Vietnamese official honoured with Italy’s Order of Merit
Phan Thanh Binh, head of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Adolescents and President of the Vietnam-Italy Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, has been presented with Italy’s Order of Merit.
Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro handed over the honour to Phan Thanh Binh at a ceremony held in Hanoi on March 29. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Phan Thanh Binh, head of theNational Assembly’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Adolescents andPresident of the Vietnam-Italy Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, has beenpresented with Italy’s Order of Merit.
Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro handedover the honour to Binh at a ceremony held in Hanoi on March 29, with NA ViceChairwoman Tong Thi Phong in attendance.
Phong, who is also President of the FriendshipParliamentarians’ Organisation, said the Order is the Italian State’s recognitionof efforts and contributions by Binh and other members of the Vietnam-ItalyFriendship Parliamentarians’ Group.
Binh and his colleagues have significantly contributedto promoting the legislative ties between Vietnam and Italy, thus enhancing thebilateral strategic partnership, especially in culture, education, tourism, andpeople-to-people exchange, she said./.
The Vietnam - Italy Friendship Association (VIFA) and the Italian Embassy in Vietnam introduced two Italian publications about late President Ho Chi Minh and presented them to the Ho Chi Minh Museum at an event in Hanoi on October 20.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Italy organised an online forum on Vietnam-Italy economic cooperation to beef up bilateral economic relations on November 26.
Vietnam and Italy on December 14 agreed on plans for post-pandemic economic recovery and optimising the benefits to be gained from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), thus boosting economic ties between the two countries.
General Secretary of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) Mauro Alboresi has lauded the success of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), saying the PCI always considers Vietnam a model in the international communist movement.
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.
Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro handed over the honour to Phan Thanh Binh at a ceremony held in Hanoi on March 29. (Photo: VNA) 
