The 24th session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention in Paris (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam elected member of World Heritage Committee for 2023 - 2027

Vietnam was elected member of the World Heritage Committee for the 2023 - 2027 tenure on November 22 with the highest number of votes among Asian-Pacific states.

Securing 121 of the 171 valid votes, Vietnam ranked second among the nine elected states from five regions, said the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The election took place within the framework of the 24th session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention) in Paris.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc, who is also Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, said this is the second time Vietnam has been elected to the most important executive body for culture of UNESCO, cited VNA.

The high number of votes also reflected Vietnam’s prestige in the international arena, the international community’s trust in and support for its contribution and chairmanship capacity at global multilateral institutions, as well as the recognition of the country’s practical contributions to UNESCO and the preservation and promotion of heritage values in Vietnam and the world, he went on.

The official added that this also came as a result of the effective implementation of the cultural diplomacy strategy until 2030 and the methodological and widespread campaigning among international partners in Hanoi, Paris, and capital cities of other countries via their representative agencies.

Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to UNESCO, stressed that as a member of the World Heritage Committee for 2023 - 2027, Vietnam will have favorable conditions to contribute more to the perfection and implementation of the targets and priorities of the World Heritage Convention, and share experience in the harmonization of world heritage preservation and development.

It will join 20 other member states of the committee to supervise the implementation of the convention, protect, preserve, and bring into play the values of 1,199 world heritage elements around the globe, and consider the recognition of new ones to uphold, promote, and pass down historical and cultural values to future generations and help with sustainable development in the world, the diplomat noted.

The World Heritage Convention is the one with the biggest membership in UNESCO, 194. Therefore, candidates have to face strong competition to be elected one of the 21 member states of the World Heritage Committee.

Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan begins official visit to Norway

Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan arrived in Oslo on November 22 evening (local time), beginning an official three-day visit to the Kingdom of Norway at the invitation of Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.

The visit takes place at a time when the five decade long relations between Vietnam and Norway are developing positively.

Both countries maintain high-level delegation exchanges, and coordinate effectively at international forums to deal with burning issues, especially climate change and ocean economic development. Two-way trade turnover reached US$609.6 million last year, an increase of 25% compared to 2021. Norway currently has 52 investment projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of US$192.5 million.

Officials of the Vietnamese Embassy in Oslo and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Norway welcome Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan at the airport on November 22 evening (Photo: VNA)

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Norway Dinh Nho Hung Norway is Vietnam’s important partner that has supported the Southeast Asian country in implementing the formerly known Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations (UN).

Norway has so far provided Vietnam with ODA worth nearly US$400 million, mainly in the fields of environment, renewable energy, education, economic management, administrative reform, mine clearance, and aquaculture, bringing about practical effects on socio-economic development in the country.

During her stay in Oslo, the Vice President is scheduled to meet with Norwegian leaders and business executives to examine ways to strengthen and seize opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in the fields the circular economy, marine economic development, green agriculture, sustainable aquaculture technology, plastic waste treatment, according to VOV.

As both Vietnam and Norway are members of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) agreement, meetings and discussions will be also focused on Norway’s assistance to Vietnam to develop offshore wind power, solar power, and other sources of clean energy, as well as solutions for economical and efficient use of energy, contributing to achieving the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

The two sides will also discuss ongoing negotiations on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Area (EFTA), of which Norway is a member.

HCM City eyes 6 million foreign arrivals in 2024

Ho Chi Minh City has set a target of welcoming 6 million foreign visitors who will spend around 190 trillion VND (7.8 billion USD) next year, according to the municipal Department of Tourism.

Given stable political-economic conditions, and good recovery of tourism and related industries, the Vietnamese southern hub expects to welcome a tourist influx from the Republic of Korea, Japan, India, and China.

As of October, the city had served more than 4.1 million foreign visitors, accounting for 82% of the plan for this year. As the peak season for international tourism approaches, it hopes to serve 5 million international tourists for the whole 2023.

According to large tour operators such as Saigontourist, Vietravel, and TST Tourist, tours to explore Ho Chi Minh City and inter-regional tours that connect the city with localities in its vicinity during year-end festivals are selling like hot cakes.

In early December, the tourism department will organize the third HCM City Tourism Week to stimulate both international and domestic tourism demand, and create an opportunity for travel firms to introduce their attractive offerings in 2024. The highlight of the week will be the 6th Techcombank HCM City International Marathon on December 8-10, which is expected to lure 14,000 foreign and domestic runners, VNA reported.

Sai Gon Central Post Office is an iconic landmark in the city. (Photo: VNA)

Director of the tourism Department Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa said an array of products will be launched in the framework of the tourism week, including Nha Be night tour, healthcare and wellness tourism.

Besides, more lenient visa regulations and extended stays for foreigners are expected to bring more international tourists to the city in the peak season.

However, the department said that the visa approval process remains slow and time-consuming. Besides, Vietnam is currently providing visa exemption for only 25 countries, which is much smaller than that of regional countries such as Indonesia (169), the Philippines (166), Malaysia (156), and Singapore (150). It recommended the Immigration Department to shorten the time to handle visa applications for travel firms.

Furthermore, it will step up tourism promotion activities in foreign markets while renewing local tourism offerings to provide visitors with better experience.

Petrol prices down by over VND500 per liter in latest adjustment

The retail prices of petrol were revised down by over VND500 per liter from 3pm on November 23 in the latest adjustment by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance.

Specifically, the prices of RON 95-III and E5 RON 92 decreased by VND506 and VND584 to VND23,024 and VND21,690 per liter respectively.

Meanwhile, the prices of diesel and kerosene also dropped VND605 and VND568 to VND20,288 and VND20,944 per liter

Mazut 180CST 3.5S was capped at VND15,638 per kilogram after witnessing an increase of VND15 per kilogram.

For the latest adjustment, the two ministries decided not to use the petrol and oil price stabilization fund, cited VOV.

Photo: VOV

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the global petroleum market from November 13 to 23 has been affected by OPEC+’s decision to extend output oil cuts into 2024, low demand due to economic recession and slow global growth, as well as high US inventories.

The government has recently allowed the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance to adjust domestic retail prices of petrol and oil every Thursday, starting November 23, in an effort to keep up with global market fluctuations.

Cultural heritage values of Hanoi introduced in exhibitions

A series of exhibitions honoring the cultural heritage values of Hanoi have been opened at the Hanoi Museum, as part of the events celebrating Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day on November 23.

The exhibitions include The Giang Vo School and the Collection of Weapons from the Le Dynasty, The History of Earth's Formation through a Collection of Fossil Artefacts, and The Essence of Vietnamese Traditional Crafts through the Perspective of Contemporary Interior Design.

The first exhibition introduces over 200 artefacts, images and documents about Giang Vo School, the first national martial arts school of ancient Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and the collection of Ngoc Khanh weapons that have been recognised as national treasures.

Through the architectural artefacts made of ceramics and wood excavated at the location, it can be affirmed that this is a large-scale construction of a national martial arts school during the Le Dynasty, spanning from the 15th to the 18th century.

The exhibition The Essence of Vietnamese Traditional Crafts through the Perspective of Contemporary Interior Design aims to honor the traditional handicraft villages of Hanoi, connect tourism and commerce, and promote creative design activities.

Ten typical craft villages of Hanoi are introduced within the space, including Dinh Cong silver casting village, Khoai Noi embroidery village, Phu Vinh bamboo and rattan weaving village, Nhan Hien sculpture village, Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl inlay village, Thiet Ung fine wood carving village, Thuy Ung horn comb village, Bat Trang pottery village, Van Phuc silk village and Hang Trong folk painting village.

From the creative perspective of students from nine universities in Vietnam and another from Thailand, the exhibited products bring forth an innovative and unique art space, cited VNS.

A space dedicated to Van Phuc silk weaving village. Photo: VNS

For the first time, the Hanoi Museum has collaborated with the Hanoi Fossil Museum to launch a joint exhibition. The History of Earth's Formation through a Collection of Fossil Artefacts revolves around the intersection of science, history, nature, and art, allowing visitors to experience film footage, appreciate paintings, and particularly, examine fossil specimens dating back hundreds of millions of years.

The exhibition is divided into several sections like a collection of fossil specimens depicting the evolution of living organisms, including animal and plant fossils from up to 530 million years ago, the collection of fossil specimens from the prehistoric era, or a collection of fossil specimens, tools and models that depict the evolution of human species.

In addition to the exhibited fossil artefacts, the Hanoi Fossil Museum has also designed a 3D Mapping space that depicts the history of Earth's formation adopting 3D virtual reality technology.

“By organizing these specialized exhibitions, the Hanoi Museum not only showcases its role as a prominent cultural creative space in the capital city Hanoi but also realizes its commitments and initiatives to integrate creative activities into all aspects of life,” said Director of the Hanoi Museum, Nguyen Tien Da.

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