Welcome banner for the High Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy 2017 Forum, located at the corner of Le Loi and Hanoi streets. The conference takes place from September 26 to 29. Photo: Phan Thanh

The conference will be held at the Indochine Palace Hotel (105A Hung Vuong, Hue), with the participation of about 800 delegates representing leaders of 21 member economies, leading international businesses, news agencies, domestic as well as foreign press. This is an important event, expected to raise the image of Hue’s culture and people; creating opportunities for local businesses to advertise their brands and establish connections with international businesses; attending international events, forums, and gaining experiences from business partners ... Preparations for the conference is ready one week before the official conference. Routes from central Hue to its districts, towns, especially Huong Thuy, Phu Loc were renovated, upgraded, and repaired to create a more beautiful civilized urban landscape. Phu Bai International Airport has been expanded to accommodate VIPs; convenient parking places were chosen; and transporting services are upgraded.

Before, Thua Thien Hue had held many meetings, directed related departments and units to develop a plan for good preparation and coordination of the conference, such as maintaining the communication system; confirming the provision of electricity, water and having backup plan in the form of electricity generator and storage at the conference venue and accommodations for delegates, international friends such as the Imperial Hotel, La Residence, Saigon Morin, Duy Tan….

Regarding reception and logistics services, Thua Thien Hue has cooperated with subcommittees of the APEC 2017 National Committee to survey, select and propose plans to provide safe accommodation for delegates, businesses, international friends attending the conference; building reception, logistics plans and scripts, welcoming delegates, and seeing them off from the airport area and the location that the conference will take place.

The souvenirs for the delegates are prepared with products bearing the characteristics of Hue such as sesame candy, Hue royal tea, Truc chi paintings... The Provincial People’s Committee directed the Department of Foreign Affairs to select 30 experienced, professional liaisons to accompany the delegates and 50 young volunteers that are working in departments, offices and students of Hue University who are enthusiastic, active and have good foreign language skills to train them with professional skills in reception and foreign affairs to help out at the conference.

In terms of security and health, Thua Thien Hue has actively coordinated the recruitment teams and organized training exercises to ensure absolute safety before, during and after the conference; built good plans to ensure security and traffic safety from the city center to the National Highway 1A through Huong Thuy Town, Phu Loc District; installed a security surveillance camera system at destinations where the delegates are scheduled to visit, such as Hue Citadel, the tombs, the Hue cultural relic sites. Further security is also fortified for the evening of September 27 at the Hue Cultural Museum - where cultural exchanges, complementing with Hue cuisine will take place and the evening of September 28 at Hue Citadel – where there will be an art show honoring the beauty of the culture and human of Hue with the participation of delegates and international friends.

The "High Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy 2017 Forum" organized by the province is a part of the APEC 2017 series of events, a golden opportunity for Thua Thien Hue to introduce and promote its achievements of economic and social development as well as being a tourist destination for international friends. The events of APEC 2017 held in Thua Thien Hue will help the delegates with an opportunity to experience the beauty of the country, the human culture of Vietnam in general and Hue's hospitality in particular. Through these events, local enterprises will have the opportunities to exchange and creating links, relationships for investments in economic, trade and tourist development.

The aim of the "High Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy 2017 Forum" in Thua Thien Hue is to review and evaluate the efforts in implementing gender mainstream and empowering women's economic position in various areas of APEC by the public and private sector representatives of 21 economies, and discuss the passing of the Ministerial Declaration and the Guidelines for Gender Mainstreaming in APEC to be later submitted to the APEC Leaders Meeting.

Story: Minh Van