On 24-30August 2018, the 84^th World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) was hold at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia. The theme “Transform Libraries, Transform Societies” with the additional tagline “Reaching out to the hard to reach” was selected in recognition of the critical role played by libraries in the development of a nation particularly in their ability to transform societies.The congress attracted over 3,500 delegates from 112 countries, with over 250 scientific presentations, seminars, open sessions, more than 600 speakers and 120 posters sharing views about library development trends and experiences in operating library activities, such as: building library development policies and policy orientation of each country, challenges in library activities, public libraries, digital libraries, preservation of materials, library facilities and buildings, user services, legal deposit and copyrightissues, organization and usage of library software, digital libraries, library standards, trends in development of library technology, new technologies for libraries… In addition, IFLA also live streamed highlights of the WLIC to a worldwide audience, without charge (over 17 hours and 9 sessions). The results were more than 100,000 people around the world, in over 70 countries of all continents followed the live-stream through IFLA’s WLIC website, YouTube and Facebook.

To be recommended by the IFLA Governing Board; with support of the leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Viet Nam, in the morning of May 24th 2018, the National Library of Viet Nam in collaboration with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) opened the “IFLA Global Vision Workshop for Asia and Oceania”. The Global Vision Project is a major project of IFLA, which was initiated and started in April 2017 through seminars and high level conferences in different areasand anumber of meetings and online topic discussions, involving librarians from 213 countries and regions around the world, including Viet Nam. The aims of the projects are strengthening relations in the field of library, identifyingfuture challenges, opportunities and priority activities which the library environment can respond to rapid changes in society; thereby build concrete action planstoturnglobal visioninto reality. This is an opportunity for regional delegates tomeet anddiscuss to build a common visiontogetherand concrete action plans to turnthe vision of the future libraryinto reality.

From May 2-5, 2018, the 17th Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians (CONSAL XVII), hosted by the National Library of Myanmar in cooperation with the Myanmar Library Association, was held in Naypyitaw, Myanmar with the theme "Next Generation Libraries: Collaborate and Connect". Heldevery three years, CONSAL is the largest and most prestigious scientific forum in Southeast Asia in the field of Information – Library, where member countries have the opportunity to learn, grasp the new trend of development, research, exchange and share experience, participate in joint projects and explore opportunities for collaboration with other libraries in the region and the world. Attending the CONSAL XVII Congress were more than 650 delegates and observers, including about 200 international delegates from 26 countries in the world, with 40 delegates from Viet Nam. At the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Congress, keynote speeches of the State Counsellor of Myanmar, Vice President of Myanmar...

From May3-4, 2018, the annual meeting of the General Assembly ofFrancophone Digital Network took place in Tunis, the capital city of Tunisie, with the participation of 23 delegates representing 19 libraries and national archives of the Francophone countries. This is the first annual meeting since RFN changed its organizational form and operating structure. In June 2017, RFN officially became an international association, and officially known as the Francophone Digital Network – a non profit international organization (RFN-AISBL), which is based in the Royal Libraryof Belgium, with a regular operating budget from the fixed annual membership fee of all members. The meeting focused on issues related to the structure, organization of RFN-AISBL and further affirmed the role of the Association in preserving and promoting the French literary heritage through encouragement and support digitization projects in member countries. These digitized results have contributed to the RFF Digital Library (BRFN), which is based on the Gallica White Label technology. Through BRFN, the Association has provided 247 million French readers with accessibilityto 442 documents on Europe, 438 documents on Africa....

In the morning of April 23, 2018, the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV) held the training course on application of cataloging rules "Resource Description and Access" - Vietnamese edition (Training of Trainers - ToT) lecturing by Dr. Daniel G. Dorner - Senior Lecturer, Victoria University of Wellington - New Zealand, Advisor for Information Management Programs, from 23 - 28 April, 2018. Attending the opening ceremony of the training course were Dr. Vu Duong Thuy Nga - Director of Library Department; Ass.Pof. Le Anh Tuan - Deputy Director of Training Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; MA. Kieu Thuy Nga – the NLV’s Director, together with the deputy directors, heads and deputy heads of the library’s divisions and participants from the NLV, libraries and information training institutions and major libraries throughout the country.

Welcoming the Viet Nam’s Book Day April 21^st, the World Book and Copyright Day April 23^rd, with the approval of the Leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST), in the morning of April 19^th, 2018, the National Library of Vietnam (NLV) together with the central agencies, committees, ministries, libraries, schools, international organizations, enterprises... opened the Book Festival Day 2018 with the theme "Books - Knowledge creates thefuture". Attending the festival were Mr. Pham Quang Nghi - former Politburo Member, former Party Secretary of Hanoi; Mr. Le Doan Hop - Former Member of the Party Central Committee, former Minister of Information and Communications; Mr. Truong Minh Tuan - Member of the Central Party Committee, Minister of Information and Communications; Mr. Vo Van Phuong - Member of the Party Central Committee...

To carry out the duty assigned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV) on implementing projects of developing National Standards, in the morning of April 17, 2018, the NLV held a meeting to carry out the project on developing the National Standard “Information and Documentation: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in libraries”. The project is developed on the basis of accepting "ISO 28560:2014 Information and Documentation - RFID in libraries". The standard consists of three parts, defining a standard data model and encoding rules for the use of radio frequency identification tags (RFID) for the documents that meet the needs of all library types including: national library, public libraries, academic libraries, special libraries and school libraries. Part 1 provides data elements and general guidelines for implementation. Part 2 and Part 3 describe the process of encoding and selecting frequencies, interfaces between RFID readers and library systems (or other applications) that are handled by SIP-2 and NCIP.

In the afternoon of March 20, 2018, Ambassador of the Republic of Peru to Viet Nam, Augusto Morelli had a working visi at the National Library of Vietnam. Ms. Kieu Thuy Nga, Director of the National Library of Viet Nam welcomed the delegation. At the meeting, Ambassador Morelli congratulated the National Library of Viet Nam on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of establishing in November 2017 and expressed Peru is interested in exchanging information, digitizing documentation, preservation and conservation of the rare collections at the Library. Besides, it is expected that the National Library of the two countries will have opportunities to meet, explore and develop specific cooperation programs in the futture. To express the pleasure to welcome Ambassador Augusto Morelli as the new Ambassador to Viet Nam, Ms. Kieu Thuy Nga thanked the Ambassador's goodwill for promoting cultural cooperation in library and stated...

On March 19, 2018, the Hungarian Embassy in Viet Nam co-operated with the National Library of Viet Nam to organize a poster exhibition on the life and career of the Hungarian composer Kodály Zoltán with the name: "Let the world rejoice". Attending the Opening Ceremony there were Ms. Nguyen Phuong Hoa - Deputy Director of International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr. Karolyi Marton - Deputy Head of Mission of Hungarian Embassy to Viet Nam; Ambassadors, Heads of diplomatic missions, representatives of embassies and international organizations in Ha Noi, the public and readers of the National Library of Viet Nam. Hungary and Vietnam have been sharing 68 years of friendship and cooperation. The people of the two countries always express sincere feelings, solidarity, admiration and support to each other. Exhibition "Let the world rejoice" introduces the life and career of Hungarian composer Kodály Zoltán, He was a great son of Hungary who made his remarkable piece to the great foundation of Hungarian music, and a teacher who is admired by music lovers and learners in Viet Nam and in the world for bringing the Kodaly method to music training and education. The Kodaly method was recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

In the morning of March 14, 2018, at the National Library of Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dung - Deputy Director and several Heads of NLV’s Departments have welcomed Mr. Andrey V. Zaytsev, Deputy Head of Technology, Presidential Library of the Russian Federation and Ms. Natalia Valerievna Shafinskaia, Director of the Center for Science and Culture of Russia in Ha Noi to the National Library of Viet Nam. The Presidential Library of the Russian Federation is a digital library and is now prioritizing the development of international cooperation related to collections of Russian materials, about Russia and relations between Russia and partner countries. At the meeting, Mr. Andrey V. Zaytsev emphasized the possibility of exchanging digital materials in this field with the National Library of Viet Nam and was pleased to announce that his library has just created a new digital collection about Russian-Vietnamese Relations in Russian. He wished this valuable collection can be introduced to the large public through the National Library of Viet Nam. Ms.Natalia Valerievna Shafinskaia