☕ Afternoon briefing on March 23

Hanoi, (VNA) - The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

– Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha had bilateral meetings with many foreign leaders on the sidelines of the UN 2023 Water Conference, which is taking place in New York from March 22-24.
In a meeting with King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand, Ha hailed the King's initiatives and efforts in organising and co-hosting the conference, following the first of its kind in 1977.Read full text

– The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Hoa Binh province, held a national-level ceremony in a hybrid format on March 23 in response to the World Water Day (March 22), the World Meteorological Day (March 23), and the Earth Hour 2023.
Speaking at the event, MoNRE Deputy Minister Vo Tuan Nhan said that climate change is considered a serious challenge for humanity in the 21st century with negative impacts and threats to sustainable development activities.Read full text

– The consistent policy of the Vietnamese Party and State in ensuring people's right to freedom of belief has been enshrined in the country's Constitutions issued in 1946, 1959, 1980, 1992 and 2013, creating favourable conditions for all religions in the country.
However, hostile forces have never given up "peaceful evolution" plots, and have, in the guise of freedom of belief and religion, hooked up with those who hold a grudge against the regime to distort the real situation and slander the Vietnamese Party and State about religious freedom in the country.Read full text

– Vietnamese dishes including bo kho (stewed beef), bo nhung dam (beef in vinegar hot pot) and bun cha (grilled pork meatballs with vermicelli noodles) have been named among the world’s 100 best meat dishes, according to readers’ votes of the TasteAtlas, the world’s most famous encyclopedia of flavors, traditional dishes, and authentic restaurants.
According to the website, bo kho includes ingredients such as diced beef, carrots, lemongrass, cinnamon, chili, pepper, garlic, and shallots, all simmered in a spicy and aromatic broth. It can also be served over noodles or bread, and it is customary to serve a variety of fresh herbs on the side.Read full text

- Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro cited Italian President Sergio Mattarella's words as saying that the relationship between the two countries “strongly rooted in history” while granting an interview to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (March 23, 1973 - 2023).Read full text

– There is no shortage of room for Vietnam and Mexico to promote their commercial cooperation, especially in the fields of energy, telecommunications, high-tech agriculture and high value added industry, said experts at a workshop held in Ho Chi Minh City on March 23.
Aiming at such promotion, the event was co-organised by the Investment & Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City (ITPC), the Mexican Embassy in Vietnam, and the Mexican Consulate General in the southern metropolis.Read full text

– Vietnamese boxer Nguyen Thi Tam trounced Spanish rival Laura Fuertes 5-0 in the women's light flyweight category to advance to the semifinals of the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi.
With this victory, Tam has at least secured a bronze medal and a prize of 25,000 USD in the tournament.Read full text

– With its advantages in terms of natural landscapes, rich cultural identities, customs and preserved traditional festivals, the northernmost province of Ha Giang has attracted attention from a large number of travel companies and tourists, and several potential community-based tourist sites have been formed.
Ha Giang province is home to 19 ethnic groups which have their own cultural traditions and identities.The effective preservation and promotion of cultural values has helped the province in general and the ethnic groups in particular have a special attraction for travelers and those who want to learn about traditional ethnic culture.Read full text/.