The autumn of 2021 is quieter than ever because of the COVID-19 epidemic, people avoid visiting public places or big gatherings. (photo: Hoan Kiem Lake/ VOV)

A: Listener feedback is one of the most interesting parts of our job. Here’s an email from Dragiša Čabrilo, an amateur radio Dx’er in Serbia. He wrote to us for the first time, but says that he has devoted himself to this hobby since 1985. Cabrilo said he likes to listen to radio on medium and short wave.

B: It’s a pleasure to receive your correspondence. You said you tuned in to our channel on November 5 on the frequency of 9730 kHz and SINPO code was 44344.

A: It’s good to hear that the signal quality was good. Vietnam’s international postal service, which was temporarily suspended to some countries when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, has resumed. We’ll send a QSL card and some other VOV material to you soon.

B: We received an email from Rasheed Naz, a new listener in Pakistan. He asked us to send him our new season program guide and frequency list.

A: Sure. We’ll email you our winter frequency list and program guide to make it easier to catch our program.

B: Rasheed, you said you’re interested in Vietnam’s history and culture. You’ll surely like our segment “Colorful Vietnam - Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups” on Monday, “Discovery Vietnam” on Thursday, “Vietnamese Culture” on Friday, and the “Sunday Show” on Sunday. Stories about Vietnam’s society and economy are on Tuesday and the development of Vietnam’s rural areas on Thursday.

A: You can read or listen to all the stories again on our website at www.vovworld.vn

B: Last week we had a story about a zero waste program on Apo Island in the Philippines. That program is one of the reasons Apo is one of the top 10 islands recommended by people who have visited the Philippines. Plastic waste is a global problem and our listeners want to know how Vietnam handles the problem.

A: It’s Vietnam’s goal to use 100 percent bio-degradable plastic bags and packaging at shopping malls and supermarkets by 2025, under a program to strengthen management of plastic waste in Vietnam.

B: Other goals include treating or recycling 85 percent of plastic waste; halving the volume of plastic waste dumped in the ocean; and getting 100 percent of tourism complexes and hotels to end their use of non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastic products by 2025.

A: The program will design activities to raise awareness among organisations, enterprises, and the community about the long-term negative effects of single-use plastic items to encourage them to shift to eco-friendly alternatives.

B: The program will lobby plastic product producers and distributors to shift to eco-friendly equivalents, apply advanced technology to plastic waste management, and manufacture environmentally-friendly products.

A: It will build a network of communications to teach people to properly classify, reuse, and treat plastic and other waste. Information about single-use and non-biodegradable plastics will be integrated into school curriculums at all levels.

B: Authorities and tourism businesses in Hoi An city have signed an agreement to turn Hoi An into the first green city in Vietnam by 2030. The “Planning Framework of Business on Plastic Waste Reduction Towards Hoi An - A Green Destination 2021-2023” is based on three activities: establishing a waste recycling network in Hoi An, evaluating plastic waste reduction practices at enterprises, and promoting Hoi An’s branding as a green destination.

A: 36 travel companies and accommodation establishments in Hoi An have pledged to implement environmentally-friendly activities to make Hoi An a green destination. In the past they saved money by replacing single-use plastic bags with reusable cloth bags.

B: Businesses agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted tourism trends toward safer, greener experiences aligned with nature. The pandemic period was actually a good opportunity to take some time to rethink and restart in a better way. 

A: Now we’ll read letters and emails from a few more listeners. Jayanta Chakrabarty of India sent us a report for a program on November 9th on 7220 kHz. He rated SINPO all 4s.

B: The program he found interesting was about Vietnam and Australia’s commitment to bilateral trade and making each other one of their 10 largest trade partners.

A: Jayanta said: “Being an academically qualified economist, I was thrilled to learn that Vietnam's economy will rebound powerfully despite COVID-19. Vietnam enjoys the benefit of strong leadership and a skilled workforce to propel the country in its development efforts.”

B: Siddhartha Bhattacharjee, another Indian listener, sent us a wish on Diwali Day, the Hindu festival of lights on November 4th. We want to share the wish with all our listeners: “A festival full of sweet childhood memories, a sky full of fireworks, a mouth full of sweets, a house full of diyas, and a heart full of joy. Wishing you all a very Happy Diwali 2021!”

A: Diya in Hinduism signifies purity, goodness, good luck, and power. Diwali is India’s most important festival of the year – a time to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil.

B: Widely observed by more than a billion people from a variety of faiths across India, the five days of Diwali are marked by prayer, feasts, fireworks, family gatherings, and charitable giving. For some, Diwali is also the beginning of a new year.

A: This year the northern Indian city of Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh, set a new Guinness World Record by lighting 900,000 oil lamps and burning them for at least 45 minutes as part of the celebration of Diwali.

B: The city kept its Guinness World Record for the third year. Last year, it lit about 607,000 oil lamps.

A: Thank you all for your feedback. We always welcome your letters at English Service, VOVWorld, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.vn.

A: You can also leave your comments on our website at www.vovworld.vn or on our Facebook fanpage at VOV5 English Service.  Thank you all. Stay safe and healthy. Goodbye!