Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on April 10 asked relevant agencies to take in the most of people’s opinions to ensure the draft revised Land Law matches the reality, with interests of the State, people, and businesses harmonised.

He made the request while addressing the Government’s law-building session which looked into the collection of the public feedback on the draft revised Land Law and the NA Standing Committee’s opinions about the draft revised Law on Housing.

As of April 8, there were more than 12 million opinions on the draft revised Land Law, mostly on compensation, assistance for resettlement, land handover, land leasing, changes of land use purposes, and land planning, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Government members scrutinised some major issues of public concern and debatable ones, including cases of land revocation for socio-economic development, compensation and resettlement assistance in revocation cases, land handover and leasing, and land prices.

Regarding the NA Standing Committee’s comments on the draft revised Housing Law, they discussed the regulations on the apartment ownership duration, the right to use land with housing owned by foreigners, land use for commercial housing development, the social housing policy, and housing for members of armed forces.
PM Chinh said the draft revised Land Law includes many difficult, complex, and sensitive contents that have widespread influence, so it is necessary to be extremely prudent and absorb the most of people’s opinions to ensure the draft matches the reality and does not overlap or contrast with specialised laws.

Adjustments to the draft must maximise land resources to serve development; guarantee harmonious interests of the State, people, and enterprises; increase power decentralisation and resource allocation; clearly regulate the scope of power of each level of authorities and each sector; boost examination, supervision, and control of power; and minimise administrative procedures to facilitate people and enterprises’ access to land, he demanded.

Meanwhile, he asked officials to analyse both the strong and weak points of draft amendments to the Housing Law and clarify the Government’s viewpoint on the chosen plan.

The Government leader told relevant ministries and sectors to continue taking in comments and perfect the drafts.

Quang Ninh to launch 38 new tourism products in 2023

The northeastern coastal province of Quang Ninh, which is home to Ha Long Bay - a World Natural Heritage - has planned to launch 38 new tourism products in 2023 in a bid to diversify the locality’s tourism services and products, thus attracting more holiday-makers.

Accordingly, Ha Long city will introduce eight products, including those piloted in the previous years such as night cruise tours and sport tourism.

Bui Duc Long, the owner of ship-restaurant Sea Octopus, said this is one of the latest products launched in Ha Long city in response to the full opening of tourism activities and diversifying local tourism products.

Recently, Ha Long city’s authority has also decided to reopen Bai Tho mountain to provide tourists with mountain climbing experiences to discover cultural and historical values, and contemplate the beauty of Ha Long Bay and Ha Long city from above.

Meanwhile, Mong Cai city will introduce unique cuisine and culture and the landscape of the border land, focusing in Hai Xuan, Bac Son, Quang Duc and Binh Ngoc communes.

Van Don district will launch six products, including three ones related to Bai Tu Long National Park, which boasts a pristine and beautiful landscape and biodiversity value. Van Don will focus on exploiting the potential and strengths of its forests and sea with products such as kayaking, rafting, scuba diving, exploring caves, and nighttime tours.

Three new tourism products of Co To island district include scuba diving in Thanh Lan island, camping on Ba Chau beach of Thanh Lan island and visiting islands near the shore. They are expected to draw visitors that love adventure tourism.

Other products include entertainment and resort tourism on Cai Chien island; resort tourism in Da Dung island; spiritual and culture tours to Ba Che district and Quang Yen township’s Ha Nam island; maritime tourism in Tien Yen district; eco-tourism in Binh Lieu district, and camping tourism in Binh Huong and Phuong Hoang mountains in Uong Bi city.

In 2022, Quang Ninh adopted the policy of safely and flexibly adapting to and effectively controlling the COVID-19 pandemic; making use of all mechanisms to recover tourism; and recovering and developing tourism manpower. As a result, it attracted 11.6 million tourist arrivals, including 304,000 international visitors, and earned 28 trillion VND (nearly 1.2 billion USD) in tourism revenue. The sector contributed to 6% of the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) last year.

For 2023, the province looks to establish itself as a premier destination in Vietnam and welcome 15 million tourist arrivals, 500,000 higher than pre-pandemic period in 2019, and gain some 32.4 trillion VND in revenue.

Hanoi to host 12th Vietnam-France decentralised cooperation conference

The 12th Vietnam-France decentralised cooperation conference will take place in Hanoi from April 13-16 to discuss ways to boost sustainability and create opportunities for business and cultural exchanges among localities of the two countries.

The conference will also give government and organisation officials and business executives chances to talk cooperation in key development issues such as environmental protection, water management, smart city and digitalisation, heritage preservation and tourism.

The event is among major activities held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-France diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership. Some 800 government officials, business executives and organisation leaders will attend the conference.

The event will feature a number of activities that tell the long-history ties between Vietnam and France. Among the main events is a trade fair that introduces the best Vietnamese products, cultural features and visiting sites.

Another main event is an exhibition of French cuisine and food production technologies brought by 50 French companies that operate in the fields of hospitality, accommodation, agriculture and food production.

Furthermore, business executives from both sides will partake in a Vietnam-France Business Forum, while participants of the local-to-local conference may enjoy art performances and photo exhibitions about the Vietnam-France relations.

Hanoi will also organise some city tours to take foreign visitors to popular places in the city, which have witnessed the long story between the two nations, including Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Temple of Literature, Old Quarter, and old French villas.

The conference is held every three years, with Vietnamese and French localities taking turns to host the event. It is the chance for both sides to discuss difficulties, evaluate the results in bilateral relations, and deliver feasible solutions to foster their partnerships, thus strengthening the diplomatic ties between Vietnam and France.

Da Nang to host cultural exchange festivals with Japan and RoK

The central city of Da Nang will host the Vietnam-Japan and Vietnam-Korea culture exchange festivals in July and September to boost tourism, trade, and investment among Korean and Japanese cities with central Vietnam.

The city’s Department of Foreign Affairs said the two festivals would be tourism attraction events as part of a series of programmes marking the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties and closer friendship between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea.

It said the annual Vietnam-Japan Culture Exchange, which was introduced in 2014, will be organised at the Bien Dong (East Sea) Park in Son Tra Peninsula from July 13-17.

The festival will display an exhibition for young painters and a Japanese comic promotion event on the beach. The Japanese partners will donate a Japanese comic book collection – ‘Son Goal’ – to Da Nang city, the department said.

The festival will also host a Sumo demonstration, Jazz and piano exchange with Japanese artists, and performances of Vietnamese and Japanese rock bands.

Vietnamese teenagers and kids will enjoy a Japanese-styled football training course at the festival and a cosplay show as part of cultural exchange programmes.

Art troupes, artists and representatives of cities in Japan are expected to join the festival along with different forums and seminars on business connections, tourism promotion and education in Japan.

The festival has been seen as a favourite site for businesses and artists from Sakai, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Kisarazu, Mimasaka, Nagasaki and Kushiro, sharing information and friendship exchange with Vietnamese people.

In boosting investment and tourism from the RoK to Da Nang and central Vietnam, the city and the Korea International Cultural Exchange Agency will co-host a Vietnam-Korea cultural exchange event at the park from September 7-9.

It’s expected that Korean artists and Vietnamese performers will stage traditional dance, performances and folk songs, along Korean cuisine contests and that the chance to try on Hanbok costumes will be offered at the event.

Korean taekwondo artists will perform for both residents and tourists on the beach stage.

Last year, Da Nang city’s tourism promotion centre, in cooperation with HanaTour company, launched an Instagram photo contest, ‘Da Nang in My Heart’, for Koreans living in Vietnam and abroad.

Korean tourists account for 55.4% of international tourists to the central city.

The centre said during the tourism boom of the past, at least 1,500 passengers visited Da Nang on 12 direct and chartered flights between Korean cities and Da Nang per week.

The coastal central city is still a favourite destination for Koreans, with 1.8 million Korean tourists visiting in 2019.

Both the RoK and Japan opened their Consulates General in Da Nang.

Korean and Japanese languages exchange and study centres were found at the city’s Dong A University.

Da Nang is a favourable connection among world heritage sites in central Vietnam, including Quang Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam provinces and destinations of Jeju Island, Incheon, Seoul and other parts of the RoK.

The Shilla Hotels & Resorts – a Korean resort – officially opened the five-star Shilla Monogram Da Nang to serve Korean tourists in Da Nang and Hoi An, while Japan’s Mikazuki Group debuted the Da Nang-Mikazuki Japanese Spa and Resort – a first five-start resort and entertainment centre in Da Nang Bay.

Support provided to needy Vietnamese in Kiev

The Vietnam Red Cross Society and the Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine have provided cash support to 15 needy Vietnamese individuals and households in Kiev, who have been affected by the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

Addressing the ceremony to hand over the assistant to recipients in Kiev on April 7, Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thach said that the support is expected to ease the difficulties facing Vietnamese citizens who are still staying in Ukraine amid the conflict. 

The diplomat expressed his hope that with the tradition of solidarity and mutual support, the Vietnamese community in Ukraine will soon overcome difficulties and stabilise their.

A representative of the recipients thanked the Vietnam Red Cross Society, compatriots at home and the embassy for the support which is of great help in the current context.

Programme spotlights French cultural imprints in Da Nang

The beauty of the French culture available in Da Nang and the relationship and exchange of Vietnamese and French cultures in the history are being spotlighted at a programme that opened in the central city on April 9.

The "Imprints of French culture in Da Nang" programme is part of the activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-France diplomatic relations and 10-year strategic partnership between the two countries.

It aims to contribute to further fostering the ties between the two nations, said Ngo Thi Bich Van, Vice Director of the Da Nang Museum, the organiser of the event.

Samuel Delameziere, Interim Director of the French Institute in Da Nang, lauded the idea of organising the programme to strengthen friendship between the two peoples.

He noted that Da Nang is one of the modern cities that still keep many imprints of the French architecture.

The programme comprises many activities, including French cuisine and book introduction events, an exhibition featuring the French architecture in Da Nang, and a number of French folk games.

A talkshow on French architectural imprints in Da Nang was also held to discuss the formation of Da Nang urban areas during the French colonial period, and seek measures to preserve and promote the values of French architectural works in the city.

Hanoi ready for partnership conference between Vietnamese and French localities

The Vietnamese Embassy in France, the French Embassy in Vietnam, the Association of French localities, and Hanoi will jointly host the 12th partnership conference between Vietnamese and French localities from April 13 to April 15.

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh chairs the meeting of the Steering Committee of the 12th partnership conference beetween Vietnamese and French localities.

The conference is viewed as an opportunity to review and evaluate the results of the contents that have been implemented in cooperation between Vietnamese and French localities. It aims to deal with difficulties and challenges and devise solutions to accelerate the implementation of policies on cooperative relations, linkages and mutually beneficial partnerships between localities of the two countries.

The event will contribute to promoting the traditional friendship, comprehensive, long-term and reliable cooperation relationship between Vietnam and France, and expand new partnerships.

The conference will focus on discussing 4 thematic sessions on sustainable urban areas, the environment, water and water treatment; culture, heritage and tourism, smart cities and digitization.

Hanoi will host the Vietnam - France Economic Forum slated for April 15.

Other activities to be planned within the anniversary programme include high-level conferences between the two countries’ universities, a festival introducing French food and drinks held on the pedestrian streets around Hoan Kiem Lake in the middle of April.

Other science and cultural events will be also a part of the anniversary schedule including Horizon Innovation, a photo exhibition about Hanoi on the wall of the French Embassy, fashion shows, Hue with light and heritage shows.

There will be many events held in public spaces and open for everyone.

A string of commemorative activities will be held throughout the year to mark 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties and 10 years of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and France.

The conference is expected to draw the participation of more than 800 delegates from both Vietnam and France, including leaders of relevant ministries and sectors, and local authorities.

In addition, the event will be attended by representatives from friendship associations, the Vietnamese community in France, overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and patriots in France, and those from cooperation projects between the two nations, a number of non-governmental organizations, research institutes, universities and Vietnamese and French business communities.

Upgrading work starts at President Ho Chi Minh's historical relic site in Laos

Upgrading work started at the historical relic site commemorating late President Ho Chi Minh in the Lao province of Savannakhet on April 9, under a project funded by Ho Chi Minh City.

The project is a gift from the Vietnamese southern metropolis to the Lao central province and the Kaysone Phomvihane Museum.

Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony, Phan Van Mai, chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee noted that the upgrade of the relic site is an activity of great significance for the Governments of Vietnam and Laos, adding that it will help promote the fraternity, friendship and solidarity between the two countries.

The project has a total investment of over VND60 billion (US$2.5 million). It will build a new memorial stele, a bas-relief behind the stele, new exhibition halls, offices, public washrooms, and a lighting system.

The historical site dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh was built in 2013 and some of its items have deteriorated. The upgrade aims to improve the scenery and infrastructure quality, contributing to fostering the special relationship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two states, and two peoples of Laos and Vietnam.

Tourists to Da Nang skyrocket in Q1

The total number of visitors to the central city of Da Nang during the first quarter of the year recorded a five-fold rise to more than 1.4 million compared to the same period from last year, according to data given by the Da Nang Department of Tourism.      

In terms of the figure, foreign arrivals were estimated at nearly 400,000, while domestic tourists stood at more than one million arrivals, representing a 3.4-fold rise.

Total tourism revenue from accommodation, catering, and travel services reached an estimated VND5,897 billion, representing a 1.9-fold increase.

Since the beginning of the year the central city has implemented a flexible tourism plan, whilst also deploying solutions aimed restoring and developing the international tourism market.

Furthermore, the city has also organised a talk in a bid to remove hurdles faced by tourism enterprises, investors, and employees, while simultaneously deploying a stimulus programme as a means of attracting more tourists to Da Nang this year.

Most notably, the central city has welcomed 20 MICE delegations with nearly 5,000 visitors as part of a programme to support he domestic and international MICE tourists this year.

It has also participated in the international tourism fair named SATTE in India and hosted a number of tourism promotion schemes in Qatar, the UAE, and Osaka in Japan.

As part of efforts to prepare for the upcoming National Reunification Day on April 30 and May Day holidays, Da Nang plans to organise the "Danang Beach Tourism Season 2023" programme, which is scheduled for April 28 to May 3 at Bien Dong Park, Son Tra Peninsula, My An, My Khe, T18, and Nguyen Tat Thanh beaches with a number of interesting activities.

National women’s football team to train in Japan

The Vietnamese women’s national football team is scheduled to take part in a training camp on April 17 in Japan after returning to the country from Nepal where they competed in the first qualifying round for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

According to the schedule, during their two-week training camp in the Far East country, the national team will face off against three strong Japanese clubs.

This can be considered a warmup for the female players before they compete at SEA Games 32 in Cambodia in May, with the team set to meet Malaysia, Myanmar, and the Philippines in the group stage of the tournament.

This comes after the Vietnamese women’s team beat Nepal 2-0 on April 8, thereby progressing into the second qualifying round for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In the second qualifying round, Vietnam and 11 other teams will be divided into three groups to select the three group winners and the second best team who will compete for a place at the Olympics.

Cold spell weakens, relative humidity rises again

Northern localities are set to experience a high humidity level in the first two days of the new week before a new cold spell will hit the region, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

The wet weather condition will return to the northern region this week.

The current cold air mass weakened from April 9 night, making room for the humid southeastern wind to become active again, causing the phenomenon of humidity in the North.

The higher the dew point rises, the greater the amount of moisture in the air. With the relative humidity level of 80%, local people feel uncomfortable while water vapor condenses on walls, floor and furniture.

However, the wet weather this time is anticipated to last for two days (April 10-11) before a cold air wave strikes the region on April 12.

Humidity is a typical weather condition of the Northeastern region which often occurs in spring. Most people do not like such weather condition, as it causes clothes to take longer to dry and food to be perishable.

In February local people in the North endured relative humidity for a week.

Lao, Cambodian students celebrate traditional New Year festivals in Vietnam

A cultural exchange event took place in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum on April 9 for Lao and Cambodian students studying at the local chapter of the Da Nang University to celebrate their traditional New Year festivals Bunpimay and Chol Chnam Thmay.

At the event, the foreign students introduced their countries' traditional culture to local people. This is an annual activity to create an exchange environment between students of the three countries, thereby cultivating their friendship and mutual understanding.

The local educational establishment is offering courses for 86 Lao and 12 Cambodian students.

Earlier, on April 8, the Thua Thien-Hue College of Education and Hue University held a celebration of the Bunpimay festival for nearly 340 Lao students studying in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

Addressing the event, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Huy Thai emphasised that over the years, the province has always paid attention to fostering and strengthening the friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Lao central and southern provinces in all fields, especially education and training.

Since 2002, the province has hosted over 1,200 Lao students, of which 625 have graduated.

Also on April 8, a series of cultural, sport and musical activities took place at the Tay Bac University in the northwestern province of Son La to mark Bunpimay for the Lao student community in the locality.

In addition to Tay Bac, three local colleges are training Laos students. Between 2015 and now, nearly 3,000 Lao students have studied in Son La, with more than 2,100 of them having already completed their training programmes.

Chinese business director charged with murder in southern province

A company director in the southern province of Bình Dương has been charged with the murder of an accountant who worked for him.

Lý Thị Mai, 30, who was pregnant at the time, was stabbed to death in the bathroom of Vinh Nhuận Trading Co Ltd, on March 29, 2023, with a bloody knife still at the scene.

The company director, 47-year-old Yang Zhong Wu, from China, was arrested the following day in Gia Lai Province’s Pleiku City. The truck he had been driving was abandoned in a rubber forest in Tân Uyên Town.

Investigations show that the two had started their conflicts after Wu had discovered the company's stock had gone missing from the company’s warehouse and Mai had set up another company, under the same name.

Regular blood donations ensure sufficient supplies for emergency treatment

In recent years, many individuals have habitually donated blood regularly, ensuring a high-quality blood source and adequate supplies for emergency treatment for patients, Vietnam News Agency reported.

The National Blood Centre, under the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT), serves as a hub for individuals of all ages to register for blood donation. Despite holidays, festivals, or weekdays, the atmosphere at the centre remains vibrant, as each donor contributes to the communal effort to save lives.

For some, blood donation has become a beautiful lifestyle, including Trần Thị Mai from Long Biên District in Hà Nội, who has donated blood more than 20 times since 2018.

During her recent visit, she mentally prepared herself for the donation, discussed her health with the medical staff, and expressed gratitude for being able to donate blood one more time before reaching the age limit.

“I want to donate blood on my 60th birthday to do one more good deed," said Mai. "I will try my best to stay healthy so that I can be eligible to donate blood as I wish."

“My blood type is O; many people need it. Whenever I am healthy enough, I donate up to 450ml of blood.”

Mai still remembers when she went to a monastery with a volunteer group. A blood donation programme was organised there.

Mai immediately joined the programme without hesitation.

That first blood donation made her feel very peaceful in her mind, and since then, she has determined to donate blood regularly.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, I did not miss any blood donation schedule," said Mai. "This is when most people need blood for treatment, so I overcome my fear of COVID-19 and donate blood regularly.

"I was carefully equipped with a mask, disinfected, and ensured absolute distance according to the instructions when going to the blood donation place. I am very happy that during the pandemic period, I could still contribute my blood, helping patients receive timely treatment.”

As a young person, donating blood is a joy and responsibility for Lê Đức Hải who often takes his partner to donate blood with him.

“Every time I have a blood donation schedule, I arrange my work to go to the NIHBT," Hải said. "Personally, I also try to take care of myself to have good health and a good blood source.”

Previously, Hải was underweight and in poor health, but since trying to qualify for blood donation, his health has improved a lot.

Now he has reached a healthy weight.

“Young people are very energetic," said Hải. "Participating in voluntary blood donation is not only a good job but also a way to take care of their own health. Every young person with good health conditions should have a good habit of donating blood regularly."

Recently, voluntary blood donation has spread widely, and the people's response is increasingly strong. Many patients do not have to wait anxiously for blood.

Associate professor Nguyễn Hà Thanh, director of the NIHBT, said: “In recent years, we have seen a drastic change in people's awareness of voluntary blood donation. In the past, blood donors were mainly young people and students, only participating in festivals and big blood donation occasions. But now it has spread to the entire community, all classes of people.”

“Blood shortage in summer and Tết (Lunar New Year) doesn't happen like before. We have enough blood to provide emergency treatment to patients," he said.

The People's Day of Voluntary Blood Donation was founded on April 7, 2000, under a Decision by the then Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Gia Khiêm.

It created a strong push, changing people's awareness about voluntary blood donation.

The whole political system has joined blood donation.

Associate Professor Thanh said that in Việt Nam, 1.5 per cent of people participate in blood donation, a good percentage on the world stage.

HCM City opens art camp

An art camp attracting painters, photographers, theatre artists and musicians has been launched by the HCM City Theatre’s Association and HCM City Fine Arts Association. 

The HCM City Arts Camp 2023 includes field trips and visits to local museums and galleries. Tourist sites and historical relics are also featured. 

The artists will join workshops and discussions on theatre, music producing and composing, contemporary fine arts, exhibition-making and art projects. 

Works featuring different forms of traditional theatre and music will be released in videos, documentary films and books as a way to bring the arts closer to audiences. 

After the camp, artists will also have a chance to showcase their works and further develop their career.

According to theatre director Tôn Thất Cần, deputy chairman of HCM City Theatre’s Association, the association encourages young artists, and folk and ethnic artisans to join the camp. “We will work with traditional art clubs and centres to offer new methods helping the artists release their art online,” he said. 

The camp’s first group of 30 artists, including Meritorious Artist and musician Thế Hiển and famous painter Hứ Thanh Bình, made trips to Nhà Bè and Bình Chách districts on April 4. 

Migrant women's journeys captured in Hà Nội Exhibition

The Museum of Vietnamese Women in the capital city is hosting a photo exhibition that chronicles the experiences of migrant women.

The exhibition, entitled "Nơi Tôi Đến" (Where I arrive), is the culmination of a study on 20 women, aged between 16 and 34, who left their rural homes in search of a better future.

These women now work in various occupations, such as street vendors, chefs, hairdressers, and restaurant servers in Hà Nội.

The research was conducted jointly by the Museum of Vietnamese Women, Hà Nội University of Civil Engineering, and the Việt Nam Social Sciences Academy. It aims to examine the entertainment and public space needs of these women, who come from regions such as Sơn La, Cao Bằng, Nghệ An, and Hà Tĩnh.

The exhibition is divided into three topics during their journeys, namely Nơi Tôi Đi (Where I Left), mentioning their background and motherland, Nơi Tôi Đến (Where I Arrive) where they work and Nơi Ấy Có Tôi (Where I am) with ideal public spaces to ease their life pressures.

As well as the demand to improve their income, migrant women hope to have a better living environment, including public spaces, she said.

Hương said that concerned agencies have proposed favourable policies and projects to assist migrant women, like supporting them in sending children of under 36 months of age to nursery school and increasing models of a safe community for women.

Canadian Ambassador to Việt Nam Shawn Steil expressed his pride that the Canadian government has long been on the top of countries that care most about gender equality in Canada and other countries, with other partners in Việt Nam.

The ambassador appreciated the initiation by the organisers to make cities in Việt Nam more living-worthy and friendly to everyone, including vulnerable populations like migrant labourers or young women.

The exhibition is run at the Museum of Vietnamese Women at 67 Lý Thường Kiệt Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội. 

Asia Architecture Design Awards 2023: Rising portfolios of Vietnamese architecture

Since its launch in December 2022, the Asia Architecture Design Awards (AADA) has received a lot of attention from architects, designers, as well as large and small organisations.
 
Mai Châu Culture Resort, Việt Nam is a nominee of the Asia Architecture Design Awards (AADA) 2023. — Photo courtesy of AADA
SINGAPORE — Projects from Việt Nam are among more than 325 that have registered for the Asia Architecture Design Awards (AADA) 2023.

Since its launch in December 2022, the Asia Architecture Design Awards (AADA) has received a lot of attention from architects, designers, as well as large and small organisations in the industry from countries across Asia with hundreds of projects and works submitted.

According to the organiser's preliminary statistics, there have been approximately 325 project portfolios registered to participate, with many standout designs from India, Thailand, Việt Nam, Malaysia, and the Philippines, all countries that are experiencing strong infrastructure and architectural development. Each country has its own unique cultural and architectural characteristics, creating diversity in the scope of the Asia Architecture Design Awards.

Dylan Yip, vice president of Global Business of the Asia Awards Organisation (AAO), said: "We are not surprised to receive AADA registration profiles from India, Thailand, or Việt Nam. Recently, these countries have developed rapidly in terms of infrastructure and have emerged with many iconic works.

He said the most concentrated registrations are in the categories of Architectural Design, Resort Design, Hotel Design, and Commercial Interior Design.

In the Residential Architecture category, India holds the majority with many impressive works blending religious and modern technological elements. Thailand stands out in the Commercial Interior Design category with works such as museums, amusement parks, and automobile showrooms.

Meanwhile, Việt Nam has many architectural works such as resorts, hotels, and offices.

In addition, the AADA also noted a high number of registrations from Singapore for Best Landscape Architecture Design and Best Commercial Architecture Design. Many of these projects demonstrate Singapore's innovative thinking and advanced technology, contributing to improving the quality of life by optimising health, safety, convenience, and efficiency.

Tan Quee Peng, general director of RSP Vietnam, a professional consultant and jury member of the 2023 Asia Architecture Design Awards, said: "I am delighted that AADA has received great attention from emerging architectural markets in Asia, demonstrating this year's theme 'Impactful Asia’.

The Asia Architecture Design Awards opens for submissions until April 30, 2023, with 30 award categories across six disciplines: Architecture Design, Interior Design, Furniture Design, Architecture Design Firm, Interior Design Firm, and Firms in Furniture Manufacturing & Retailing.

Between April and June 2023, a distinguished panel of 20 experts specialising in real estate, architecture, and interior design, among other fields, will preside over the judging of the awards.

The most outstanding projects and businesses will be announced at the Winners' Night in July 2023 in Singapore. 

Bạc Liêu’s troupe wins top prizes at dù kê theatre fest

The Cao Văn Lầu Theatre of Bạc Liêu Province won the golden medal for Best Play at the 2023 Southern Dù Kê Theatre Festival that closed on Friday at Trà Vinh University in the Cửu Long (Mekong) River Delta province of Trà Vinh.

The play, Huyền Thoại Tình Yêu (The Legend of Love), which was written by playwright Thạch Thiệu and directed by Meritorious Artist Thạch Mô Ly, highlights love, bravery, heroism, and karma.

The work features love between a princess and a brave hunter, who overcome many challenges and obstacles to be together.

The Cao Văn Lầu Theatre also brought home prizes for best performers and best composer.

The 2023 Southern Dù Kê Theatre Festival was co-orgaginsed by the Việt Nam Theatre Artists’ Association and Trà Vinh from April 1-7.

The event aimed to preserve and promote dù kê, a unique style of musical theatre created by the Khmer people in the South in the early 20th century.

The festival attracted 13 State-owned and private troupes in the region, such as Ánh Bình Minh and Raskmây Khmer art troupes of Trà Vinh and the Sóc Trăng Province Khmer Art Troupe, and more than 500 performers.

The artists in traditional Khmer costumes performed plays based on the religions, traditional customs and culture of the Khmer, poetry based on Indian epics such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and even today's social issues.

People’s Artist Trịnh Thúy Mùi, chairwoman of the Việt Nam Theatre Artists’ Association, said at the festival’s awards ceremony that all the plays in the festival reflect the cultural traits of the Khmer people in the South, depicting love for life, humanitarianism, and aspiration for a better life.

She also encouraged art troupes to boost investment in facilities and human resources to create more high-quality plays that help people, especially the young generation, learn about the traditional art of dù kê. 

Đảng, Hà win Tây Hồ Half Marathon 2023

Trần Văn Đảng and Bùi Thị Thu Hà won the Tây Hồ Half Marathon 2023 - Powered by BIM Group on April 9 in Hà Nội.

Đảng finished the men's 21km with a time of 1hr 14.40min. Hoàng Hữu Hanh and Oliver Sewell followed him.

Meanwhile, Hà finished with a time of 1:24.16 in the women's 21km category. Trần Thị Duyên and Nguyễn Đặng Huỳnh Tiên were second and third, respectively.

"It is my first half-marathon race, I am so happy to win the gold medal," said Đảng, former SEA Games 800m and 1,500m silver medallist. "Thank you all for supporting me." 

In the 15km races, Lương Xuân Sơn took the men's title with a time of 52.11min. Trịnh Đình An and Nguyễn Hoàng Thịnh behind him. 

Lê Thị Thanh Nga secured the women's gold for her 1:00.13 time. Nguyễn Thị Lụa and Tụ Thị Thu Hà Thu bagged silver and bronze, respectively.

In the 6km tournaments, Lê Anh Hào and Hoàng Thị Ngọc Anh were men's and women's champions.

One day earlier, the organisers held a tournament for children entitled Kids Run the Earth. Hundreds of boys and girls participated in three categories of 700m, 1.5km and 3km. 

The third Tây Hồ Half Marathon, organised by the Tây Hồ District People's Commitee and Vũ Media, lured more than 5,000 runners, setting a record of participants.

All routes were designed to give participants the best experience of the lake’s historical and cultural relics and ancient structures, such as Trấn Quốc Pagoda and the Tây Hồ and Quan Thánh temples.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes