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Despite being born in India, Buddhism found fertile ground in Southeast Asia, where it took root and flourished for centuries, shaping the region’s socio- economic, political, cultural, religious and philosophical structures. This connection between Buddhism in South East Asia and India is a testament to the religion’s resilience and adaptability in the face of fast changing world under challenging circumstances over two millennia. The Buddhism in Southeast Asia from India underscores a complex interaction between different history, culture and identity. Such a complex interaction involved multiple factors, including the influence of Indian merchants and traders, the patronage of Southeast Asian kings and rulers, and the work of Buddhist missionaries. The arrival of Indian merchants and traders to Southeast Asia through sea routes from the 1st century CE onwards was a pivotal moment in the spread of Buddhism throughout the region. These travellers brought with them not only...

Vietnamese Ambassador to Mozambique Pham Hoang Kim speaks at the event. Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Mozambique The day April 30 will forever be a glorious milestone in the history of Vietnam, Vietnamese Ambassador to Mozambique Pham Hoang Kim said at a recent ceremony marking the liberation of the south and national reunification (April 30), International May Day (May 1) and Hung Kings’ death anniversary (March 10) in the capital city of Maputo, VNA reported. In his speech, Kim highlighted the significance of the liberation of southern Vietnam and national reunification day on April 30, saying that this day is a source of pride for not only the Vietnamese people but also all nations struggling for independence and freedom around the world, including many countries in Africa. The ambassador affirmed that the spirit of April 30 victory lives on in the heart of every Vietnamese, inspiring them to move forward on the path of renovation and national construction and defenc...

The biggest takeaway of the Mekong Paddle Adventure is the “surprises” for a man who spent almost his whole life going on adventures.  Adventurer, author, and speaker Dave Ellingson ready for the Mekong Paddle Adventure in March 2023. In many ways, the 600-mile kayak journey Mekong Paddle Adventure became the Mekong River Adventure as we, a group of four American kayakers, gained broader and deeper experience from the month-long journey through Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam that ended in late March 2023. In the Mekong River, we soon learned that the weather was much hotter than we expected. The thermometer usually read between 95- and 100-degrees Fahrenheit (35-37 degrees Celsius). We didn’t expect the hazy skies from smoke caused by farmers burning their rice paddies during the dry season. Our inflatable kayaks didn’t move as fast as we expected, and our aging bodies didn’t have as much stamina as we hoped. I thought a fitting description of our adventure was Linge...

The South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism financed the public library renovation project at Hanoi Library. The project was aimed at improving the quality of amenities at Hanoi Library, moving toward building a reading-culture space. The renovated public library will advance cultural discussions and exchange, spread knowledge, and enhance the mental health of Hanoi readers. The first phase of the project, from November to December last year, focused on designing and decorating the space of the library’s first floor. The second and third floors of the library had their reading space decorated and refurbished from December 2022 to April this year. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the refurbished library, vice-chairwoman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Thu Ha said that the public library renovation project backed by South Korea is one of many cultural activities helping solidify the Vietnam-South Korea friendship. The activity also beefed up the t...

Delegates at the event. Photo: toquoc.vn Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue and President of the National Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández attended a special music show in Santiago de Cuba city on April 22 (local time), which marked the 60th founding anniversary of the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam and the 50th anniversary of Fidel Castro Ruz’s visit to Vietnam and the newly liberated zone in Quang Tri province, VNA reported. Fidel was the first and the only foreign leader to visit the newly-liberated area in the south of Vietnam during the anti-US resistance war. He also took the initiative in the international movement to support Vietnam’s struggle for national independence and reunification, along with its process of national development and defence. The park named after him in Quang Tri was inaugurated in 2018 on the occasion of the 45 years since the Cuban leader’s visit to the liberated region i...

Nguyen Thuy Linh meticulously selects silk fabric scraps in complementary colors to complete her landscape collage. If painters paint with brushes, she paints with silk pieces, scissors and glue. The collage comes to life under her skilled hands”. Linh was a disabled and depressed woman before working at Vun Art, a cooperative for people with disabilities. Scraps revived While working as a kindergarten teacher, she suffered a bone ailment that rendered her unable to walk. Her marriage also ended at the same time. Becoming a disabled person and unable to continue with her old job, she felt bored. Her life was almost deadlocked as she had to raise a child alone while her parents were old and frail. She had locked herself at home for four years.  Members of Vun Art are people with disabilities.  Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times Linh learned about Vun Art while watching  Viec tu te (Good work) program on the VTV3 channel. Vun Art Cooperative was founded in...