Society

Vietnam saves 520,000 kWh of electricity for Earth Hour

Vietnam saved 520,000 kWh of electricity worth around 850 million VND (39,950 USD) from March 22-28 in response to the 2015 Earth Hour campaign.
Vietnam saved 520,000 kWh of electricity worth around 850 million VND(39,950 USD) from March 22-28 in response to the 2015 Earth Hourcampaign.

Hanoi pioneered the drive, whichspread to other cities and provinces across the country including DaNang, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh.

Through various means of communication, such as riding bicycles,marching, delivering leaflets, and hanging posters, young volunteershelped raise public awareness of saving energy in response to climatechange.

Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoangcalled on organisations, individuals, families and businesses to jointhe drive and show their commitment by simply turning off allunnecessary electric equipment.

The 2015 Earth Hourcampaign was launched in Hanoi on February 7, drawing some 3,000volunteers, then in central and southern cities of Da Nang, Can Thoand Ho Chi Minh City.

On March 28, all 63 citiesand provinces in Vietnam along with 7,000 cities in nearly 200nations and territories across the world responded to the 2015 EarthHour by turning off all lights from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm.

The annual event is organised by the Ministry of Industry and Tradewith technical support from the World Wildlife Fund (WFF) and theDenmark Embassy in Vietnam.

Last year, Vietnam saved 431,000 kWh of electricity, worth roughly 650 million VND (30,550 USD).-VNA
Follow VietnamPlus

See more

Participants in the conference on people-to-people diplomacy in Ho Chi Minh City on October 6, 2026 (Photo: VNA)

People-to-people diplomacy contributes to Ho Chi Minh City’s development

Ho Chi Minh City currently has 117 licensed foreign NGOs operating in areas including healthcare, education, social protection and community development. As of September 2026, the municipal People’s Committee had approved 30 applications to receive and implement project and non-project aid packages, with total committed funding of about 302 billion VND (11.6 million USD).

Passengers board an electric bus on Minh Khai street in Hanoi. (Illustrative photo: VNA)

Hanoi puts 28 more electric buses into operation

The new VinFast Green Bus vehicles, manufactured in 2026, have a capacity of 60 passengers. They are equipped with low floors for easier boarding, facilities for people with disabilities, air conditioning and other modern amenities to improve passengers’ comfort and travel experience.

Lieutenant General Le Xuan The, Commander of Military Region 7, checks and directs the search and collection of soldiers' remains at Le Thi Rieng Park in July 2026. (Photo: VNA)

500-day campaign brings fallen soldiers closer to home

Information provided by local residents in Son La province helped authorities find the remains of two fallen soldiers after four days of searching. At Le Thi Rieng Park in Ho Chi Minh City, 701 sets of remains and 304 sets of personal items have been recovered, while in Ca Mau province, more than 3,000 unidentified graves have been excavated and biological samples collected.

Vietnamese student receives gold medal at IOAA 2026 (Photo: VNA)

All Vietnamese students win medals at IOAA 2026

The gold medalists were Nguyen Tuan Kiet from Nguyen Hue High School for Gifted Students; Le Gia Hong Minh from Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted; Le Ba Tuan Viet from the High School for Gifted Students under the University of Natural Sciences, Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Le Quang Tri from the High School for the Gifted under Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City; and Nguyen Quang Dung and Mai Van Khanh from Lam Son High School for the Gifted in Thanh Hoa province.

The delegation from the Nanko patent attorney club of Japan and officials and judges of the People's Court of Hanoi - Region 2 pose for a group photo (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Japan promote exchanges on law and justice

Speaking at the working session, Chief Judge of the People’s Court of Hanoi - Region 2 Hoang Ngoc Thanh said the meeting provided an opportunity for the two sides to share practical experience in judicial activities, thereby enhancing mutual understanding of the laws and practices governing the settlement of IP-related cases in Vietnam and Japan.

Representatives of the Hungary-Vietnam Friendship Association and the Vietnamese Association in Hungary pose for a group photo. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam-Hungary friendship meeting promotes people-to-people exchanges

Vietnam always values and remembers the meaningful contributions made by Hungarian friends during Vietnam’s struggle for national independence and reunification. The sincere bonds nurtured across generations have provided a special foundation for the friendship between the two countries.

500-day campaign helps heal the wounds of war through meaningful acts

500-day campaign helps heal the wounds of war through meaningful acts

Three decades after establishing diplomatic relations, alongside figures on trade, investment, and increasingly broad cooperation frameworks, another quiet but profound change has taken place. People who once stood on opposite sides of the war are now working together to search for the missing, return memorabilia, share records and help Vietnamese families recover traces of loved ones that seemed to have been erased by time.