Day: April 27, 2022

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Ryerson University changing its name to Toronto Metropolitan University

Renaming is one of 22 recommendations put forward by Standing Strong Task Force to help the university address the legacy of Egerton Ryerson

TORONTO, April 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Earlier today, Ryerson University’s Board of Governors unanimously approved a motion to rename our institution “Toronto Metropolitan University” effective immediately. This change marks the start of a new chapter for the university, as it moves forward with a name that better reflects its values and aspirations.

“I cannot think of a better name than Toronto Metropolitan University,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Mohamed Lachemi. “Metropolitan is a reflection of who we have always been – an urban institution dedicated to excellence, innovation, and inclusion and who we aim to be – a place where all feel welcome, seen, represented and celebrated.”

Located in the heart of Canada’s biggest and most diverse city, Toronto Metropolitan University represents all that it is to be metropolitan. The university is a gathering place for people from all over the world, from all walks of life, with broad and diverse perspectives, lived experiences and ambitions. Metropolitan also defines the university’s aspirations to expand its reputation and reach, as exemplified by its new Lincoln Alexander School of Law, its first international campus in Cairo, Egypt and its plans for a future School of Medicine in Brampton.

The new name is the culmination of work carried out over several years. Following the Board of Governors accepting all 22 recommendations put forward by the Standing Strong (Mash Koh Wee Kah Pooh Win) Task Force, the university established a framework for the renaming process which included the formation of the University Renaming Advisory Committee (URAC).

“It was an honour to chair the University Renaming Advisory Committee, along with Vice-Chair Tanya De Mello. I am very pleased by the strong support of the Board of Governors and excited to have played a part in the adoption of our name which allows for a new beginning,” said Jennifer S. Simpson, Provost and Vice-President, Academic and Chair of URAC. “Through our community engagement we learned that there was a strong desire – across all groups of students, faculty, staff and alumni – for the new name to reference our place or location. Toronto Metropolitan University reflects the feedback we heard and is in line with our values and our accomplishments that define who we are as an institution.”

URAC oversaw extensive community consultations that generated responses from over 30,000 people and went on to review over 2,600 potential names. The committee produced a shortlist of names that were subject to several practical parameters including: ensuring alignment with our values, being intentionally inclusive with our diverse community, undertaking linguistic checks and trademark searches, and digital considerations.

Truth and Reconciliation is a key priority for the university, the renaming is an important and highly visible measure in the university’s path toward reconciliation, and it is just one more step in the journey. The University remains committed to supporting the ongoing work of the Truth and Reconciliation Working Group and implementing all of the remaining Standing Strong Task Force recommendations.

“This is a very important moment in our university’s history as we move forward with a name that better reflects our values and can take us into the future,” said President Lachemi. “As a university, our values have long defined who we are and they will always guide where we are going. They are the basis upon which we have built our uniquely vibrant, diverse and intentionally inclusive culture. Our new name builds upon these values and, along with our 73 years of excellence and achievement, it is intended to be a name that unifies all of us – a place where all of our community members belong.”

While the university is changing its name to better reflect its values and aspirations, the university’s mission, vision and visual identity will remain in place to maintain continuity, recognizability and ease the transition to a new name.

Further information, including more background on the renaming process and ongoing updates on the action plan to implement all Standing Strong Task Force recommendations, can always be found on the Next Chapter Website.

About Toronto Metropolitan University*:
Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly known as Ryerson University, is Canada’s leader in innovative, career-oriented education. Urban, culturally diverse and inclusive, the University is home to more than 46,000 students, including 2,900 Master’s and PhD students, 4,000 faculty and staff, and 225,000 alumni worldwide. For more information, visit ryerson.ca.

*In April 2022, the university renamed and began a new chapter

Media inquiries
Jessica Leach
416-704-2166
jleach@ryerson.ca

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Castle Hall Appoints Matthias Knab, Founder of Opalesque, as Senior Advisor

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Castle Hall Logo

MONTREAL, April 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Castle Hall, the Due Diligence Company, is proud to announce the appointment of Matthias Knab, the founder of Opalesque, as Senior Advisor to the firm. Matthias will help guide the expansion of Castle Hall’s DiligenceExchange platform, working with both investors and asset managers. DiligenceExchange (“DXC”) offers an industry-standard approach to the collection of verified due diligence data which, in turn, powers Castle Hall’s innovative DiligenceExchange benchmarks.

“I’m extremely excited to join the Castle Hall team and contribute to the growth of DiligenceExchange,” said Knab. “DXC helps the industry in two ways. First, data gathering has become a true bottleneck, as asset managers respond to numerous data requests asking overlapping questions in slightly different formats. DXC standardizes data sets, which are then subject to Castle Hall’s independent ‘trust but verify’ checks to protect against fraud.

“Second, standardization of data allows Castle Hall to calculate DiligenceExchange benchmarks, delivering long-overdue transparency to the industry. The due diligence process is much more efficient when it is supported by evidenced data around, for example, how frequently do asset managers form a valuation committee, appoint independent members to a fund board, or how often investors will see asset managers employing multiple family members”.

“Matthias is one of the alternative investment industry’s most well-known and respected professionals,” said Chris Addy, Castle Hall’s CEO. “We are delighted to have his advice available to Castle Hall as we continue to expand DiligenceExchange, the heart of our fintech solution to due diligence.”

About Castle Hall

Castle Hall Diligence helps investors worldwide manage the operational, ESG, cyber and investment risks of asset managers. Castle Hall’s core competitive advantage is DiligenceHub, the firm’s proprietary online diligence application, which has helped clients review diligence across several thousand fund entities. More information is available at www.castlehalldiligence.com.

About Opalesque

Founded in 2003, Opalesque is the world’s first digital newsletter focusing on hedge funds and alternative investments. With a team of researchers and contributors, Opalesque to date has researched over 3,000 funds and delivered more than 400,000 articles as the leading news and research portal for alternative investments.  Matthias is also the publisher of Horizons: Family Office & Investor Magazine, the world’s largest quality family office & investor magazine and producer of Opalesque.TV, the first dedicated video channel on alternative investments with over 2 million views.

Contact:

Emily Boone (x431)

Stephen McKinlay (x501)

+1 450 465 8880

solutions@castlehalldiligence.com

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Vietnam deploys more personnel to UN peacekeeping missions

Vietnam’s Engineering Unit Rotation 1 and Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 4 departed for the UN peacekeeping missions in Abyei and South Sudan on April 27.

This is the first time Vietnam has deployed an engineering unit to a UN peacekeeping mission, and it is also the Vietnamese unit with the largest number of personnel joining UN peacekeeping operations so far.

Talking to Vietnam News Agency, Major General Hoang Kim Phung, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, said taking part in UN peacekeeping operations is a major policy of the Politburo and the Party Central Committee so as to promote the country’s integration into the world at a higher level.

It is an honour of the Vietnam People’s Army to be the first force to send personnel to this international mission. Over the last eight years, its officers have proved themselves completely capable of fulfilling tasks at the request of the UN, and they have received very high evaluation from UN leaders.

He noted they have also been highly valued and admired by international friends as well as people in the host countries thanks to their successful implementation of many activities, especially the mass mobilisation activities that had never been carried out in the missions in the past.

Aside from Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 4, Vietnam also deployed its first engineering unit with 184 members this time, he said, expressing his belief that with the experiences obtained over the last eight years, the engineering unit will be successful at the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

Phung noted earlier, a UN delegation had come to Vietnam to survey and decided to choose the country’s engineering unit out of 15 candidates as they realised the capacity of Vietnamese engineers.

Deploying a big unit like this 184-strong engineering one is a big challenge since it is completely different from the previous times when Vietnam sent individuals or small units like Level-2 field hospitals to peacekeeping operations.

However, thanks to thorough preparations made in five years, the Vietnamese side was assessed as the most outstanding among the 15 units wishing to join UNISFA.

The official said he believes with thorough preparations in multiple aspects, the engineering unit of Vietnam will successfully perform the duties assigned by the Party, State, Central Military Commission, and Ministry of National Defence while meeting the UN’s expectations./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Vietnam’s engineering unit, field hospital leave for UN peacekeeping missions

Vietnam’s Engineering Unit Rotation 1 and Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 4 left Hanoi on April 27 for UN peacekeeping missions in Abyei and South Sudan.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman of the Defence – Security Council and Commander-in-chief of the People’s Armed Forces, attended the deployment ceremony held by the Ministry of National Defence.

The event also saw the attendance of the UN Resident Coordinator, foreign ambassadors, the Head of the European Union Delegation, and foreign defence attachés in Vietnam.

Departing on the mission are 184 officers and soldiers of the Engineering Unit Rotation 1 and 63 of the Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 4. This is the first time Vietnam has sent military engineers to join UN peacekeeping operations. Addressing the event, President Phuc acknowledged the positive results that the Vietnamese military has achieved on previous UN peacekeeping missions, which has been highly regarded by communities and the UN.

It could be said that Vietnam’s participation over the past eight years has been a highlight in the multilateral foreign policies of the Government, Party and military, he added.

The President also extended his gratitude to the UN, partner countries and organisations that have contributed to the country, and hoped that Vietnam will continue to receive support during peacekeeping missions.

Presiding over the ceremony, Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang said: “During the missions, officers and soldiers will always maintain their solidarity, unity, determination to overcome challenges, and strive to fulfil the tasks assigned.”

“They will be the true envoy of peace, the symbol of humanism, international solidarity, the embodiment of the noble qualities in a ‘soldier of Uncle Ho’ in the new era, the multinational, multicultural environment of the UN,” he added.

Despite the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the field hospital’s staff have completed the medical, military and language training programme in preparation for the deployment.

During their mission in South Sudan, the Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 4 will focus on applying technology in medical examination and treatment, which will be the premise for them to conduct scientific research.

The hospital will also continue working on public communications and disease prevention in the harsh environment of the area. The 184 staff members of the Engineering Unit Rotation 1 will help provide humanitarian assistance, supporting the UN delegations in keeping and re-establishing peace in the area.

They will also ensure transport, perform road maintenance, help reconstruct the UN base, and provide support for the local community by building community houses, schools, and other public facilities.

Taking into account the latest deployment, Vietnam’s military has sent a total of 76 officers on individual duties, and 436 soldiers in groups on UN peacekeeping missions./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Morning digest on April 27

-Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan and her Lao counterpart Pany Yathotou compared notes on cooperation between Vietnam and Laos during their talks in Hanoi on April 26. The Lao Vice President is paying an official visit to Vietnam.

Given the complex developments on the world stage, the two Vice Presidents shared the view of consolidating the close, friendly neighbourliness and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos to ensure security and development in each country, as well as peace, stability and cooperation in the region. Read full story

– President Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception in Hanoi on April 26 for Lao Vice President Pany Yathotou. The President said Vietnam and Laos need to maintain the regular exchange of delegations and high-ranking officials and strive to turn economic, trade and investment cooperation into a pillar of bilateral relations. Read full story

-National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on April 26 also hosted a reception for the visiting Lao Vice President.

Hue congratulated the Lao Party, State and people on their great achievements across fields, and highlighted significant contributions of the Lao NA through all periods in general and during the tenure when Pany Yathotou worked as the Chairwoman of the NA in particular. Read full story

-Officials of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) and the Lao Front for National Development (LFND) discussed their cooperation in 2022 during an online meeting on April 26.

The event was co-chaired by Vice President of the VFF Central Committee Phung Khanh Tai and Vice President of the LFND Central Committee Chanpheng Southivong. Read full story

-The 10th session of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee concluded in Hanoi on April 26, mainly focusing on preparations for the third meeting of the 15th legislature.

The session looked into five draft laws which had been submitted to the NA for the first time, a draft resolution on some pilot special mechanisms and policies for the development of the south-central province of Khanh Hoa, the proposed law and ordinance building programme for 2023 and adjustments to the 2022 programme. Read full story

-The Politburo and the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee decided disciplinary measures against many former officials of Binh Thuan province at a meeting on April 26 under the chair of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

The Politburo and the Secretariat agreed that the standing board of the Binh Thuan provincial Party Committee in the 2020-2015 and 2015-2020 tenures, and the Party delegation of the provincial People’s Committee in the 2011-2016 and 2016-2021 tenures had violated the principle of democratic centralism and working regulations, showed a lack of responsibility along with lax leadership and supervision. Read full story

-Vietnam has made remarkable progress in poverty reduction in the 2010 – 2020 period, with the rate of poverty declining to only 5 percent from 16.8 percent, according to the World Bank (WB).

The WB said over 10 million people were supported to escape from poverty in the period. Read full story

-European business confidence in Vietnam’s investment environment continued to rise at the start of 2022, according to the website Fibre2Fashion.com.

The website cited the business climate index (BCI) from the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) conducted by YouGov as showing that for the first quarter of 2022, the index climbed to 73 points, once again reaching its highest point after the fourth wave of the pandemic. Read full story

-President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has sent letters to a man and a student, praising them for their life-saving actions.

The letters were sent to Nguyen Huu Hien, President of the War Veterans Association in Thanh Hoa commune, Thanh Chuong district, the central province of Nghe An, and Nguyen Van Duong, an eighth grader of Minh Lac Secondary School in Cam Xuyen district, the central province of Ha Tinh. They risked their lives to save others from drowning and provided them with first aid. Read full story

– Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan hosted a reception for Vice Minister for Foreign Economic Relations of the Netherlands Hanneke Schuiling, who is paying a working visit to Vietnam.

Hoan highly valued the Netherland’s capacity and experience in climate change adaptation, water management and sustainable agriculture. Read full story

-A new medical quarantine process at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City has helped ease congestion amid the rising number of passengers in recent days.

As airlines are required to ensure all passengers are negative for COVID-19, the department asked the city’s Centre for Disease Control to skip this process at the airport. Read full story/.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Hanoi officials pay working visit to Cambodia

A high-level delegation of Hanoi led by Politburo member and Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung arrived in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh on April 26, starting their three-day official working visit.

Implemented at the invitation of Phnom Penh Governor Khuong Sreng, the visit is a practical activity to celebrate the Vietnam – Cambodia and Cambodia – Vietnam friendship year 2022 and the 55th founding anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (June 24, 1967-2022). It is expected to help consolidate and foster the neighbourliness, traditional friendship, as well as a long-term, sustainable, and comprehensive cooperation shared between the countries and their capitals.

As planned, Dung will have a meeting with Khuong Sreng to evaluate results of joint works between Hanoi and Phnom Penh over the past time. They will discuss and seek agreement on enhancing the bilateral cooperation in the near future.

While in Phnom Penh, the Hanoi delegation is scheduled to visit the Vietnamese Embassy and the headquarters of Metfone, a subsidiary of Vietnam’s industry and telecoms group Viettel./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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HCM City, Thailand strengthen people-to-people diplomacy

localities of Thailand, including Bangkok, will work to enhance their cooperation and connectivity as agreed by Chairwoman of the HCM City People’s Council Nguyen Thi Le and Thai Consul General Wiraka Moodhitaporn.

During their meeting in HCM City on April 26, Moodhitaporn thanked the Vietnamese southern city for its supply of COVID-19 vaccines to Thai people in the locality over the past time.

The newly-accredited Consul General said during her tenure, she will focus on boosting trade, investment and tourism promotion, as well as people-to-people exchange.

Currently, Thailand ranks 12th out of the 116 countries and territories investing in HCM City, with 235 projects worth more than 482 million USD, she said, noting that Thailand is striving to be in the top five in Vietnam.

For her part, Le said she hopes that the Thai office and HCM City will launch more cultural promotion programmes and step up people-to-people exchange.

The official also expressed her wish that Moodhitaporn will make significant contributions to enhancing relations between Thailand and Vietnam as well as HCM City and Thai localities./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Liberation day, President’s birth anniversary marked in Venezuela

The Embassy of Vietnam in Venezuela on April 26 paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his bust in Caracas capital city, on the occasion of the 47 years of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30) and towards the 132th birth anniversary of the late President.

It was also to mark 35 years since UNESCO honoured President Ho Chi Minh as ‘a national hero and a great man of culture of Vietnam’.

Visiting President of the Vietnam Women’s Union Ha Thi Nga expressed her delight at the flourishing Vietnam-Venezuela comprehensive partnership.

She underlined that Vietnamese people always treasure friendship with Venezuela and support the country’s struggle for national independence, sovereignty protection and national development, expressing her hope that bilateral relations will continue thriving in the coming time.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Venezuela Le Viet Duyen underlined President Ho Chi Minh’s contributions to Vietnam’s national liberation and voiced his belief that the Vietnam-Venezuela friendship and comprehensive cooperation will be strengthened, contributing to the countries’ development as well as peace and stability in the regions and the world.

For her part, Vice Minister of Foreign Relations of Venezuela Capaya Rodríguez said the Government and people of the country highly value the countries’ comprehensive partnership, wishing to bring the bilateral relations to a new height and thoroughly prepare for a meeting of the inter-governmental committee in the future./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency