Location

The workshop will be held at the International University, Ho Chi Ming City (Vietnam). International University (IU) is one of six member universities of Vietnam National University HCMC. It was established in December 2003. As an interdisciplinary university, it is the first public university in Vietnam that uses English as the primary language in teaching and researching.

More information about the International University, Ho Chi Ming City is available here.

The city: Ho Chi Minh City (formely Saigon)

In the core of the Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City (formely Saigon) - the "Paris of the East" - is the economical and financial capital of Vietnam. It is the largest city (population over 7 million) and the previous capital of the republic of Vietnam. It is also one of the most beautiful and glamorously developing towns of Vietnam. The city with its bustling street markets, cafes, shops, pagodas and museums offers a microcosmic view of the entire nation.

Getting the city:

If you arrive from abroad, your usual arrival point is the Tan Son Nhat international airport, located 7 km away from the heart of the city is the main gateway for flights arriving from the rest of the world.



Places to Visit:

Ho Chi Minh City's stunning displays of French colonial architecture and exquisitely carved and paneled traditional pagodas is what it is known for. Today, Ho Chi Minh City is the big tourism center in Vietnam, attracting a large of visitors to the country. Ho Chi Minh City has various attractions as Ho Chi Minh Museum, formerly known as Dragon House Wharf, Cu Chi Tunnels, a lot of museums, theatres, cultural houses... Recently, many tourist areas are invested such as Thanh Da, Binh Quoi Village, Dam Sen Park, Saigon Water Park, Suoi Tien, Ky Hoa..., which draw numerous tourists.

In short, Ho Chi Minh City has a lot of interesting historical and war museums which all tourists to this city should definitely visit. They include:
 

• The Historical Museum: Located inside the renowned botanical garden of the city, this museum has a rich collection of data and objects belonging to some ancient civilizations in the Mekong Delta namely Oc Eo (Funan). The Botanical garden remains open to the visitors daily. The live puppet show held in the museum complex is a major source enjoyment to the tourists visiting the Historical Museum

• War Museum: The weapons and information on the recent wars of Vietnam are kept in this museum. The museum displays the war crimes, which affected the Vietnamese. The models preserved in the museum can give you an idea of the most dreadful prisons and the most deadly weapons used by foreign forces in Vietnam. It also features a guillotine used during wartime.

• Notre Dame Cathedral: The famous church, which was constructed during 1877 and 1833 by the French, serves as the nation's Catholic center. The history of the church says that the materials used in its construction were imported from France. The Archbishop of the Ho Chi Minh City is posted here. Catholic followers of the city attend the services offered in the morning and in the afternoon. The New Year and Christmas celebrations of the Notre Dame Cathedral draw a huge crowd.
  

• Giac Lam Pagoda: Erected long back in 1744 with the fund raised by Ly Thuy Long, a native of Minh Huong village, this is the city's oldest Buddhist pagoda. The interior of this famous pagoda is adorned with a rich collection of statues of old Buddha and Arhat. Ancient furnishings and decorations inside this pagoda are enough to charm the visitors.

• Reunification Palace: Once residence of the Governor Generals of Indochina, the Reunification Palace, in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, has a spacious complex with 100 rooms and total area exceeding 2,000 square meter. Its finest decorations and the rich collection of contemporary Vietnamese art and craft, make it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city.

• Thien Hau Temple: According to the Chinese folk, this site is devoted to the Sea goddess bas. Other gods like Money God, Mother Goddess and Mermaid are also worshipped in this ancient Chinese temple. To offer prayer for good health and business you have to buy an incense coil. It is a common belief that offering money to the Money God brings good luck in business.

• China Town - Cho Lon: It is a densely populated town with almost 5 million Chinese. The Chinese, uprooted from the Ming Dynasty, established the China town in the 18th century. Filled with markets, restaurants, pagodas, shops and family factories, it is one of the most crowded places in the Ho Chi Minh City.

       

As most of the tourist attractions in the city are centrally located the best way to get the essence of this vibrant city is to walk or ride around in a cycle.
Alternatively you can opt for the sightseeing tours in Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City. Different travel agencies offer a variety of tour packages for trips in and around the Saigon Ho Chi Minh City.


Climate

The climate is generally hot and humid. There are two distinctive seasons: the rainy season, from May to November, and the dry season, from December to April. The annual average temperature is 270C. The hottest month is April and the lowest is December. It is warm all year.


History

Many centuries ago, Saigon was already a busy commercial center. Merchants from China, Japan and many European countries would sail upstream the Saigon River to reach the islet of Pho, a trading center. In the year of 1874, Cho Lon merged with Saigon, forming the largest city in the Indochina. It had been many times celebrated as the Pearl of the Far East. After the reunification of the country, the 6th National Assembly in its meeting of the 2nd of July, 1976, has officially rebaptized Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City. The history of city relates closely with the struggle for the independence and freedom of Vietnam.

Accommodation

Information about the accommodation will appear soon.

Conference venue

Information about the conference venue will be made available later on.