 Turtle Tower sits on an island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. (photo: xaydungchinhsach.chinhphu.vn)
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B: He reported listening to our program on August 21st on the frequency of 9840 khz. “I was interested to hear in the news broadcast that Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong is visiting Vietnam from August 21st for three days to co-host the fifth Australia-Vietnam Foreign Ministers Meeting with Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son. I look forward to learning more about this meeting in the coming days. I was also interested to learn about the Kazakh President’s official visit to Vietnam, certainly a busy time for Vietnam’s government officials. I also listened to an informative program called Colorful Vietnam, Vietnam’s 54 Ethnic Groups, and Personality of the Week.”
A: Thank you very much, Mr. Goldfinch, for sharing with us your interest in developments in Vietnam and sending us a detailed reception report.
B: Since the beginning of this year, Vietnamese leaders have been very busy with political and diplomatic activities to boost economic recovery and national development. In addition to receiving many world leaders in Vietnam, Vietnamese Party, State, and Government leaders have made several overseas trips and attended a number of international events. Our Prime Minister is now in the US for the UN General Assembly’s 78th session and bilateral activities. Keep tuning in or visiting our website vovworld.vn for more updated information.
 Hanoi Autumn Festival in late September, 2023 promotes the attraction of autumn for tourism development. |
A: Ashik Eqbal Tokon of Bangladesh sent us several reception reports, as he usually does, and we always read his emails with great anticipation.
B: Ashik said the "Society" segment aired on September 12 examined the cultural ties between Vietnam and Japan. “One particular narrative that resonated deeply with me was the heartwarming account of Vietnamese art products receiving a warm embrace at the Gion Festival in July. Equally impressive was the unwavering commitment shown by both Vietnamese and Japanese cultural institutions to safeguard and celebrate their rich heritages.”
A: He continued: “What struck me most profoundly was how the segment underscored the pivotal role of cultural exchange in fostering peace and mutual understanding among nations. I was deeply impressed by an array of voices, from Vietnamese artisans to Japanese cultural experts. This multifaceted approach lent the segment a rich and nuanced perspective on the Vietnam-Japan cultural connection, enhancing its depth and authenticity.”
B: Another Bangladeshi listener, Abdul Mannan, reported listening to VOV’s English program on September 16th on the frequency of 7220 khz. He said the signal was poor with an SIO of 333.
A: Italian listener, Michele Gasparri, tuned in to our program on August 17th on the frequency of 9730 khz. He listened on a ICOM IC-R6 radio receiver and rated SINPO of 44335.
B: Siddhartha Bhattacharjee of India listened to the program on September 13th on the frequency of 7220khz. He uses an Xdata 808 model receiver with loop antenna.
 Street vendors selling flowers attract a lot of people to take photos. (photo: Vietnamnet) |
A: Fumio Hokamura of Japan is a regular listener. He sends us feedback on a weekly basis. Mr. Hokamura says he enjoys the Sunday Show, which is always wonderful. He also likes V-Pop, particularly female singers singing ballads.
B: Thank you for your interest in Vietnamese music, which is available week in our broadcasts on Saturday and Sunday. For now, we’ll talk about the rainy season and clean water in Vietnam as asked by Australian listener, Mr. Goldfinch that we mentioned earlier.
A: Peter Goldfinch of Australia said he would be interested in learning about the annual rainfall in different parts of Vietnam and whether it provides enough useable water.
B: He told us: “In Perth, Western Australia, we have two desalination plants to provide us with water, as there is not enough rainfall during our winter.”
A: Because of the terrain, the weather in Vietnam varies by region. For example, when it’s the rainy season in the north, the central and southern regions might be experiencing clear blue skies and lots of sunshine.
B: Vietnam has both a tropical and a temperate climate zone, with all of the country experiencing the effects of the annual monsoon. The northern region, which is characterized by tropical monsoon weather, has four distinct seasons in a year: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The rainy season in the northern region usually begins in May and lasts until October. The time from June to August sees the most rainfall.
 Young sticky rice and lotus seeds is a special dish in autumn. (photo: vinpearl.com.vn) |
A: The rainy season in Vietnam’s central region begins in September and lasts through December, with its peak in October and November, frequently accompanied by heavy storms and floods. In the southern region, the rainy season usually begins in May and lasts through October.
B: In recent years, many parts of Vietnam have experienced water shortages. This year with major reservoirs running out of water due to El Nino, the central and Central Highlands regions could be short of water for the next three months, said the Department of Water Resources Management of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
A: Localities have built more reservoirs to cope with the shortage of clean water. Ho Chi Minh City plans to establish a network of 104 reservoirs to mitigate flooding and improve the local water environment, according to a plan that is set to be completed by 2025. The municipal Department of Construction said that these reservoirs are designed to retain a large amount of rainwater so the local sewer system won’t be overwhelmed.
B: An Giang province in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region is building three freshwater reservoirs at a cost of 19 million USD, to adapt to climate change.
A: These freshwater reservoirs will supply water for daily use and forest fire control in the dry season and provide flood control in the rainy season, thereby mitigating the impact of climate change.
B: A total of 121 climate-resilient ponds have been built to improve water security and safeguard the livelihoods of farmers in Vietnam’s Central Highlands and South Central Coast region.
A: This is part of a Green Climate Fund (GCF) project called "Strengthening the Resilience of Smallholder Agriculture to Climate Change-induced Water Insecurity in the Central Highlands and South Central Coast Regions of Viet Nam".
B: By 2026, more than 1,100 climate-resilient ponds will be constructed across Vietnam. Each pond is designed to efficiently store rainwater and surface water and serves as a sustainable water source for farmers during the dry season.
A: Our time is up. Thank you all for tuning in to VOV and sharing your love of Vietnam.
B: We welcome your feedback at: English Service, VOVWorld, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us: englishsection@vov.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs.