Workshop on Improving Computer Usage and Internet Access in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh

(Baonghean.vn) -On the morning of April 25, in Cua Lo town (Nghe An), the Management Board of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Project (Project to improve computer usage and public internet access in Vietnam) held a kick-off workshop for Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh regions.

Attending the workshop were: Mr. Phan Huu Phong - Director of the Project Management Board; Ms. Palecheco - Global Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Representatives of leaders of ministries, departments and central agencies; Representatives of leaders of provincial People's Committees, Departments of Information and Communications, Enterprises, Posts and Telecommunications, Libraries of the 3 provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh. On the side of Nghe An province, there were Mr. Huynh Thanh Dien - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Ho Quang Thanh - Director of the Department of Information and Communications.

It is known that the project "Improving computer usage and public internet access" in Vietnam is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and was signed by the Prime Minister on July 12, 2011, assigned to the Ministry of Information and Communications to be the project owner, in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the People's Committees of 40 localities benefiting from this program to jointly implement it.

The project aims to contribute to improving service capacity and information updating methods via computers and the internet for public libraries and commune cultural post offices (CPOs) with a new vision. Focusing on supporting the poor, living in particularly difficult areas to have access to information technology. Thereby improving personal life while contributing to economic development for families, communities and society.

The workshop included 3 thematic sessions with the following contents: New roles and tasks of public libraries and communal cultural post offices; Dreams of a local public library/public cultural post office; Joint efforts to meet people's needs. The topics were presented by speakers from the Library Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam Post Corporation; global library staff - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Project Management Board.

Phan Thi Quynh