HCM City student crowned coffee queen

The new ambassador of Vietnamese coffee is 22-year-old Nguyen Lam Diem Trang, a student at the HCM City National University who emerged victorious in the Queen of Coffee pageant held on Sunday night in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak.

New ambassador of Vietnamese coffee, Nguyen Lam Diem Trang.

Trang was among more than 20 excellent young Vietnamese people to participate in the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Programme in 2012. She is also a MC of several TV programmes.

The pageant, which occurred as part of the on-going Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival, challenged contestants to express their knowledge about coffee and the life of coffee farmers.

Nearly 10,000 people witnessed the pageant's finale.

OV writer wins Belgian literature award

French-Vietnamese author Nguyen Hoai Huong’s novel ‘L’ombre Douce’ (Soft Shadows)—set during a turbulent period of Vietnamese history—has won the Brussels Book Fair’s Prix Première.

This is the seventh time a young female writer has won the honour. Huong was chosen from 19 other eligible candidates to receive the total cash prize of EUR5,000.

The novel, published by France’s Viviane Harny on January 17, depicts the love between a young Vietnamese girl and a French soldier during the 1954 Dien Bien Phu campaign.

Prize Jury President Corinne Boulagier, said the novel is an intriguing work with both literary and emotional value.

Born in 1976 in France to Vietnamese parents who had immigrated in 1970, Huong has close links to her mother tongue, its culture, and history. Her name is a symbol of her family’s love for the fatherland.

Central city offers free info to Japanese

Japanese businesswoman Hirukawa Yuki has opened the Hoi An Information Service Centre for Japanese tourists in the ancient city.

It's the first time that a tour information centre for Japanese has operated in Hoi An, Yuki said.

The centre, on Hoang Van Thu street, will provide free information, history and a booking service for destinations in Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary and Hue City, plus vehicle rentals, Yuki said.

There are an estimated 20 Japanese businesses in Hoi An, where a small Japanese community has existed for centuries.

Yuki, who graduated from Wako University in 2006, sells traditional Japanese art and craft imported from her home country at a souvenir shop, Cool Japan, in the city.

Movies to compete at Francophone Film Festival 2013

Twelve movies in different genres – such as feature, documentary and animation - will join the Francophone Film Festival starting in Vietnam this week.

Vietnam’s Dam Me (Desire), by director Phi Tien Son and other entries from Egypt, Benin, Canada, Belgium (Wallonie-Bruxelles delegation), Morocco, France, Senegal, and Switzerland will be screened with subtitles in either French or Vietnamese.

The festival will take place in Hanoi from March 15-17, Ho Chi Minh City from March 18-April 6, Vinh city from March 15-31 and Hue city from March 19-April 17.

VNN/VOV/VNS