New bells ring out at Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon
The Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City rang out with the chimes of new symphonic bells on December 23 for the first time in nearly three years.
One of the new bells at the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon (Photo: Radio the Voice of Vietnam)
HCM City (VNA) – The Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City rang out with the chimes of new symphonic bells on December 23 for the first time in nearly three years.
On January 18, 2020, the Archbishop’s Palace of the Archdiocese of HCM City decided to stop ringing the old bells at the cathedral as they became damaged.
The new melody consists of 25 brass bells produced by Perrot GmbH & Co.KG of Germany.
Four of the new bells were inscribed with the names of four archbishops since 1960, while the remainders have the names of contributors who have helped restore the cathedral since 2015.
The ongoing restoration began in late 2015 after the cathedral turned 135 on April 5 the same year. The project is being carried out by the Belgium-based Monument Group and is expected to be completed in 2027./.
Nam Dinh northern province has the largest population of followers in Catholicism in Vietnam. It is home to famous churches and religious buildings that feature European-style architecture.
Officials from the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Vietnam Government Committee for Religious Affairs visited religious establishments in Ho Chi Minh City on December 15 to offer Christmas and New Year greetings.
On behalf of the leaders of the Party, State, and Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee, Politburo member and Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh visited the Archbishop’s Palace of Ho Chi Minh City Archdiocese and the General Confederation of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (South) on December 21, on the occasion of Christmas 2022 and New Year 2023.
PM Pham Minh Chinh highlighted how Vietnam's revolutionary press has continuously evolved and strengthened over the past century, affirming its role as a sharp and vital political, cultural, and ideological weapon serving the Fatherland and the people in the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party.
Vietnamese Consul General in Fukuoka Vu Chi Mai highlighted the growing demand for Vietnamese workers in Kyushu, especially in Fukuoka, Oita, and Saga prefectures. Currently, the region employs about 35,000 Vietnamese manual workers and over 5,000 IT engineers.
In Vietnam’s case, she said, President Ho Chi Minh demonstrated his strategic vision by founding the revolutionary press a century ago. The late leader understood the press's role not only as a means to reflect the country’s realities but also as a powerful tool to strengthen national unity and inspire the resistance wars and national construction process.
In recent interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporters in Mexico, prominent figures reflected on the press’s legacy and its global influence.
VietnamPlus e-newspaper of the VNA clinched an A prize in the “Outstanding Press Product” category for its immersive 3D multimedia project, “Epic of Reunification,” a groundbreaking blend of storytelling and technology. The VNA won another A prize for its eye-catching exhibition booth.
Today, the press for foreign service has evolved into a distinct, irreplaceable force, bridging Vietnam with the world and portraying a nation that is stable, peace-loving, and fully integrated into the international community.
At a review conference held on June 21, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh praised the province’s scientific, coordinated, and flexible approach. He noted that the early completion reflects the strong commitment of local authorities, the business community, philanthropists, and residents in improving housing conditions for disadvantaged groups.
The VNA delegation, led by General Director Vu Viet Trang, actively participated in the event, engaging in both professional and diplomatic activities.
In the context where AI dominates and produces vast volumes of content, the only sustainable path forward for journalism is to focus on high-quality content and core values. Journalism must redefine its mission - not to report the fastest, but to provide the most profound and trustworthy value.
Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
One of the new bells at the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon (Photo: Radio the Voice of Vietnam) 
