Hello and welcome to VOV’s Letter Box, our weekly feature dedicated to our listeners throughout the world. I’m Mai Phuong.
And I’m Ngoc Huyen. It’s nice to be back on the Letter Box again.
A: Dear listeners. Today is November 20
th and in Vietnam we’re celebrating Vietnamese Teachers’ Day. This is really a unique celebration which reflects the Vietnamese tradition of ‘remembering the source of the water we drink’ by honoring teachers and others who work in the education sector. This day is an opportunity for current and former students to express their gratitude to their teachers. On this day, students give their teachers bouquets of flowers or other gifts to thank the teachers for teaching them academic subjects and life skills.
B: Students begin preparing for the celebration a week in advance, and many of them write essays or draw pictures to commemorate the day. Some prepare food and flower arrangements for a classroom party, some deliver gifts to their teachers’ homes, and some take a class trip somewhere with one or more teachers.
A: In Vietnam teaching is a highly-respected profession, and Teachers’ Day is just one of the many ways Vietnamese people show their respect for teachers. In Vietnam we have a saying, "If you want your children to be well-educated, then you should love the teachers" which acknowledges the role teachers play in their children's educational development. So, on this occasion we would like to send our best wishes to all Vietnamese teachers and other teachers around the world.
B: This week we received congratulations from several listeners on Vietnam’s election to the UN Human Rights Council for a two-year tenure. Thomas J. Corcoran of Sweden said he thinks Vietnam will perform a vital role.
A: From India, Shri Bhagwan Sharma wrote: “Please accept my heartiest congratulations for Vietnam’s election to the UN Human Rights Council for the next two years. I hope Vietnam will do well during its tenure. Once again, my congratulations and salute to Vietnam for its great work and achievements.”
B: Thank you all. Vietnam got 184 out of 192 possible votes, the most by any candidate. This election reflected the international community’s recognition of Vietnam’s recent achievements in promoting civil, political, economic, cultural, social, and religious rights as well as Vietnam’s increasing prestige in the international arena. During its tenure, from 2014 to 2016, Vietnam hopes to contribute in a constructive and responsible manner to the joint effort of the international community to expand and protect human rights globally. As a member of the UN Human Right Council Vietnam will have a great opportunity to learn from other nations how to ensure the rights of its citizens.
Vietnam spares no effort in promoting basic human rights as stated in Vietnam's Constitution
|
A: Listeners’ messages of condolence for victims of typhoon Haiyan and flooding in central Vietnam have poured into VOV’s offices during the past week. Thank you, Christer Brunstrom of Sweden and Thomas Corcoran for your expressions of sympathy for the Vietnamese flood victims. After ravaging the Philippines, typhoon Haiyan struck Vietnam’s north-central and northern coastal provinces, killing 13 people and injuring 80 others, according to the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control.
B: Last week, more flooding killed 41 people and left 5 missing and 74 injured in Vietnam’s central coast and central highlands provinces. More than 1600 houses collapsed and tens of thousands of hectares of crops were destroyed. Relief efforts are underway to deliver emergency supplies to people in the flooded areas.
A: Ratan Kumar Paul of India reported listening to our programs from November 5th to 11th between 16:00 and 16:30 UTC on the frequency of 9550 khz. Ratan had a question about the most popular life insurance company in Vietnam.
B: Despite the current economic crisis, Vietnam’s life insurance sector reaped benefits from foreign insurer contributions last year and expects to continue its growth this year. The Vietnamese life insurance market is poised to grow with just 5 per cent of the total population currently insured and strong economic growth spurring increasing demand. According to the Association of Vietnamese Insurers, the sector has achieved solid growth because when the usual investment channels in the securities and property markets became less attractive, a desire to save for the future generated conditions for life insurance market growth.
A: There are currently 14 life insurance companies in Viet Nam and, except for Bao Viet Insurance, all are dominated by foreign-invested enterprises, with foreign investment running about 41 per cent. Experts say foreign insurers have made a large contribution to the growth of Vietnam’s general insurance and life insurance markets. Of the life insurance companies doing business in Vietnam, AIA, Dai-chi Life Vietnam, General Life, Aviva Life, Manulife, ACE Life Vietnam, and Prudential are the most popular.
B: Now that we have answered Ratan’s question, we’d like to say hello to Richard King of England, who, I must point out, is not the King of England. Richard says he has listened to our program for about 40 years. He wrote: “My first letter and QSL card from you was dated May, 1973, when I was 18 years old. Keep broadcasting on shortwave. I have learnt a lot about your country, and as a result of the broadcasts I plan to visit Vietnam on holiday next year”.
A: Thank you, Richard, for your loyalty to our station. We’ll send you a 10-year listener gift soon. Dear listeners, we’re sending gifts to loyal listeners who have listened to our programs for 10 years or more. If you have a QSL card proving you listened to our program in 2003 or earlier, please send us a copy of it to receive your gift.
B: On today’s show, we would like to acknowledge letters from Jayanta Chakrabarty, Muhammad Shamim, Rosa Baby, Miss Usha Hazarika, and Bhaikan Hazarika of India, Tjang Pak Ning of Indonesia, Mizanur Raman and Ashik of Bangladesh, Fumito Hokamura and Toshiya Nishimura of Japan, Peter Ng of Malaysia, Muneer Kaitha Parambath of the United Arab Emirates, and Tony Kelts of the US.
A: We greatly appreciate your listening. We’ll verify your reception reports and send you our QSL cards soon. That’s it for today’s Letter Box. We welcome your feedback at:
English section, Overseas Service, Radio Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at www.vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs. Good bye from Hanoi.