During September 6-10/2019, VIRI will introduce sustainable design at Maison & Object trade fair in Paris – France. The products are made of natural material in combination with indigenous techniques of ethnic groups, especially Zeng brocade of Ta Oi people in A Luoi – Hue

On August 21st 2019, VIRI organized a test tour and workshop to promote the tour at Bau Truc pottery village in oder to evaluate and learn from experience in how to organize tours, ways to welcome and promote connecting tours with travel agencies

VIRI join Vietnam Festa in Kanagawa 2019 Event: Vietnam Festa in Kanagawa 2019 Date: 7th and 8th September 2019 Venue: Kanagawa prefectural government’s office Official web: http://www.vietnamfesta2019.jp/ VIRI booth will be shown at NGO area. Products developed by VIRI will be introduced and sold with support of JV STYLE, including Fin Ho shan tea, Eatu coffee, ban Diem basket, Sapa brocade products, cat cat village essential oils etc.

In the coming time, three workshops connecting raw material suppliers with manufacturers in Chuong My, Gia Lam and Thach That districts with the participation of suppliers of raw materials , units involved in local traditional handicraft production and beneficiary households of the project “Technical Support for Enhancing the National Capacity to Prevent and Reduce Child Labour in Viet Nam. This is a good chance to enhancing awareness of child labor and improve livelihoods as well as increase job opportunities.

Within the framework of Developing community tourism based on heritage at Bau Truc Village, Phuoc Dan Town, Ninh Phuoc District, Ninh Thuan Province Project sponsored by British Council, a trial tour will be conducted in Bau Truc pottery village with the aim to evaluate and learn from practice how to organize the tour, how to greet visitors, how to manage environmental impacts at destination sites, etc. This is a preparation step to officially start the tour for the coming period. The trial tour will be conducted in the 29th of June, 2019 with the participation from representatives of Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism from Ninh Thuan Province, Center for Information and Tourism Promotion, Ninh Phuoc District DPC, Phuoc Dan Town DPC, etc.

Fair Trade Festival Sapporo 2019 (Fairtrade Festa in Sapporo 2019) will take place on 29th and 30th June, 2019 at 10 Odori Park, Sapporo City, Japan VIRICO’s products will be sold at the booth of JV Style. Sapporo City, Hokkaido Prefecture, has been certified as “Fairtrade Town” since 1st June, 2019. Event web page http://fairfes.sub.jp/ Event facebook page https://www.facebook.com/fairfestosapporo

In order to better support for cooperative groups and cooperatives that were benificiaries of VIRI’ projects, in January, the VIRI representative – Mr. Yamada Kuniharu will coordinate with Japanese expert – Ms. Hiromi Ushijima to visit and work with Cooperatives in Dak Lak, Ha Giang and Bac Giang. This visit to get more material, thereby promoting the market promotion activities for the products of the cooperative.

The Oita OVOP International Exchange Promotion Committee, Vietnam Handicraft Exporters Association (Vietcraft) and Vietnam Rural Industries Research and Development Institute (VIRI) are going to sign a Cooperation Agreement in order to promote OVOP activities in Vietnam and international countries. This agreement has valid from January 01, 2019 – December 31, 2024

VIRI assigns Mr. Kuniharu Yamada, a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer, who is currently supporting VIRI, to a business trip to Japan. As described in the action plan of 2018 as of February 2018, VIRI is establishing OVOP (One Village One Product) models in Vietnam and also establishing IOVOP (International OVOP) network with Vietcraft, collaborating with Oita OVOP. Mr. Yamada will conduct several activities related to OVOP and IOVOP