Radio Club “Murshidabad Betar Shrota Poribar” of India celebrates World Radio Day 2026 with meangingful activities: a blood donation camp, a listeners' conference, and a DX-Radio exhibition.

B: Many listeners commented on our special programs last week celebrating the Lunar New Year festival, or Tet, the biggest and most cherished holiday in Vietnam.

A: Chinmoy Mahato of India wrote that, from VOV’s Tet programs, he learned that, regardless of whether they’re rich or poor, every family carefully prepares traditional Tet dishes. Must-haves are the square sticky rice cakes (banh chung) and spring rolls (nem).

B: He noted that Tet is a time for honoring ancestors, with families offering food and incense to show their respect and gratitude for previous generations.

A: We’re happy to hear that our programs helped listeners better understand Vietnam’s traditions, cuisine, economic development, and lifestyle.

B: Amir Jameel, President of the VOV Online Visitors Club of Pakistan, sent us warm greetings for the Year of the Horse. He said: “VOV English Service news bulletins provide balanced and timely coverage of international affairs. The cultural segments beautifully introduce Vietnam’s rich traditions, history, and modern achievements. I’ve learned so much about Vietnamese society, economic development, tourism, and cuisine and the warm-hearted spirit of your people.”

A: Mr. Jameel regularly visits our website at vovworld.vn. He said: “Your official website and social media pages are regularly updated, easy to navigate, and provide valuable content in multiple formats. Your effort to adapt to modern media platforms demonstrates professionalism and commitment to global outreach.”

A: Thank you very much, Mr. Jameel, for your appreciation for all the editors, presenters, and other staff whose hard work makes these programs possible. Messages like this really show that our broadcasts help bridge cultures and bring Vietnam closer to international audiences.

B: In his email to VOV this week, Italian listener Ugo Canu sent us a reception report for VOV’s broadcast received on Monday in Sardinia, Italy, on the frequency of 11,885 kHz. Tuning in on a Yaesu FT-710 AESS SDR transceiver, Mr. Canu rated the reception quality at SINPO 45444.

Italian listener Ugo Canu

A: Mr. Canu told us some very touching thoughts. “I had the pleasure of visiting Vietnam in the past, and listening to the Voice of Vietnam on shortwave brings back very warm memories of your country and its people.”

B: We’re delighted, Mr. Canu, by the photos you sent of your DXing corner. We see several paintings you brought back from Vietnam, one showing a buffalo boy playing the flute while sitting on a buffalo in a green field, another depicting strong, sturdy buffaloes, once the main source of power in agricultural production; and a third of coconut trees, an iconic symbol of Vietnam’s southern tropical landscape.

A: The photos you selected really capture the peacefulness of Vietnam’s countryside. To thank you for your loyal listening and feedback, we’ll be sending you a QSL card showing some of Vietnam’s scenic spots. We hope you’ll get a chance to come back to Vietnam soon.

B: In his correspondence this week, Muhammad Aqeel Bashir of Pakistan wrote: “Your programs are very informative and full of facts. The news and current affairs reports are clear, balanced, and show strong journalistic authority. This makes me trust Voice of Vietnam very much.”

President Luong Cuong and delegates plant trees at Lao Cai Culture Park. (Photo: VOV)

A: He discussed our recent article about President Luong Cuong attending the Spring Tree Planting Festival in Lao Cai province. “It was very inspiring to see how Vietnam is promoting the 1-billion-tree planting project and working for a green and circular economy. I also liked how he connected this movement with the ideas of Ho Chi Minh and the goal of net zero by 2050. Planting trees is not only good for the environment but also helpful for people’s livelihood.”

B: Mr. Bashir asked: “How will Vietnam make sure that the planted trees are protected for many years so that the 2050 net zero target can truly be achieved?”

A: Good question. Vietnam’s one-billion-tree planting project for 2021-2025 is a prerequisite for the country’s sustainable development, delivering both environmental and economic benefits.

B: At a meeting to review the project last December, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment reported that more than 1.4 billion trees had been planted across the country, including scattered trees in urban and rural areas and trees in concentrated forests, special-use forests, and production forests.

A: To sustain the results of the one-billion-tree planting project, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has issued a directive on organising an Annual Tree Planting Festival at the Lunar New Year and strengthening forest management and development.

A: Among the mails sent to our office this week, we were surprised to receive a package from Bangladeshi listener Ashik Eqbal, bearing a Hanoi  postmark of February 4. Inside were two booklets containing his answers to the contest “What do you know about Vietnam?”

B: We appreciate your dedication in sending us a printed version, even though the contest has ended. We  received your entry via email during the contest eligible time and have already sent you a verification card acknowledging your participation.

A: Your booklets will be displayed in our “VOV listener items” space, where we proudly showcase contributions from our listeners around the world.

Thank you Anand Mohan Bain of India for sending us these meaningful items.

B: This week we also received a letter from Anand Mohan Bain of India. Along with his message, he sent us a photo of himself in his DXing corner, a New Year greeting card, a calendar from the Pariwar Bandhu SWL Club, a postcard featuring the Peacock Pansy butterfly, and another postcard with an image of the Buddha.

A: Thank you so much, Mr. Bain, for these thoughtful and meaningful items, and for your promise to listen to VOV and stay in touch with us in 2026. We’re sorry to hear that you haven’t received any QSL cards from us.

B: We sent you some verification cards along with VOV’s New Year greeting card, but they must have gone missing in the mail. We do our best to ensure that verification cards reach our listeners safely, but we have little influence with the post office, unfortunately.

A: We’d like to thank Richard Chen of Trinidad and Tobago for sending us a Christmas and New Year greeting card. The card was postmarked December 3, 2025, arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on February 4, and finally reached VOV’s office last week.

B: It’s clear that the aptly named snail mail can take quite a long time to reach us, but no matter how long it takes, receiving your mail is always a joy. Many thanks to our listener for his thoughtful gesture.

A: We also acknowledge reception reports from Safril Susanto of Indonesia, Reginaldo Anunciação of Brazil, Jayanta Chakrabarty of India, Williams López of Chile, and Omar Faruk of Bangladesh.

B: We’ve come to the end of this week’s Letter Box. Keep writing, keep listening and, until next time, goodbye from Hanoi!