.


Beneficiaries are Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Binh Dinh, and Bac Hung Hai and Bac Hung Ha irrigation companies.


This is the third time this year the government has provided capital to drought-hit localities.


Earlier, the government allocated VND46.6 billion to six northern provinces and VND144.6 billion to 13 Mekong delta provinces to combat drought.


Source: VOV


Source: QDND

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100 rare pheasants found in central VN national park

In Uncategorized on June 19, 2010 at 4:25 pm




100 rare pheasants found in central VN national park


QĐND – Saturday, June 19, 2010, 20:51 (GMT+7)

A flock of 100 endangered Lophura Diarants pheasants has been discovered in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the central province of Quang Binh.


The images, shot by an automatic camera triggered off by motion, are the first of the birds seen in the wild in Viet Nam.


The group of researchers, who set up the camera, said they were amazed to see so many pheasants in an area densely populated by humans. “It is a sign that this endangered species is recovering,” they said.


The park management said on Tuesday that the bird was listed as endangered globally. Members of the Fasianidae family, mature birds weigh more than a kilogram.


Source: VietNamNet/Viet Nam News


 


Source: QDND

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Deputy PM praises education plan

In Uncategorized on June 19, 2010 at 4:25 pm




Deputy PM praises education plan


QĐND – Saturday, June 19, 2010, 20:51 (GMT+7)

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said the Government’s three-year tertiary education reform programme that had begun this year was expected to improve curricula and teaching quality, as well as meet employers’ demands for well-trained graduates.Nhan said that management staff of schools nationwide had held many workshops related to education reform.


“Students, teachers, parents and administrators all must play a role in the reform effort,” he said in an article published by Government website on Thursday.


Students, for example, should offer feedback on teachers and their instructional methods, the curricula, libraries and other facilities.


Shortcomings could not be addressed if students failed to participate, he said.


Teachers had a responsibility to improve their skills and seek further training in master’s or doctoral programmes.


Nhan said teachers should also comment on their administrators who failed to follow operational, training and financial regulations.


For its part, the business community could offer internships to students and inform universities and colleges of their needs.


Under the reform programme, which ends in 2012, the ministry has issued criteria for tertiary institutions, including graduation rates, the number of graduates, the ratio of students per teacher, teachers’ qualifications, as well as curricula, enrollment, finances, international co-operation and research regulations.


These criteria will help school leaders better manage their institutions and aid provincial People’s Committees in monitoring schools’ operations in their localities.


He said the ministry would also issue licences and evaluate the operations of educational quality assessment organisations.


Source: VietNamNet/Viet Nam News


Source: QDND

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Nearly 1,000 bus trips to be added during university entrance test

In Uncategorized on June 19, 2010 at 4:25 pm




Nearly 1,000 bus trips to be added during university entrance test


QĐND – Saturday, June 19, 2010, 20:51 (GMT+7)

Several bus stations in Hanoi have planned to add approximately another 1,000 bus services to meet the growing demands of transportation of examinees and their families during the peak time of this year’s university entrance tests.


Specifically, on the days university and college entrance tests, the Southern Bus Station will receive an additional over 500 bus services, while the Gia Lam Bus Station will welcome an additional 230 bus services and the My Dinh Bus Station, 226 bus services.


The bus stations in Hanoi are expected to attract nearly 300,000 students and their relatives, mainly from provinces of Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh and Hai Phong city during this year’s university entrance test in Hanoi.


Source: Vnexpress


Translated by Mai Huong


Source: QDND

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People’s life highlighted in new rural programme

In Uncategorized on June 19, 2010 at 4:25 pm




People’s life highlighted in new rural programme


QĐND – Saturday, June 19, 2010, 20:49 (GMT+7)

A party politburo member has said it is necessary to consider improving living conditions for people to be the nucleus of a new rural programme.


At a conference on the issue in Hanoi on June 18, Truong Tan Sang, who is also permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, laid stress on the importance to collect public opinions for designing the scheme.


The senior party official also said the scheme should be drastically implemented to build modern and civilised rural areas which will see economic growth, living condition improvement and a modern socio-economic infrastructure.


Participants at the event said that the implementation of the scheme in 11 pilot communes has helped uncover existing shortcomings and boost the process of finalising legal documents for rural planning and construction.


According to the Ministry of Construction, investment in capital construction has amounted to more than 1 trillion VND of the total funding of over 1.7 trillion VND for the 11 communes.


Source: VNA


Source: QDND