HCM City youths join volunteer activities in Laos

More than 100 young people in Ho Chi Minh City have begun a trip to neighbouring Laos for volunteer activities until June 28.

More than 100 youths in HCM City begin their volunteer trip to neighbouring Laos for volunteer activities until June 28. (Photo: www.sggp.org.vn)
More than 100 youths in HCM City begin their volunteer trip to neighbouring Laos for volunteer activities until June 28. (Photo: www.sggp.org.vn)

HCM City (VNS/VNA) - More than 100 young people in Ho Chi Minh City have begun a trip to neighbouring Laos for volunteer activities until June 28.

A total of 103 volunteers, including youth union members, students, young people, civil servants, doctors, and artists, traveled to Laos on June 10.

This year’s summer volunteer campaign in Laos continues to provide training in agriculture, livestock farming, and educational methodology.

The programme focuses on developing local tourism and organising workshops to equip participants with knowledge and practical skills related to artificial intelligence tools for use in daily work in Champasak Province.

It also further implements the cooperation agreements previously signed between the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) and the youth unions of Champasak and Attapeu provinces.

The initiative aims to strengthen the effectiveness of international volunteer collaboration and contribute to the enduring friendship and partnership between the two countries.

As of now, the summer volunteer campaign has mobilised nearly 4 billion VND (154,000 USD).

Key activities include incense offerings to pay tribute to veteran leaders, national martyrs, and heroes; organising recreational and educational events for local youth; painting classrooms; and providing Vietnamese language classes and training sessions.

Young volunteers have also offered free health check-ups and medicine to over 5,000 residents, donated five Vietnam–Laos Friendship Houses, more than 800 gifts, and thousands of school supplies, such as notebooks and solar-powered lamps.

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of HCM City and Chairman of the municipal Vietnam Youth Federation Ngo Minh Hai said the young volunteers take care of their health and remain committed to fulfilling their duties with excellence.

“The campaign is not only a service effort but also a meaningful contribution to strengthening the special bond of friendship and solidarity between Vietnamese and Laotian youth,” he said.

The most important mission is spreading the image of a friendly, passionate, and resilient Vietnamese youth to international friends.

As part of the 2025 summer volunteering campaigns in the city, the 21-year journey (2004 - 2025) of the volunteer activities in Laos has affirmed the role and practical contributions of generations of the youths in the city’s foreign affairs./.

VNA

See more

Vietnamese students in Poland present gifts to those in need in Dak Lak on July 16. (Photo: VNA)

Young OVs support the disadvantaged in Dak Lak

Visiting and presenting gifts to disadvantaged families is an important activity of the Vietnam Summer Camp 2025, helping support families’ living and educational conditions and also deepen the overseas youths’ understanding of and connection with compatriots in Vietnam.

A young OV experiences playing T'rung, a traditional musical instrument, in Dak Lak as part of the Vietnam Summer Camp 2025. (Photo: VNA)

Young OVs explore homeland’s gong culture

This year's event is carefully curated to bridge Vietnam’s historical legacy with its dynamic present, helping young the OVs discover the homeland's regions, culture, and history and witness current economic development opportunities and the nation's overall progress.

Fishing vessels are anchored along the Ca Ty river in Lam Dong, waiting to refuel and prepare for their next offshore trip. (Photo: VNA)

Lam Dong steps up crackdown on IUU fishing

All the 1,992 vessels measuring 15 metres or longer – those required to install tracking devices – have done so, reaching a 100% compliance rate, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment.

Delegates at the seminar (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam completes legal framework for forest carbon market

The draft decree on forest carbon sequestration and storage services marks the first attempt to establish a domestic standard for forest carbon while aligning with international carbon credit systems. It clearly defines eligible service providers and buyers, allowing both public and private entities to supply or purchase credits through contracts or a national carbon exchange.

A newly built house under the substandard housing elimination programme in Dak Lak (Photo: VNA)

Dak Lak completes nearly 90% of plan to eliminate substandard houses

As of July 9, 8,526 houses had been newly built or repaired, including 6,626 new constructions and 1,900 repairs, achieving 89.5% of the target. Over 6,000 houses have been handed over and are now occupied, providing stable accommodation for families benefiting from social policies, as well as low-income and near-poor households.

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Do Van Chien receives the token of 82 billion VND from Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Hong. (Photo: VNA)

Banking sector donates 3.1 million USD to housing programme

Since April 2024, the banking sector has committed a total of 1.36 trillion VND to the programme. Of this amount, 1.1 trillion VND has already been disbursed, while the remaining funds will be released following the issuance of allocation guidelines by the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs (180 billion VND) and the submission of complete documents by localities (85 billion VND).

The two-week programme gathers nearly 40 scientists, young researchers, PhD students, engineers, technicians, and students from five countries. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam fosters young talent in astrophysics through int'l summer school

The SAGI 2025 Summer School is one of the flagship initiatives of the Simons Astrophysics Group at ICISE (SAGI), which was recently established in Gia Lai with support from the US-based Simons Foundation and the guidance of Vietnamese-origin scientists such as Dr. Nguyen Trong Hien, Professor Hoang Chi Thiem (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute), and Dr. Nguyen Luong Quang.

Officers check a fisherman's compliance with regulations on combating IUU fishing. (Photo: VNA)

Can Tho reports no fishing violations in foreign waters for three years

Can Tho city is now home to 795 registered fishing vessels with a combined capacity of 209,648 horsepower. Among those, 346 vessels measure 15 metres or longer, requiring the installation of monitoring systems, and 28 vessels provide logistical support services to the fishing industry.