Happy New Year at VOV5

B: Thank you Nizamani for tuning in to our English programs on the Voice of Vietnam. We’ll send you our program schedule and frequency list to make it easier for you to follow our programs.

A:  This week we received a letter from Jyrki Hytonen of Finland. In his letter, he expressed his joy at listening to our broadcast, which he said helped increase his knowledge of Vietnam. He wrote: “As a forest researcher, I am interested in the nature and forests in Vietnam. I have read that the forest coverage of Vietnam has been increasing very much since 1990. I also study afforestation. This year I visited Vietnam for 2 weeks on a vacation and saw with my own eyes the development of forests in your country. I saw many plantations of rubber trees. Since I visited Vietnam and saw with my own eyes the  fast development of your country I am now interested to learn more. And VOV is a good means of knowing what is going on.”

B: Thank you very much Mr. Hytonen for tuning in to VOV and visiting our web page.

A: Vietnam has over 14 million hectares of forest, according to statistics announced in 2018 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Under the REDD+ Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation program, Vietnam will stabilise natural forest acreage and increase forest coverage, contributing to the nation target of reducing emissions. Over the past few years, Vietnam has adjusted planning for forest usage to expand the acreage of forests, while assisting sustainable agricultural and fishery production and strengthening forest law enforcement.

B: At a recent conference on forest development in Vietnam, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that developing tourism and services in protective and special-use forests in parallel with conservation will become a key part of the national economy in the future.

A: Data from the Ministry showed that the country now has more than 2 million hectares of protected forest and 4.6 million hectares of special-use forest. It is estimated that 54 out of 63 provinces and cities have protective forests and 59 out of 63 provinces and cities have special-use forests. Dak Lak province has the largest area of special-use forest while Bac Lieu province has the smallest area of special-use forest. Nghe An province has the largest area of protected forest and Bac Ninh province has the smallest.

Tra Su mangrove forest in An Giang province

B: This week, we continue to receive New Year’s greetings from our dear listeners around the world. We’d like to thank Ranjit Darnal of Nepal, Shyamal Kumar Banerjee of India, Muhammad Aqeel Bashir of Pakistan, and Jayanta Chakrabarty for tuning in to our broadcast and sharing your story with us.

A: In Vietnam, these days are the busiest days of the year as the Lunar New Year or Tet is approaching . It will begin next Thursday.

B: Here at VOV, all of us are busy preparing for Tet programs which promise to give you an insight into the Tet atmosphere inside and outside Vietnam, as well as Vietnamese culture, and its resolutions for the Year of the Rat.

A: Each country has a different astrological system, and it’s also with case with Vietnam. Due to the changing phases of the moon, Vietnam has the lunar calendar and a special system of zodiac signs. 12 animals represent for 12 zodiac signs in a year: the rat comes first and is followed by the buffalo, tiger, cat, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and the last is the pig. Each animal represents one year and a different personality of the human being.

Art work inspired by Rats by painter Ho Binh An

B: Tet is the biggest and the most important festival in Vietnam. It is a great occasion for families to gather together and enjoy a relaxing time off. The days from Dec 30 to Jan 3 of the Lunar Year are the main days of festival: There are many customs in Vietnam dictating what to do and what not to do during these days.

A: Some dos include paying all the debts before Tet, giving lucky money, buying and wearing new clothes, and smiling.

B: Before Tet, people should return all the things that they have borrowed from others and pay all the debts they owe. It is believed that people should never start a new year with debts and borrowed things; otherwise in that year people would be stuck with debts.

A: On the first day of Tet, adults (those who have already got married and have income) are supposed to prepare some “lucky money” to give the children and kids when visiting each other’s homes as a symbol of luck for the coming New Year. People are also supposed to convey their  best wishes to others. These activities are done with the expectation that luck and good things are brought to everyone.

B:  Tet is a special occasion during which people wear new and beautiful outfits. The streets during Tet are full with colorful dresses,  including the traditional long dress or ao dai and other costumes. It is thought that colorful bright colors like red, yellow or blue can bring good luck and prosperity to people for the upcoming year.

A: Another essential element of Tet is a freedom from worry and anxiety. A smile can make everything seem more relaxing and enhance the relationship between people. A smile can bring joy and happiness to you as well as people around you for the whole year. During  Tet, people refrain  from getting angry or depressed and put an instant smile on their faces, hoping for a happy new year.

B: During Tet, there are some  dont’s like arguing, swearing or saying bad things. If people usually wish all the best during Tet holidays, it is forbidden to say bad things like speaking of death or swearing on this occasion. People also should avoid having arguments and shouting at each other during Tet because it can bring them an unharmonious year. When having any conflict, try to calm down and keep it as peaceful as possible.

A: Another thing people should avoid doing is sweeping the house or emptying the trash bin especially on the first day of the new year. People believe that if you sweep the floor, all the luck and money will flow out of your house. So you can keep this in mind. When visiting one’s house during Tet, you should not drop anything onto the floor and make it dirty. Moreover, when you want to do something, it is a good idea to ask the home owner first to avoid unwanted problems.

Rats in spring garden by Pham Quang Phuc

B: During the Tet holiday, VOV will broadcast special programs featuring Vietnam, its culture and people, Tet festivals here and there around Vietnam, and Vietnam’s development and its relations with other countries. We hope to receive your feedbacks on the programs which will be available on shortwave, on the internet and on mobile app.

A: Thank you all for your reports and feedback. We’ll send you QSL cards to confirm them.

B: We welcome your feedback at: English Service, VOVworld, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. Thank you all for listening. Goodbye until next time.

Below is a short video clip of Tra Su mangrove forest in An Giang province. Check it out!