A slogan contest for the “Traffic Safety in Viet Nam with Doraemon” 2018-2019 programme was launched in Ha Noi on 6 September by the Ministry of Public Security’s Traffic Police Department, in collaboration with the ministry’s Department of Foreign Relations and Japan’s Mainichi Shimbum newspaper.

The event, organised for the third consecutive year, is part of activities to celebrate the 45^th anniversary of Viet Nam-Japan diplomatic relations.

According to Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Department Le Xuan Duc, the contest, this year themed “Wearing Helmets”, aims to raise public self-discipline in wearing head protection while driving motorbikes and electric bikes.

The contest is open for both Vietnamese and foreigners living in Viet Nam. Entries should be no longer than 20 words, and serve the theme of “Wearing helmets while on motorbikes and electric bikes” for participants from 6 to 10 years old, and “Wearing helmets for yourselves and others” for those from 11 years old.

Contestants should submit their entries by post to the programme’s communication office at Tung Sing Tower, 2 Ngo Nguyen Street, Hanoi, or the programme’s websites of www.antoangiaothong.com.vn and www.csgt.vn.

Awards will be given to the top 20 slogans, with the best used as the road safety slogan of the year and will appear on posters hung at primary schools nationwide during the 2018-2019 academic year.

Doraemon, the fictional robot cat, is a famous Japanese animation character popular among children in Asia and around the world. It has served as a symbol of traffic safety for decades in Japan.

Last year, the “Traffic Safety in Viet Nam with Doraemon” programme was carried out with 26 extra-curricular courses, Duc said, adding that 30,000 road safety handbooks and badges were given to primary students in 13 localities nationwide.

Japan first launched a traffic safety programme featuring Doraemon 30 years ago when road safety in the nation was a much bigger issue, with some 15,000 people killed by traffic accidents each year.

The country has since flourished into an exemplary model with one of the safest traffic networks in the world, as well as a general public understanding of road safety. The number of traffic-related deaths in the Japan has shrunk to around 4,000 per year.

The same day, a Kizuna Ekiden running event held for the cause of traffic safety was launched.

According to Major General Vu Ngoc Lan, Deputy Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, some 1,600 Vietnamese and Japanese people are expected join the event, which will take place at 7.00am on November 18.

Ekiden was born in Japan 100 years ago. A sash called Tasuki is handed over from runner to runner to complete the race, thus it is billed as a symbol of unity and friendship, or “kizuna” in Japanese.

The running tournament aims to bolster the friendship and increase exchanges between Vietnam and Japan.

Registration for the running event opened from 3.00pm on 6 September, at https://racejungle.com and http://www.facebook.com/racejungle

Fujita Hironobu, Director of the international project division at Mainichi Shimbum, said that the running event will help promote the winning slogan of the “Traffic Safety in Viet Nam with Doraemon” programme.

(Source: VNA/ DA NANG Today)