I came to Hanoi for work. During my three years living here, my job took me to more than 140 Vietnamese households. At almost every home, the hosts invited me to stay for a meal after work. When my previous job came to an end and I had to choose between returning to Japan and continuing to live in Viet Nam, I chose to stay.

Farmers from groups and cooperatives in Ca Mau, An Giang, Can Tho and other localities are learning to promote their products on social media by introducing their local rice, dried fish and other specialties directly in front of a phone camera. Their first livestreaming sessions have helped build confidence, but there is still much for them to learn and organise to sustain the activity once they return to their local communities.

Culture has the power to connect people directly, transcending differences in language and geographical distance. Speaking to a reporter from Viet Nam Times Magazine at a press conference for Italian Film Week on October 19, Italian Ambassador to Viet Nam Marco Della Seta shared his views on the role of culture, education and younger generations in people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. He also revealed that the Embassy is promoting the establishment of an Italian Cultural Centre in Hanoi.

Livelihood loans enable people affected by Agent Orange to engage in farming and animal husbandry, while scholarships and suitable working environments help others pursue their chosen professions. With jobs and incomes, they are also better able to manage their lives independently and provide for their families.