(VOVWORLD) - VOV has developed a new app VOV Media which can be used on both Android and IOS platforms. With this new app, you can listen to our program at anytime anywhere with your smart phone. So, download this app and click on VOV5 to listen to our broadcasts.

(VOVWORLD) - I hope all of you are in good health and spirits. We’re always excited to be in the studio talking to our listeners worldwide.

(VOVWORLD) -This week,as usual, we received several interesting letters and emails from our listeners around the world. These messages encourage us to continue our shortwave broadcasts and improve our website content.

(VOVworld) - Summer is coming around and it’s getting hotter in the northern part of Vietnam. The average temperature now ranges from 25 to 30DC. I enjoy this pleasant weather.

A: To He, or toy figurine, is a traditional toy that Vietnamese children are exceedingly fond of. Dating back to the 17th century, To He are made of glutinous rice powder in the form of edible figurines of animals, flowers and characters from folk tales.

(VOVworld) - I’m reading an interesting letter from Radhakrishna Pillai of India. He told us about his participation at the National Council Meeting of Indian Society for Cultural Co-operation and Friendship (ISCUF) held at Guwahati in Assam, a mega event to promote India-Vietnam cultural co-operation and friendship.

A: We think we sent you an embroidery painting of Ha Long Bay. Embroidery painting is a popular craft in many localities throughout Vietnam. XQ embroidery, for example, is a famous hand embroidery shop in Da Lat designed to look like a traditional and historical rural village.

A: In Hanoi thousands of students and other volunteers attended the launch ceremony. This was the 9th Earth Hour event held in Vietnam. Last year’s campaign saved 450,000kwh, 3 times higher than in 2009, when Vietnam hosted the first event. The amount of electricity saved during the one hour the lights are off is the measures of society’s response to Earth Hour.

(VOVworld) - We are very glad to know that Gerry Neumann has returned to his home in England safe and sound. On his latest email on March 20, Gerry wrote “At last I’ve got around to sending you a reception report after my recent trip to Vietnam over the Christmas and Tet period, including my visit to VOV’s office in Hanoi, where I again received a tremendous welcome from the staff. My sincere thanks for the gifts you gave me on that occasion.”

B: We’d like to thank Gerry Newmann for his great gift, a book of English culture and traditions throughout the year. We like the book every much, Gerry. It’s a great help to us, especially Thu Ly and other reporters involved in producing our Culture Rendezvous segment. We thank you very much for the gift and we hope to meet you again soon.