Implementing the Decision No. 930/QD-TTg dated July 28, 2018, of the Prime Minister approving the Project on propagating the protection of sovereignty and sustainable development of Vietnam’s seas and islands in the 2018-2020 period, the Ministry of Transport Information and Communication issued Decision No. 211/QD-BTTTT dated February 14, 2020, of the Minister of Information and Communications on the promulgation of the Plan for the implementation of propaganda tasks to protect the sovereignty and sustainable development of Vietnam’s seas and islands in 2020. Accordingly, the Ministry of Information and Communications cooperated with Dalat University to organise an exhibition of maps and documents called “Hoang Sa and Truong Sa of Vietnam – Historical and legal evidence” from November 16 to November 18, 2020, at Dalat University Central Library.

On the morning of November 16, the opening ceremony of the “Hoang Sa and Truong Sa of Vietnam – Historical and legal evidence” Exhibition was held with the participation of Ms. Tran Thi Quoc Hien – Deputy Director of the Authority of Grassroots Information, Ministry of Information and Communications; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Chu Hoi – Senior Lecturer at Hanoi National University, Vice President of Vietnam Fisheries Society, Former Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Administration of Sea and Islands; On the side of Lam Dong province, there was the attendance of Mr. Huynh Minh Hai – Deputy Director of Lam Dong Department of Information and Communications; On the side of Dalat University, there were the attendance of Dr. Mai Minh Nhat – Vice President of Dalat University, Mr. Pham Hong Hai – Deputy Secretary of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Dalat University, together with officials, lecturers and students working, teaching and studying at Dalat University.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ms. Tran Thi Quoc Hien – Deputy Director of the Authority of Grassroots Information, Ministry of Information and Communications affirmed the importance of Vietnam’s seas and islands in the process of building and defending the country. Vietnam is a coastal country with a coastline of more than 3,260 km, with thousands of large and small islands and two archipelagos of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa. These two archipelagos are an integral part of Vietnam’s territory. The Vietnamese government has established and exercised its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes for hundreds of years continuously and peacefully, with legal and historical evidence, in accordance with international law. Therefore, protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands is the responsibility and sacred obligation of every Vietnamese citizen. The Deputy Director also emphasised the importance of educating and propagating knowledge about the sea and islands, contributing to raising awareness, responsibility, and actions of staff, lecturers, and students towards the national construction and defense.

Representative of Dalat University, Dr. Mai Minh Nhat – Vice President thanked the Ministry of Information and Communications, Department of Information and Communications of Lam Dong province for trusting and choosing Dalat University as the venue for the exhibition, creating favorable opportunities for staff and students of the University to have access to rich, valuable, and vivid sources of material on the country’s sacred sea and island sovereignty. At the same time, he expressed appreciation for the efforts of the functional departments, the HCM Communist Youth Union – Vietnam National Union of Students of Dalat University who had carefully prepared for the exhibition. The Vice President also hoped that functional departments and organisations of the University would continue to provide extensive information about the exhibition so that staff, lecturers, and students could know and come to visit and study documents at the Exhibition, contributing to spreading the spirit, meaning, and value of the exhibition to the University and the society. He also requested the HCM Communist Youth Union and Dalat University Central Library to organise reception, preservation, and display of the materials handed over from the Ministry of Information and Communications after the exhibition. Besides, Dr. Mai Minh Nhat hopes that the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Department of Information and Communications of Lam Dong province, will continue to coordinate with Dalat University in the coming time to have more meaningful information and propaganda, actively fulfill the mission of educating high-quality human resources with full capacity, intelligence, morality, political qualities, and civic engagement, making practical contributions to the construction and defense of the country.

The “Hoang Sa and Truong Sa of Vietnam – Historical and legal evidence” Exhibition at Dalat University displayed documents, maps, images, and artifacts in the traditional method combined with the display method based on 3D virtual reality technology by digitising several documents of high legal value. In addition, the visitors also experienced the application of information technology on tablets with applications such as: Taking pictures of “Truong Sa moments”, a 3D digital model, an interactive game called “Truong Sa Journey”, and a 3D ship model to enhance the visualisation, vividness, and attractiveness of the Exhibition, thereby improving the propaganda effectiveness of Vietnam’s sovereignty over sea and islands. The exhibition provides information, historical evidence, and theories on Vietnam’s sovereignty over the sea and islands, affirms Vietnam’s righteous stance as well as introduces the image of the country and Vietnamese people, at the same time propagating Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos. Thereby, raising the solidarity and sense of responsibility of the people, especially the staff, lecturers, and students in the work of protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the country.

The “Hoang Sa and Truong Sa of Vietnam – Historical and legal evidence” Exhibition will be held from  November 16 to November 18  at Dalat University Central Library. All staff, lecturers, and students of the University are cordially invited to visit and learn about Vietnam’s seas and islands.