Forum Theater Brings Real-Life Situations to the Stage, and You Are the Actors
In Vietnam, a novel form of theater is quietly making an impact, not just on stage, but in classrooms, communities, and people's lives. Known as Forum Theater, this interactive art form transforms audience members from passive viewers into active participants. Developed by Brazilian threater practitioner Augusto Boal, Forum Theater was created as a space to “rehearse for real life,” allowing theatergoers to step into the shoes of others, explore difficult situations, and test out new possibilities.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
The Overwhelming Presence of Nature's Most Inspiring Sound: Cát Tiên's Gibbon Call
What is your favorite sound?
Văn Tân in Natural Selection
Hoa Bưởi's Fleeting but Fragrant Season Teaches Us to Find Beauty in Impermanence
Every year during this time, I can’t help but hanker for a taste of sugarcane infused with hoa bưởi, or pomelo blossom. Only hoa bưởi’s tender aroma can accentuate the flavor of this humble snack several folds.
A Botanical Illustrator Captures Vietnam's Flora on Paper, One Species at a Time
When science and art commingle in a botanical illustration, it’s as if a magical world appears, where colors, brushstrokes, and lighting work together to not only replicate but also breathe life into nature’s best creations.
Lúa Ma, the Mekong's Ancient Wild Rice Varieties Holding Secrets to Climate Resilience
“It’s been so long I can barely remember. It’s delicious, fragrant, soft but not sticky,” says Trần Văn Lựa, 53, a farmer from Đồng Tháp Province, south-west Vietnam, recalling the taste of wild rice. As a child, he would harvest the grain during flood season, when wild rice flowers. Today, however, it is a rare sight.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Cầy Mực, the Fluffy Bearcat Whose Pee Really Smells Like Popcorn
Vietnam is home to a diverse range of species, from the elusive sao la to Hanoi's pungently fragrant hoa sữa. As an ode to the wondrous nature of the country, we're introducing a new article series, Natural Selection. Each article will feature a species of plant or animal native to Vietnam — starting with the laidback cầy mực (binturong).
As Saltwater Intrudes More of Mekong Delta, Durian Farmers Struggle to Stay Afloat
Nguyễn Văn Quại, 63, walked slowly on the muddy dirt path in his yard, his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped beside a tree split in half, its branches dipping into the stagnant water of a narrow moat, and gestured towards the rest of his leafless crop — their trunks yellow, their bark cracked and brittle.
Khôi Phạm in Tech
On Vietnam's Internet, You're a Mom, I'm a Mom, Everyone Is a Mom
I am a mom. Well, not in the most conventional meaning of the word — I am childless, and it’s still biologically impossible for men to give birth the last time I checked, but for most of my existence on the Vietnamese cybersphere, I have been using the designation “mẹ” amongst my closest friends.
[Photos] Inside a New School for Lao Cai Children, Built by Hanoi Architects
While some students in Saigon bemoan slow internet that hampers their distance education at home, there are communities in Vietnam’s remote areas whose only school can barely withstand the elements.
After Lockdown, Bach Mai Criticized Over Clip Showing Doctors Gathering Without Masks
Hanoi’s lockdown order on Bach Mai Hospital was lifted over the weekend, but the hospital is now facing censure over a video that surfaced online.
Vingroup, Bkav Pivot to Producing Ventilators to Help Curb Coronavirus
Amid the ongoing coronavrius pandemic, several Vietnamese manufacturing companies have shifted to producing medical equipment.
Khoi Pham in Tech
How 2 Vietnamese Software Engineers Created a Site to Track the Covid-19 Outbreak
What have you accomplished today while practicing social distancing at home? Did you work on the family’s trellises of gourds, attempt to whisk up a frothy glass of dalgona coffee, or learn a new lang...
Trains for Saigon’s First Metro Line Undergo Final Testing in Japan
On April 11, Saigon’s Urban Railway Management Board announced that the trains ordered to serve the city’s first metro line had begun their final technical inspections in Japan.
90% of Vietnamese Surveyed in WWF Covid-19 Study Support Closing Wildlife Markets
The first survey analyzing public opinion about the connection between COVID-19 and the wildlife trade in Asia shows widespread support for the elimination of wildlife markets.
Saigon's Blood Reserve Faces Critical Shortage as Pandemic Cancels Donation Drives
Saigon’s public hospitals will face an acute blood shortage in the next few days if the lack of donors continues.
Vietnam Only Records 4 New Covid-19 Cases Over the Weekend
The nation's tally for Covid-19 cases hit 241 on Sunday night, but Monday arrived without any new patients testing positive since the previous evening.
Inside Saigon's Grassroots Carton and Aluminum Recycling Plants
With plastics claiming many of the headlines worldwide and constituting a major issue in Vietnam, scant attention is being paid to other recyclable materials, namely cardboard and aluminum.
[Photos] A Da Nang House Reimagined as a 'Red Brick' Hostel
Turns out one can break down an old house into a hostel the same way one breaks down a brick of cheese into enticing nibbles.
Saigon, Hanoi to Discharge 30 Covid-19 Patients Today, Including Case 17
As the number of Covid-19 cases in Vietnam continues to rise, many patients across the country have also recovered.
3 Covid-19 Patients in Da Nang Discharged; Dozens More Test Negative
There are 136 Covid-19 patients currently being treated in medical facilities in Vietnam.
Citizens, Especially Those Over 60, Should Stay Home, Health Ministry Warns
As Covid-19 cases in Vietnam continue to climb over 100, the health ministry has warned people from going out.
Michael Tatarski in Architecture
From Nature, Vietnam Slowly Forges Its Own Brand of Contemporary Architecture
When it comes to architecture in Saigon, a tiny fraction of buildings receive the vast majority of attention.
Mekong Delta Slammed by Worst Drought, Saltwater Intrusion in Decades
While the Covid-19 pandemic has understandably dominated the news recently, a disaster is unfolding in the Mekong Delta.
Coronavirus Update: 121 Confirmed Cases, Including 3 Medical Staff; 3 More Recoveries
Over the weekend, Vietnam's Covid-19 case total surged past 100, while foreigners were banned from entering the country.
Thua Thien-Hue Plans to Build 157-Hectare Bird Sanctuary
The 157-hectare bird sanctuary 15 kilometers outside of Hue aims to attract wild birds back to their natural habitat.
Coronavirus Update: 76 Cases in Total, More Flight Routes Halted
In just four days, the number of Covid-19 cases in Vietnam has increased by 19 — from 57 cases on March 16 to 76 cases on March 18.
Coronavirus Update: 57 Cases, Compulsory Masks and Saigon's Nightlife Closures
Despite tightening restrictions on movement and air travel, Vietnam’s number of Covid-19 cases jumped from 39 last Thursday to 57 by the end of Sunday.
Vietnam Climate Change Project to Improve Water Security Secures $30.2m Funding
The project deals with improving the resilience of small-scale agricultural production to water security loss due to climate change in the Central Highlands and south-central coast regions of Vietnam....
