Many people in Hanoi were thrilled when attending a cultural event called “Dó bay” or says “Drifting Poonah paper” held recently at a book house on Nguyen Thai Hoc street in the capital city. They had a chance to participate in a wide range of activities on poonah paper, from talk shows, exhibitions to hands-on ones like drawing, making hand fans with the paper, etc. Giang Nguyet Dinh, a junior at Hanoi University of Culture, has been practicing calligraphy for five years. He is now writing the most beautiful calligraphic words on poonah paper as small gifts to event goers. Despite his humble manner, anyone seeing him may be attracted by his knowledge and love for cultural values. “As far as I know, poonah paper used to be commonly applied in daily life back to the past. It was used for royal documents and family trees, etc. So it was essential back then,” Dinh said. Kids to the events can also find their own corner of joy where they can make … [Read more...] about Traditional poonah paper admired in modern society
In depth
E&Y: Where is fintech in Vietnam?
Vietnam can expect its fintech ecosystem to grow in the near future should it pay attention to the funding issue, growing talent in the field, and a legal framework to support such growth. Vietnam is currently ranked second in the number of incubator, accelerator, and innovation labs in the region, behind only Singapore. This is a positive signal for the development of fintech in Vietnam. The country has another advantage in being a young and digitally savvy economy. As per an EY report, around 90 per cent of payments are still in cash. That is the reason why Vietnamese fintech startups have strong focus on payment—47 per cent specialises in this sub-sector, ranking highest in the region. There are also some fintech associations in Vietnam where fintech startups can gather to update, improve their knowledge, seek support, share experiences, and develop a legal framework for this industry. “Fintech companies are still small in scale and the policies and regulations for … [Read more...] about E&Y: Where is fintech in Vietnam?
Training programme starts in Hà Nội on eco-industrial parks
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — The second training programme on eco-industrial parks was held yesterday in Hà Nội, as part of a US$53-million project to set industrial production in Việt Nam on the path of sustainable development. Nearly three decades since the country’s Đổi mới (reform), the contributions of industrial parks to the growing economy of Việt Nam is indisputable. However, they are also responsible for many environmental issues that adversely affect the public and even offset their own economic achievements. This is why the Vietnamese Government has considered the study and implementation of eco-industrial parks – whereby environmental quality and economic development can go hand-in-hand – “an urgent matter.” The efforts were materialised by the Prime Minister-approved project "Implementation of Eco-Industrial Park Initiative for Sustainable Industrial Zones in Việt Nam", launched four … [Read more...] about Training programme starts in Hà Nội on eco-industrial parks
Limited education opportunities hinder social mobility in rural Vietnam: Oxfam
Rural Vietnamese residents are failing to climb the social ladder because many families stay in the agriculture sector for generations, according to an Oxfam report released last week. As many as 79 percent of agricultural workers in 2004 were still working in the sector in 2008, and that figure rose to 83 percent from 2010-2014, the research found based on national data and surveys taken in 2016. Fewer than 8 percent of agricultural workers moved to the industry or service sectors during either period. The “Social Mobility and Equality of Opportunity in Vietnam” study, which is the first to look at people’s perception of social mobility in Vietnam, aims to analyze the trends and factors involved in changing social statuses in society, with a focus on the role of education. It collected data from the Vietnam Household Living Standards Survey (VHLSS, 2004-2014) and conducted questionnaires with 600 families and 85 in-depth individual interviews in Lao Cai Province in … [Read more...] about Limited education opportunities hinder social mobility in rural Vietnam: Oxfam
Unique five thousand year old fossil reef found in Vietnam
For the first time in Vietnam, specialists from the Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources have discovered a cemetery of fossilised coral reef more than 5,000 years old on Quang Ngai province’s Ly Son Island. The unprecedented and unique discovery opens up new interpretations of the earth dating back to 5,000 years ago. The 5,000 year old fossil coral reef was discovered on Vietnam’s Ly Son Island. The ancient coral reef complex called “Cemetery of coral” located in Ly Son Island District was found in January by the Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources. The population of paleontological coral reefs covering on an area of around 20,000 sq.meter features ancient corals with a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes. The place is a boat basin where local fishermen dock their ships to avoid the storm, said the chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Ly Son district Pham Thi Huong. Scientists and experts have called … [Read more...] about Unique five thousand year old fossil reef found in Vietnam