Happy Vietnam

From textile recycling to innovative financing, international models offer Vietnam lessons in turning waste into valuable resources. Stronger cooperation among policymakers, businesses, financial institutions and technology providers will be key to scaling up circular economy initiatives.

Amid modern life, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away, Nung Indigo, located in Khao Hamlet, Quang Uyen Commune, Cao Bang Province, has become a destination that helps preserve and promote the distinctive indigo hues of the Nung An ethnic group, offering visitors an engaging cultural experience on their journey to explore Cao Bang’s scenic landscapes. Photo: Chu Hieu - VNA

The grassroots-level “Listening to the People” model in Can Tho City has become an open democratic forum, providing a favorable platform for every resident and household to directly contribute opinions on building a clean and strong Party and an effective and efficient government. Photo: Duy Khuong - VNA

At the opening of the Ministerial Roundtable on Digital and Artificial Intelligence, held in Quang Ninh city on October 28 as part of Vietnam International Digital Week 2026 (VIDW 2026), the Ministry of Science and Technology received the 2026 GSMA Government Leadership Award on behalf of the Vietnamese Government.

To build a strong Party and firmly consolidate public trust and support, Party committees at all levels in Quang Ninh are promoting organizational reforms to streamline the administrative apparatus and strengthen grassroots engagement. The province is linking border economic development and the creation of sustainable livelihoods for local residents with the task of safeguarding national sovereignty. At the same time, officials and Party members are stepping up practical outreach, improving the quality of public services, strengthening public trust, and maintaining security and order along the nation’s border areas. Photo by courtesy/VNA

To implement Politburo Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW on breakthrough solutions to strengthen the protection, care and improvement of public health, and Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW on the social security system, including care for people with meritorious service to the revolution, poor households and older people, universal health insurance, and medical examination and treatment at the grassroots level, the Hong Chau Commune Health Station in Hai Phong has coordinated with Hai Duong International General Clinic to organize health checkups at three health station facilities. Four mobile health checkup teams have also been established to provide examinations at residents’ homes, prioritizing people with meritorious service to the revolution, disadvantaged groups, people with disabilities, and those unable to travel to centralized examination sites. These efforts help ensure that residents receive appropriate healthcare and strengthen the protection, care and improvement of public health. Photo: Minh Quyet - VNA

Raya Aidil Fitri, or the Festival of Love, was re-enacted by Cham Muslims from An Giang province on October 25 at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Hanoi. Marking the end of Ramadan, the festival celebrates forgiveness, love, family reunions and cultural traditions.

The 12th Buckwheat Flower Festival opened in Dong Van commune, Tuyen Quang province, on the evening of October 25, 2026. As a major cultural and tourism event, the festival celebrates the beauty of the region's distinctive buckwheat flowers while showcasing Tuyen Quang's natural landscapes and traditional cultural heritage to domestic and international visitors.

Hanoi is piloting the socialist commune and ward model in Thu Lam and Phuc Thinh communes, aiming to build a government that stays close to the people, promote economic development, improve infrastructure connectivity and enhance quality of life. Initiatives range from flower-lined roads and digital cultural centers to administrative procedure reform, heritage preservation and livelihood development, with residents actively participating in the process. Despite initial progress, both localities continue to face challenges related to planning, resources and the implementation of new criteria. Photo: Trung Nguyen – VNA

In preparation for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2027, An Giang Province is stepping up efforts to implement key construction works and projects in Phu Quoc Special Zone. By the end of September 2026, public investment disbursement for APEC-related projects had exceeded VND 9.37 trillion, equivalent to 69.54% of the annual plan. The participation of major economic groups through public-private partnerships (PPPs) and business investment has helped modernize the special zone’s service infrastructure, ensuring optimal conditions for this major international diplomatic event while creating strong momentum for local economic growth. Photo by courtesy/VNA

Sixty-five years have passed since the Ministry of National Defence decided to establish Military Transport Unit 759, codenamed the “Unnumbered Ships,” later known as Naval Unit 125. Its mission was to open a vital strategic route — the Ho Chi Minh Trail at Sea — to transport personnel, weapons and equipment in support of the battlefield in southern Vietnam. Today, the heroic history and profound significance of this extraordinary route continue to be recounted and passed down, inspiring present and future generations to honour its legacy, carry it forward, contribute to national development and safeguard the country’s maritime sovereignty. Photo: Manh Minh - VNA

Alongside streamlining its administrative apparatus, Quang Ninh Province is accelerating administrative decentralization, digital transformation and comprehensive international integration. The province is translating the spirit of Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW into practical cooperation models, notably the Mong Cai–Dongxing Smart Border Gate project and expanded comprehensive cooperation with China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. By strengthening governance effectiveness, Quang Ninh is gradually turning its internal strengths into greater connectivity, logistics capacity and international competitiveness. Photo: Thanh Van - VNA

After two months of piloting a system of criteria and software for evaluating work performance using key performance indicators (KPIs), Nghe An has initially recorded positive changes in officials’ sense of responsibility, initiative and approach to carrying out their duties. By using work outputs, digital data and task completion levels as benchmarks, this evaluation method helps reduce subjective assessments, provides a basis for appropriate personnel placement and deployment, and improves the effectiveness of public service delivery and the quality of service to the people. Photo: Trinh Duy Hung - VNA

Xa Phin hamlet in Thanh Thuy commune, northeastern Tuyen Quang province, lies at the foot of the Tay Con Linh mountain range and is known for its traditional Dao stilt houses with palm-leaf roofs, now covered in green moss that blends with the lush mountain landscape.

The land border area of Dong Thap Province is currently experiencing the annual flood season, also known locally as the floating season, when vast expanses of fields are submerged under water. Some individuals are taking advantage of these conditions to transport smuggled goods across the border by waterway for distribution in the domestic market. In response, the Dong Thap Border Guard is stepping up patrols and ambush operations to resolutely combat smuggling, trade fraud and the illegal cross-border transportation of goods, while maintaining security and order along the border. Photo: Nhut An - VNA

The Party Committee of Central Party Agencies held a hybrid conference in Hanoi on October 22, 2026, combining in-person and online participation, to study, learn about, thoroughly grasp and implement the Resolution adopted at the fourth plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee. Photo: An Dang, Phan Phuong - VNA

Chemical testing at the Southern Guard Department (Department 180) under the Guard Command plays an important role in ensuring the safety of Party and State leaders and international guests through the testing of food and water supplies. In response to increasingly sophisticated toxic threats, the unit is gradually shifting from manual testing to modern analytical equipment, enhancing its ability to detect and prevent potential risks at an early stage and from a distance. Every stage of the testing process requires a high degree of accuracy and care, helping ensure the absolute safety of those under guard protection. Photo: Hong Dat - VNA

Nestled at the foot of the Tay Con Linh mountain range, Xa Phin Hamlet, Thanh Thuy Commune, Tuyen Quang Province, preserves the traditional stilt houses with palm-leaf roofs of the Dao ethnic community. Over the years, green moss has spread across the roofs, creating a tranquil, timeworn beauty that blends harmoniously with the lush green mountains and forests. Beside ponds, amid gardens or along narrow paths, each house has its own distinctive character and a close connection with nature. The autumn sunshine illuminates patches of moss, highlighting the contours of the traditional roofs. The local architecture and peaceful scenery make Xa Phin an appealing destination, offering opportunities to explore the culture and daily life of Vietnam’s mountainous regions. Photo: Minh Tam - VNA

In the works of artisan Bui Van Tu, memories of his hometown come alive through simple, familiar images. They include the pond by his maternal grandparents’ home, clay animals that his grandmother and he used to mold together for fun, and his mother’s love and frugality. He incorporates these cherished memories into light sculpture, telling stories of women through images of protection and care, hardship and sacrifice. On the occasion of Vietnamese Women’s Day (October 20), his four works made from bronze and Bat Trang ceramics serve as a tribute to grandmothers and mothers, as well as an expression of solidarity with women who have devoted themselves tirelessly to the pottery craft. Photo: Pham Tuan Anh - VNA

Hung Yen Province currently has 104 Women’s Union grassroots organisations across its 104 communes and wards, with 1,375 chapters, more than 496,000 members, 2,768 honorary members and over 934,600 women. In recent years, Women’s Union organisations at all levels have launched numerous practical and effective movements that have gained widespread community support and contributed to local socio-economic development. In recognition of these outstanding contributions, the Hung Yen Provincial Women’s Union was honoured as one of five collectives receiving the 2026 Vietnam Women’s Award. Photo: Thu Hoai – VNA