Day: April 12, 2024

Ninh Binh: Secretary of the Party Committee of the northern province of Ninh Binh Doan Minh Huan on April 11 received Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh and her spouse, during which the province leader expressed hope to promote tourism with Lao localities.

Highlighting the sound relations between Ninh Binh and Lao localities, he said that stronger friendship and cooperation with Lao localities have become an important motivation for socio-economic development of the localities and benefiting people of the two sides.

Huan hailed the tourism development potential of Laos, expressing his hope that the Lao diplomat will continue supporting Ninh Binh in expanding cooperation with Lao localities in the field.

Particularly, Ninh Binh hopes to connect with Luang Prabang ancient capital of Laos to share experience in preserving and promoting values of heritages, contributing to developing a cross-border heritage urban network, he said.

Huan said that Ninh Binh is building dossiers to seek the title of n
ational historical relic site for Temple Nhoi Hoa Princess of Laos in Thai Son village, Son Lai commune of Nho Quan district. Ninh Binh hopes for assistance from Laos in supplying information of this historical figure, thus completing the dossiers to submit to relevant authorities, contributing to preserving the relic.

On the occasion of Laos’s traditional New Year festival Bunpimay, Huan extended his best wishes to the Lao Ambassador and her spouse.

For her part, Ambassador Khamphao Ernthavanh shared her impression at the strong growth of Ninh Binh.

She highlighted the sound traditional friendship and close bond between Vietnam and Laos, and lauded the partnership between Ninh Binh and some Lao localities, including Oudomxay. She said she believes that Ninh Binh will promote its cooperation with Lao localities to further benefit the people of the two countries.

The Lao diplomat pledged that she will do her best to boost the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Laos
and Vietnam as well as the relations among Lao and Vietnamese localities.

She vowed that Laos will assist Ninh Binh in expanding cooperation with Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Houaphanh – localities that share many similarities with Ninh Binh, especially in tourism./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Policymakers and insiders gathered at a forum themed Vietnam Tourism – Green Transition for Sustainable Development held in Hanoi on April 12 as part of the Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2024 to discuss measures to promote a green transition in the smokeless industry and encourage the engagement of all parties to turn tourism into a green and circular economic sector.

Vice Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ha Van Sieu said that the trend of green, high quality, and wellness tourism is being promoted and becoming a priority for many tourists.

He underlined the need for all parties in the industry to “green up” from the mindset to actions to form a green culture in tourism, thus developing green destinations, green products and green services.

Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association Vu The Binh said that responding to climate change and protecting the environment are urgent needs in the world. The Vietnamese Go
vernment has shown the determination to solve the climate crisis and reduce net emissions to zero by 2050, he noted, adding that adapting to climate change is a responsibility and an opportunity for Vietnam to implement green transition to enhance competitiveness.

He said that tourism is expected to contribute 6.4% to the country’s GDP this year. Green transition will not only benefit the environment and preserve biodiversity but also help improve the income for tourism service providers and promote economic growth.

Binh said that the association launched a campaign to reduce plastic waste during tourism activities in 2018, which has received an active response from travel firms. The association has also encouraged tour operators to go green, enhancing their awareness and changing their actions towards green transition, he added.

Deputy Resident Representative UNDP in Vietnam Patrick Harvemann said that the green transition process in tourism in Vietnam should focus on four issues – green planning; effec
tive destination management; plastic-free and low-carbon travel encouragement; and sustainable tourism based on nature.

He noted that many Vietnamese localities such as Hoi An in Quang Nam and Co To island district in Quang Ninh have applied solutions to reduce single-use plastic items during tourism, showing their strong commitments to environmental protection.

The UNDP has partnered with the Vietnam Tourism Association to implement a project to reduce plastic waste in tourism in Vietnam, he said.

Participants underlined the need to renovate technologies, promote power efficiency, increase the proportion of renewable energy sources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to promote green tourism.

Alongside, it is necessary to strengthen tourism destination management, completing and promoting the effectiveness of tourism development and digital transformation policies to optimise resources and ensuring the success of the greening process, they added.

They also stressed the need for relevant partie
s to develop responsible tourism, create job opportunities, and share benefits with the community, while diversifying green tourism services to promote green and sustainable tourism consumption and shopping through energy labeling, eco-labeling, and green labeling programmes./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Policymakers and insiders gathered at a forum themed Vietnam Tourism – Green Transition for Sustainable Development held in Hanoi on April 12 as part of the Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2024 to discuss measures to promote a green transition in the smokeless industry and encourage the engagement of all parties to turn tourism into a green and circular economic sector.

Vice Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ha Van Sieu said that the trend of green, high quality, and wellness tourism is being promoted and becoming a priority for many tourists.

He underlined the need for all parties in the industry to “green up” from the mindset to actions to form a green culture in tourism, thus developing green destinations, green products and green services.

Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association Vu The Binh said that responding to climate change and protecting the environment are urgent needs in the world. The Vietnamese Go
vernment has shown the determination to solve the climate crisis and reduce net emissions to zero by 2050, he noted, adding that adapting to climate change is a responsibility and an opportunity for Vietnam to implement green transition to enhance competitiveness.

He said that tourism is expected to contribute 6.4% to the country’s GDP this year. Green transition will not only benefit the environment and preserve biodiversity but also help improve the income for tourism service providers and promote economic growth.

Binh said that the association launched a campaign to reduce plastic waste during tourism activities in 2018, which has received an active response from travel firms. The association has also encouraged tour operators to go green, enhancing their awareness and changing their actions towards green transition, he added.

Deputy Resident Representative UNDP in Vietnam Patrick Harvemann said that the green transition process in tourism in Vietnam should focus on four issues – green planning; effec
tive destination management; plastic-free and low-carbon travel encouragement; and sustainable tourism based on nature.

He noted that many Vietnamese localities such as Hoi An in Quang Nam and Co To island district in Quang Ninh have applied solutions to reduce single-use plastic items during tourism, showing their strong commitments to environmental protection.

The UNDP has partnered with the Vietnam Tourism Association to implement a project to reduce plastic waste in tourism in Vietnam, he said.

Participants underlined the need to renovate technologies, promote power efficiency, increase the proportion of renewable energy sources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to promote green tourism.

Alongside, it is necessary to strengthen tourism destination management, completing and promoting the effectiveness of tourism development and digital transformation policies to optimise resources and ensuring the success of the greening process, they added.

They also stressed the need for relevant partie
s to develop responsible tourism, create job opportunities, and share benefits with the community, while diversifying green tourism services to promote green and sustainable tourism consumption and shopping through energy labeling, eco-labeling, and green labeling programmes./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Can Tho: Leaders of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on April 12 visited the city’s Patriotic Clergy Solidarity Association and Pitu Khosa Rangsay pagoda on the occasion of Chol Chnam Thmay – the traditional New Year festival of Khmer ethnic minority people.

During the visit, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Hieu extended New Year greetings and best wishes to Khmer monks and people, affirming that leaders of the Party, the State, and the city always have paid great attention to ethnic groups.

Socio-economic affairs in ethnic minority people-inhabited have been developed comprehensively while their spiritual and material lives have been improved remarkably, he said.

Hieu hoped that Khmer dignitaries, monks and people in Can Tho will continue promoting solidarity and contributing to the city’s development.

Lieu Sang, a standing member of the city’s Patriotic Clergy Solidarity Association, said that thanks to the support of the Party Organisations and administrations at all levels, the l
ives of Khmer people in the city are getting better and better, especially in the fields of culture, arts and sports. Khmer dignitaries have always called on Khmer people to believe in the Party’s and State’s leadership, and keep united and contribute to the city’s development.

Can Tho city is home to 27 ethnic minority groups with over 38,000 people, including nearly 23,700 Khmer people./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: The innovative solution contest 2024 was launched in Hanoi on April 12, aiming to seek solutions in the plastic circular value chain, especially new and creative solutions in improving the capacity to collect, process and recycle plastic packaging.

The contest, jointly held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Unilever Vietnam, the British Chamber of Commerce Vietnam, the Startup Vietnam Foundation, the British Embassy in Vietnam and the Standard Chartered Bank, is expected to encourage, promote and invest in new initiatives and solutions on collecting, sorting and recycling plastic packaging waste suitable for the Vietnamese market.

Its further goal is to promote the circular economic model in plastic waste management, supporting the implementation of regulations on product and packaging recycling responsibilities of manufacturers and importers.

Taking place from April to August, the contest is for individuals and organisations with products, services or technology in the field of
plastic waste collection and recycling. Within the framework of the contest a discussion on unlocking the plastic circular economy through innovation will be held.

Addressing the launching ceremony, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Quy Kien emphasised that Vietnam faces many risks from plastic waste. The volume of plastic waste and plastic packaging is increasing rapidly, coupled with socioeconomic development and consumption activities.

The contest is a practical action to seek, honour and invest in innovative and creative initiatives in sorting, collecting and recycling plastic packaging waste, especially soft, low-value plastics in Vietnam, he said.

The Deputy Minister called on organisations, individuals and businesses, especially startups to join the contest, and asked for investment and support from financial institutions for initiatives and solutions found through the contest to be deployed and replicated in Vietnam.

A report released by the International Finance Corporatio
n and the World Bank showed that every year in Vietnam, about 2.62 million tonnes of plastic waste is not recycled, leading to a loss of 75% of the material value of plastic, equivalent to 2.2 – 2.9 billion USD per year. The recycling industry in Vietnam has rich raw material sources but has not yet developed, with the plastic recycling rate only reaching 33%. The cost of recycled products is about 25-30% higher than conventional plastic products, it said./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

MANILA: The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned of dangerous heat index levels in six areas across the country on Friday.

Based on the weather bureau’s 5 p.m. forecast on Thursday, the following areas may have a heat index ranging from 42°C to 44°C on Friday:

Dagupan City, Pangasinan – 44°C

Bacnotan, La Union – 43°C

Puerto Princesa City, Palawan – 42°C

Aborlan, Palawan – 42°C

Catarman, Northern Samar – 42°C

Cotabato City, Maguindanao – 42°C

PAGASA said heat index is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature.

The bureau advised the public to limit the time spent outdoors, especially at noon, and drink plenty of water.

People going outdoors are reminded to use umbrellas or wear hats and sleeved clothing.

Meanwhile, the whole country will continue to experience generally fair weather conditions.

The entire archipelago will have light to moderate winds and slight to moderate sea
s.

The temperature in Metro Manila will range from 26°C to 33°C; Baguio City, 17°C to 24°C; Laoag City, 25°C to 33°C; Legazpi City, 24°C to 32°C; Metro Cebu, 26°C to 32°C; and Metro Davao, 25°C to 35°C.

Source: Philippines News agency