HCMC – The first-ever Vietnam Space Week started on June 5 in Vi Thanh City, Hau Giang Province, with young people having the opportunity to hear stories of astronauts working and living in space.
“The event is an opportunity for students in Hau Giang Province and the Mekong Delta as a whole to learn about the dedication of astronauts to science,” Lam Nguyen Hai Long, chairman of the HCMC Computer Association, said at the opening ceremony.
At the event, Michael A. Baker, a former NASA astronaut, had a talk with students in Hau Giang and elsewhere in the Mekong Delta about the process of launching rockets into space, scientific research and other activities.
Dong Van Thanh, chairman of Hau Giang Province, said the Vietnam Space Week will foster a passion for scientific research and exploration of the world among young people and raise awareness about environmental protection, risks of collisions with other planets, and the possibilities of extraterrestrial life and beings from outer space.
He also sought support from NASA to develop a STEM/STEAM Robotics education center, smart classrooms, and a training system for teachers that combines direct and online methods to develop students’ capabilities in STEM education.
The Vietnam Space Week is jointly organized by the People’s Committees of Hau Giang Province, Binh Dinh Province, Thu Duc City, and the HCMC Computer Association, in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The Saigon Times Foundation, AmCham Vietnam, Innovation Services Center (ISC), and VNFocus support the organization of the event.
After taking place in Hau Giang Province, the Vietnam Space Week will be held in Thu Duc City on June 7, and in Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province on June 8 and 9.
