Fredericksburg events next 14 days

PANO – Senior Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) attended a ceremony in celebration of the 62nd founding anniversary of the Japanese Self Defense Forces held by the Japanese Embassy on July 8th in Hanoi. The Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Hiroshi Fukada and the Japanese Defense Attaché co-chaired the event with the participation of foreign Defense Attachés and diplomats in Hanoi as well as representatives from local organizations and units of Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs.

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Vo Van Tuan (C) attending the ceremony

Addressing the event, General Tuan congratulated the Japanese Self Defense Forces on its founding day and emphasized the development of the two countries’ defense relations, particularly in maritime security, military education and training, young officers’ exchange, and experience sharing in UN peacekeeping operations.

For his part, Ambassador Hiroshi Fukada affirmed that Japan always attaches importance to strengthening its relations with Vietnam, including defense cooperation.

Translated by Thuy Duong

Attending at the meaningful annual event were Politburo member and HCMC Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Nen; former Politburo member and Secretary of HCMC Party Committee, Head of HCMC Delegation of National Assembly Deputies, Nguyen Thien Nhan; Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of HCMC Tran Luu Quang; Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of HCMC and Chairman of the city People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong; Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of HCMC and Chairwoman of HCMC People’s Council Nguyen Thi Le; Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of HCMC Nguyen Ho Hai; Chairwoman of Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Ho Chi Minh City To Thi Bich Chau.

Speaking at the event, Chairwoman of Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Ho Chi Minh City To Thi Bich Chau said that Hung Kings worship ritual has become a significant cultural festival for the Vietnamese people. The annual event has the purpose of strengthening national unity. It is for worshipping and paying gratitude to Hung Kings, the legendary founders of the nation.

The ceremony commemorating the death anniversary of Hung Kings also included processions,the offerings of fruits, Banh chung (square glutinous rice cake) and Banh day (round glutinous rice cake), folk music performances.

The delegation of the city’s leaders also offered incenses and flowers to army commander and an excellent administrator Nguyen Huu Canh who founded the Saigon – Gia Dinh region (present HCM City) in 1698.

The Hung Kings Memorial Day, which falls on the 10th of the third lunar month, is one of the public holidays of Vietnam. The worshipping ritual of the Hung Kings was recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.

Vietnam’s top leaders give an act of worship to Hung Kings every festival.

Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on April 21 offered incense to Hung Kings who laid the foundation for the land of Vietnam in the ancient eras.

The Hung Kings Festival is national holiday falling on the 10th day of the third Lunar month. Photos: Ngoc Tu/Kinh Te Do Thi/dantri

The event, called the Hung Kings’ Temple Festival or Death Anniversary of Hung Kings, held annually from the 8th to the 11th day of the third Lunar month in honor of Hung Kings and their role in shaping the nation.

Vietnam’s President Nguyen Xuan Phuc offers incense at the festival.

Since 2007, it is listed a national holiday in Vietnam. The main festival day is observed on the 10th day, which falls on today. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

The worship of Hung Kings in the northern province of Phu Tho was recognized as UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.

Vietnam’s top leaders gather to make the offering.

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Commitee Chu Ngoc Anh at the festival.

Lots of traditional activities at the festival.

The festival attracts a large number of visitors.

Baden-Wuerttemberg’s interior minister and chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Thomas Strobel (L) talks with climate activists ahead of the start of the coalition talks with the green party in Stuttgart, southern Germany, on April 8, 2021 after regional elections in Baden-Wuerttemberg.(THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP)

In 2019, millions of people, led by student and youth organisations, flooded the world’s streets to demand that governments act to stave off the worst effects of global warming.

But then came Covid-19, bringing the global movement to a screeching halt, with lockdowns and travel restrictions forcing mass events to be cancelled and activism to shift online.

“The pandemic hit right at the moment when we were peaking in terms of mobilisation,” said Nicolas Haeringer, from the environmental group 350.org.

Youth activists quickly adapted to online activism, and the pandemic may even have helped groups based in richer countries to devise better ways to include activists from developing nations.

The School Strike for Climate movement “was deeply rooted in European youth,” said Haeringer.

“The pandemic has been used to rebalance things and build real leadership in global south nations.”

While the internet is ideal for laying plans, it is clear that the impetus has waned from movements unable to protest in real life.

“It has been hard for movements,” said Clare Farrell, a co-founder of the civil disobedience Extinction Rebellion movement.

“We build relationships through face-to-face work often so we are really looking forward to getting back out to do actions in public space, to meet new people and build the movements again.”

– Shifting tactics –

Dana Fisher, professor of sociology at the University of Maryland, said that climate activists have spent the last year also campaigning for similar causes in solidarity with other movements.

This includes participating in activism against systemic racism and in helping people of colour gain better access to Covid-19 vaccines.

In the US, “the movement is definitely not stopping, but the tactic of the climate strike is not a dominant form of activism right now and it may never return,” said Fisher.

But many youth strikers are undeterred by the turbulent last 12 months.

“We’re keeping in touch, it’s great and I believe that there will be another youth mobilisation,” said Michel Villarreal, a Bolivian student activist.

There are a number of high-profile events in 2021 that activists could use as launch pads for wider activities.

The first is next week with US President Joe Biden’s virtual climate summit.

In September, the global congress of the International Union for Conservation of Nature is set to take place in the French port city of Marseille, Covid permitting.

Then comes the COP15 on biodiversity in Kunming, China, in October, followed hot on its heels by the COP26 UN climate talks in the Scottish city of Glasgow.

Groups are already planning a global day of action to “reclaim the initiative”, probably at the start of Autumn, said Haeringer.

“It’s imperative that we get citizens energised this year to make sure that the powers that be see how widespread support for rapid action really is,” added Farrell.

But it remains to be seen how inclusive any climate activity can be.

The global vaccine rollout has been deeply uneven, with stockpiling in richer nations, while poorer countries struggle to get their hands on doses.

“Will the youth movement descend on the streets, express their will for things to change and demand more political courage to implement strong climate policies?” said Amy Dahan, a science historian specialising in climate change at France’s CNRS research network.

“It’s hard to say.”

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has led calls to ensure that the vaccine rollout is sufficiently equitable to ensure that COP26 has equal representation from all nations.

“It’s important to think hard about the experience of the pandemic and all that it’s shown us from the social inequalities it’s exposed,” said Farrell.

Vietnam and China are neighbors working together in containing Covid-19.

Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said that Vietnam wishes to enhance cooperation with China that is comprehensive, efective and of mutual interest.

Vietnam’s President Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the Boao Forum. Photo: VNExpress

The principle is aimed to keep peaceful and stable environment for the further development of the bilateral relations, Phuc said at the Boao Forum for Asia held both online and offline.

He said the two countries are close neighbors and having worked together in containing Covid-19 for economic growth that makes both to be bright spots of the region and the world.

Addressing the four-day event themed “A World in Change: Join Hands to Strengthen Global Governance and Advance Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Cooperation” that concluded on April 21, Phuc called for international solidarity in combating the pandemic.

He listed issues of central attention namely promoting cooperation in pandemic control, ensuring vaccine access at reasonable cost, guaranteeing macroeconomic stability, facilitating trade and investment, securing supply chains, boosting production and creating jobs, mobilizing resources for sustainable and inclusive economic development, and building synchronous and developing human resources for digital transformation.

The conference covers several topics including carbon neutrality, climate change and digital economy.

Established in 2001 by 29 member countries, the Boao Forum for Asia is an international organization held annually in Boao, China’s Hainan province to promote economic integration in Asia.