A public rally in response to the National Sea and Islands Week 2014 and the World’s Oceans Day (8 June) took place at Da Nang’s Eastern Sea Park on Saturday.  Organised by the municipal People’s Committee, the event involved over 2,000 representatives from local agencies and associations, the city-based armed forces, and local residents.

The national week-long programme, which has “Together We Protect the Blue Ocean” as its theme, has particular national and international significance this year as it is promoting Viet Nam’s unceasing righteous struggle for its legitimate sovereignty over its sea and islands.  In addition, it is strengthening the ardent patriotism of the Vietnamese people, as well as raising public awareness of the protection of the country’s sovereignty over sea and islands.  This will make Viet Nam become a country of “wealth and strength from the sea” as soon as possible.

At the rally, participants gave donations for Vietnamese fishermen, the Marine Police, and the Fisheries Surveillance forces.

Within the framework of the programme, there will be conferences to publicise Viet Nam’s Law on the Sea and its legitimate sovereignty, along with advising local fishermen about the effective protection and exploitation of marine resources.  A seminar will be held entitled “Sustainable Environmental Protection Creates a Firm Foundation for the Development of Viet Nam’s Maritime Economy”.

During Saturday and Sunday, thousands of local residents from some of the local districts, along with representatives from the city-based armed forces and local associations, pulled up weeds on the pavements of streets along the Nguyen Tat Thanh beach.  In addition, they cleaned up some local beaches including Pham Van Dong, My Khe and Non Nuoc.  In an active response to the city’s “Green, Clean and Beautiful Sundays” movement, a focus was on removing illegal advertisements on electricity and traffic signal poles, and stopping the illegal distribution of flyers at local intersections.