Prolonged heavy rainfall combined with water discharged  from hydropower plants has submerged 68,000 homes in Gia Lai, Dak Lak, and Khanh Hoa provinces.

B: As always, it's a pleasure to be here to read your letters, answer your questions, and share your thoughts with VOVWorld’s global audience. Thank you so much for your warm companionship.

A: First, we want to express our thanks to all listeners who sent messages of sympathy for people in the south-central and central highlands regions of Vietnam affected by last week’s devastating floods.

B: Many of you wrote to say, “We stand with the Vietnamese people during this difficult time,” and your compassion truly touched us, reminding communities here that they are not alone.

B: Phol Phanit of Laos wrote: “I’ve seen reports of widespread flooding in Vietnam. I hope the situation stabilizes soon, the water recedes quickly, and people’s lives return to normal. Please keep updating information.”

A: Thank you, Phol Phanit. Vietnam’s south-central and Central Highlands provinces have faced difficult days due to severe flooding, and your concern is deeply appreciated.

B: From Mexico, listener Armando Francisco Higuera del Reyo praised Vietnam’s resilience in facing natural disasters: “Vietnam’s unity in overcoming natural disasters is admirable. Like Mexico, Vietnam is heavily affected by climate change. I hope COP30 will bring positive outcomes.”

A: Vicentiu Gheorghe of Romania highlighted the prompt actions of the Vietnamese government during recent floods, writing that the response “demonstrates strong commitment and solidarity.”

B: Thank you all for your thoughtful reflections. On behalf of VOV, thank you for your kindness, your humanity, and your unwavering support.

A: Next, we’d like to welcome to VOV Philip Roy, who has recently visited our website vovworld.vn and praised our content. Mr. Roy, we’re delighted to have you join our global community!

Ripe rice season in Lao Cai’s Hang Dang De village

B: Although Christmas and New Year 2026 are still more than a month away, festive messages have already begun to arrive.

A: One of the earliest seasonal greetings comes from Rasheed Naz of Pakistan, who wrote: “Season’s Greetings and a very Happy New Year 2026 to the entire Radio VOV5 family! It gives me great pleasure to express my appreciation for your excellent programs, which continue to inform, educate, and inspire listeners around the world. Your broadcasts are a true bridge of understanding between cultures and nations.”

B: Mr. Naz also shared his New Year’s resolution: “To remain a loyal listener of Radio Vietnam, encourage others to tune in, and keep sharing feedback that strengthens the bond between broadcasters and listeners.”

A: Mr. Naz, thank you! Your words truly inspire us.

B: Juan Díez of Spain shared his interest in our story “Vovinam – Vietnam’s Cultural Ambassador in Europe,” saying: “Europe wants to understand and practice the philosophy of Vovinam, a martial art able to defeat an enemy without destroying them.”

A: Thank you, Juan! Vovinam truly carries both physical strength and spiritual values.

(Illustration photo: VNA)

B: Vovinam, a traditional Vietnamese martial art, was recognized as Vietnam’s national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2023.

A: Vovinam was first established in Hanoi in 1938 by Grandmaster Nguyen Loc, with the intent of providing practitioners with an efficient method of self-defense after a short period of study. Loc believed that martial arts would contribute to freeing the nation from outside domination, including the French domination from 1859 to 1954.

B: Vovinam’s principles include “to live for oneself, to help others live and to live for others”. Practiced with or without weapons, its aim is to train for physical strength and a sound mind, discipline, and moral strength. Vovinam students study human behavior, fellowship, and unity.

A: The first Vovinam school outside of Vietnam was formed in Houston, USA, in 1976. Since then Vovinam schools have been established in more than 70 countries and territories around the globe, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Morocco, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland, attracting over 2.5 million martial artists and contributing to introducing Vietnamese culture to international communities.

B: Furthermore, Vovinam has also become a sport practiced throughout the Southeast Asian region, especially at the SEA Games four times.

A: That’s a brief about Vietnamese martial arts and how deeply its philosophy resonates around the world.

A: We encourage you to give it a try. Vovinam is not only a physical practice but also a way to cultivate resilience, respect, and harmony. Whether you learn it at a local club or follow online classes, we hope it brings you confidence, health, and joy.

B: This week, many listeners shared their interest in Vietnam’s external relations activities. Naghmouchi Nouari of Algeria wrote about the Vietnamese Prime Minister’s official visit to Algeria, emphasizing that the visit will strengthen the friendship and cooperation between the two countries and promote bilateral partnerships in many fields.

A: Héctor Gregorio Goicoechea of Uruguay shared news on a proposal in the Uruguayan parliament to erect a statue of President Ho Chi Minh. He wrote: “It is important to honor the founder of Vietnam, who fought against French colonialism and American intervention.”

B: Thank you, Héctor. This is significant cultural news reflecting deep friendship between the two nations.

A: More than 20 countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas have erected statues of President Ho Chi Minh, showing the admiration and respect of people in these countries for the founder of modern Vietnam and a global cultural icon.

A: This week, our long-time friend Muhammad Aqeel Bashir from Pakistan wrote: “Every program reflects the team’s dedication and passion. Each member contributes wholeheartedly to bring insightful and uplifting content.”

B: Thank you so much, Muhammad Aqeel Bashir, for your message. We truly appreciate your kind words. Your encouragement means a great deal to our team, and it reminds us why we put our passion into every program we produce.

A: Now, let’s move to the many reception reports we received this week. We’d like to acknowledge a reception report from H.M. Tarek of Bangladesh, who tuned in to VOV on the frequency of 7220 kHz on November 17. He wrote: “I like listening to VOV5 because your programs are exclusive. I enjoyed the New Rice Celebration of the La Chí people.”

B: Another familiar name, Jayanta Chakrabarty from India, sent us a historical audio clip of the Fall of Saigon broadcast from 1975 but faced technical issues due to file size limits.

A: Jayanta, thank you for your extraordinary dedication. Please upload the file to Google Drive and send us the link, we will take a look at it.

B: We’d like to thank Anand Mohan of India for sending detailed logs from multiple SDR receivers. Ridika Ridi of Bangladesh who listened to Discovery Vietnam about Phu Quoc’s Sleepless Night Market, and Chinmoy Mahato of India for giving us suggestions to improve our programs.

A: To every listener who wrote to us, thank you for your companionship.

B: Your letters are the heartbeat of this program. Please continue writing to us at englishsection@vov.vn.

A: Until next week…goodbye from Hanoi.