Mai and the Ambassador agreed to promote cooperation between the two countries in the fields of diplomacy, youth and cultural exchange. HCM City will offer 30-50 scholarships for Cuba students to visit and learn in the city each year as well as support the exchange of students between the two sides, the city official said. Mai suggested that the Cuban Ambassador pay attention to specific collaboration projects with the city in the fields of healthcare and teaching Spanish for the sake of cultural exchange. HCM City plans to hold several meetings this year to introduce potential cooperation areas between Cuba and the city, he said. For his part, the Cuban Ambassador said there is great room for cooperation and expressed his hope that HCM City will facilitate stronger collaboration between the two sides in the future. At present, Cuba is adopting many policies that can open up investment opportunities, he said, noting the hope that more businesses in HCM City take interest in … [Read more...] about Room remains for boosting HCM City – Cuba cooperation
Live learn environmental education
Urgent action needed on primate protection
An individual grey-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix cinerea), one of the world’s 25 Critically Endangered primates, is found living in a forest of Quảng Nam Province. Photo courtesy of Ái Tâm Since the government’s Decision 628 – an action plan for the protection of the primate species in Việt Nam – was issued in 2017, a total of 684 endangered douc langurs, including 86 grey-shanked douc langurs ( Pygathrix cinerea ), one of the world’s 25 Critically Endangered primates, have been captured by rangers and authorities in 80 illegal hunting and wildlife trafficking cases. However, a report by ENV, an NGO focused on wildlife protection, showed that only 30 per cent of total poaching violations in Việt Nam were discovered, while 70 per cent were unknown, meaning that the number of the langurs hunted in the forest was unclear. Biologists, conservationists and experts shared the report at a conference on the conservation activities on endangered primates in the central … [Read more...] about Urgent action needed on primate protection
Preserving the Mekong Delta’s floating markets
Traders purchase and sell fish at the Quảng Lợi lagoon's Ngư Mỹ Thạnh floating market. VNA/VNS Photo Hồ Cầu The Mekong Delta's famed floating markets, where local speciality produce is sold on boats, provide a unique scene that draws both local and foreign visitors. Researchers say that the floating markets were established to meet local goods distribution and consumption needs in the area where road traffic is less developed. In addition, the markets also illustrate the southerners' custom of buying, selling and travelling on the river. Nhâm Hùng, a cultural researcher, said that floating markets represented the cultural features, tourism specialties, and the pride of the land and people of the Mekong Delta. Cái Răng floating market (Cần Thơ City) was voted as one of the 10 most impressive markets in the world by the British travel magazine 'Rough Guide'. VMA/VNS Photo An Hiếu Among the floating marketplaces in the delta, Cái Bè in Tiền Giang Province and Cái Răng in … [Read more...] about Preserving the Mekong Delta’s floating markets
Women of Son La’s border guard hand over house to needy woman
The recipient was Lu Thi Sien in the border village of Phieng Khang of Phieng Pan commune. Sien and her husband have three children. Their families depend on farming produce, while Sien is always in poor health condition. Although their house was downgraded, they could not afford to repair or re-build it. Learning Sien’s difficulties, Phieng Pan Border Post and the Women’s Union Organization of the Son La provincial Border Guard Command called on the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Son La province to fund the house construction. Sien’s house was built on an area of 50sq.m at total cost of VND 50 million, of which the Women’s Union Organization of the Son La provincial Border Guard Command donated VND 20 million. In addition, troops of Phieng Pan Border Post assisted the families in building the house. Apart from the house, servicewomen of Son La’s border guard force presented necessities, including rice, fish sauce, monosodium glutamate, and farming tools, worth over VND 1 … [Read more...] about Women of Son La’s border guard hand over house to needy woman