Vatican special envoy Archbishop Marek Zalewski meets An Giang leaders
Archbishop Marek Zalewski, the Holy See's Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore and the Vatican's non-resident Special Envoy to Vietnam, paid a courtesy visit to leaders of the southern province of An Giang on November 28.
Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Van Nung (R) and Archbishop Marek Zalewski at the meeting on November 28 (Photo: VNA)
An Giang (VNA) - ArchbishopMarek Zalewski, the Holy See's Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore and the Vatican's non-resident Special Envoy to Vietnam,paid a courtesy visit to leaders of the southern province of An Giang on November28 on the occasion of his working trip to Long Xuyen diocese.
At the meeting,Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Van Nung said he believesthe relations between the Vietnamese Government and the Vatican and the VietnamCatholic Church in general and between An Giang authorities and the Long Xuyendiocese in particular, will further grow following the ArchbishopMarek Zalewski’s trip.
He affirmed theconsistent policy of the Vietnamese Party and State in general and An Giang inparticular, which respects and ensures the right to religious freedom of allpeople and equality among religions. He took note of the active contributionsof Catholic people to the cause of national construction.
According to theVice Chairman, An Giang is home to more than 1.8 million of followers of 11 State-recognisedreligions, including Buddhist Hoa Hao, Vietnamese Buddhism, Caodaism,Catholicism and Protestantism. Religions in the province have made greatcontributions to local development, he said.
The officialasked the Vatican’s special envoy to continue fostering the diplomaticrelationship between the Holy See, the Catholic Church and the VietnameseGovernment. He also proposed that the Vatican gives more support to the CatholicChurch in Vietnam and the Long Xuyen diocese.
ArchbishopMarek Zalewski thanked the Vietnamese government in general and An Giang administrationin particular for facilitating his first trip to An Giang. He said the vibrantCatholic life in Vietnam and An Giang is evidence of Vietnam’s policy ofrespect for freedom of belief and religion.
He pledgedto do his best to promote the ties between the Vatican and Vietnam, thushelping the Catholic community in Vietnam lead a good life and contribute tothe cause of national development./.
Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Under Secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States Antoine Camilleri co-chaired the seventh meeting of the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group in Hanoi on December 19.
Over the last three years, religious establishments have carried out some 1,000 projects in environmental protection and climate change combat, heard a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on May 16.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam (CBCV) led by its President Nguyen Chi Linh in Hanoi on November 18.
Vietnam has over 4.8 million people exposed to AO/dioxin, including hundreds of thousands in the second, third, and even fourth generations. Many live with severe disabilities, facing high medical costs and loss of earning capacity.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed that amnesty is a humanitarian policy of the Party and State, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of compassion and winning attention and high praise both domestically and internationally.
Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
With support from the Vietnamese Association in Ufa, Vietnamese language classes for children have been offered for many years. Currently, 60 children of various ages are attending two classes taught by Duc Anh, free of charge.
Vietnam ranked among the top four countries and territories at the 2025 International Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), reaffirming its strong position in international academic competitions.
All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Van Nung (R) and Archbishop Marek Zalewski at the meeting on November 28 (Photo: VNA) 
