Seminar promotes traditional weaving among ASEAN countries

The fourth international seminar on the art of traditional weaving in ASEAN member countries will be held in the northern mountainous city of Thai Nguyen.

During the four-day event, which is scheduled to kick off on Friday at the city's Museum of Vietnamese Ethnic Culture, representatives from Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines will gather to discuss methods to preserve and promote the cultural values of the art.

Two E De ethnic women weave brocade cloth with traditional technique. An international seminar on the art of traditional weaving in ASEAN member countries will be held in the northern mountainous city of Thai Nguyen.

The seminar will also attract representatives from Japan, China, the US, South Korea, and Australia.

"The seminar will create an opportunity for scientists, craftsmen, artisans and businessmen to discuss and find preservation solutions for the traditional weaving job, thus to promote its productions in the international market," said the museum's director, Nguyen Thi Ngan.

In addition to the discussions, the event will include an exhibition showcasing traditional weaving techniques from different countries.

Clothes made from materials ranging from tree bark to silk and linen will be on display, and a fashion show is scheduled to showcase some hand-weaved cloth.

Hong Kong Movie Week to hit the screens in HCM City

A week of movie screenings celebrating films from Hong Kong will be held from next Friday to March 27 in HCM City, organisers announced on Tuesday.

The Hong Kong Movie Week is being held for the first time in Viet Nam, and will feature eight recent movies produced by famous directors from Hong Kong.

The films to be screened include IP Man: The Final Fight, Life Without Principle, Overheard, The Viral Factor, Cold War, The Road Less Travelled, A Beautiful Life and Love in the Buff.

Herman Yau's Ip Man: The Final Fight, which is about the latter years of the Wing Chun master Ip Man, will be shown in Viet Nam six days before its premiere in Hong Kong.

Fong Ngai, the director of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the ASEAN region, said Viet Nam's industry of art and movie making had developed strongly, and the movie week is expected to attract many local lovers of television series from Hong Kong.

The tickets can be collected free of charge at BHD Star Cineplex Icon 68 in the Bitexco Financial Tower in HCM City two hours before screening times.

Hoi An to host Miss Ethnic Vietnam 2013

The 3rd Miss Ethnic Vietnam pageant will commence in the central Quang Nam province's Hoi An ancient town in May.

The event, co-organised by the Quang Nam Provincial People’s Committee and the International Advertising and Trade Fair Joint Stock Company (CIAT), is a part of activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity and the 5th Quang Nam Heritage Festival 2013.

Miss Ethnic Vietnam 2013 aims to honor the traditional values, talent, intelligence and beauty of women from ethnic minority groups and bring ethnic groups together.

The qualifying round will take place in early May in Ho Chi Minh City. The judging panel will then select the best candidates to go through to the semi-finals in Hanoi and HCM City from May 9-19.

In the semi-final, contestants will model traditional costumes, take part in a Q&A contest.

The contestants in the final round, scheduled to take place in Hoi An from June 5-21, will have to demonstrate their looks in ethnic costumes, swim suits, and evening gowns. Five out of 15 contestants will then be chosen to attend a Q&A stage.

The contest is open to Vietnamese women who are aged 18-28 and originate from one of the 54 ethnic minority groups in Vietnam, and must be currently living and working in Vietnam. Contestants must be high school graduated and single.

Along with the crown for Miss Ethnic Vietnam and runner ups, the organisers will also hand out a range of other awards, including “Miss Quang Nam”.

Pianists from Viet Nam and Russia to perform

Russian pianist Pavel Kushnir and Vietnamese pianists will present classic keyboard repertoire at the Piano Sings 2013 concert in the Opera House on Saturday.

Kushnir, winner of the 2000 International Rachmaninov Young Pianists Competition, will perform with pianists Doan Le Thanh Tu, Le Thi Minh Trang and Thach Thai Do Quyen, and other Vietnamese singers and musicians.

The concert will begin at 8pm at Lam Son Square in District 1. Tickets cost VND150,000-400,000 and are available at the venue as well as the Phat Tin Company in District 10, the BACH Music Company in District 3, and the Song Anh Arts and Entertainment Company in Binh Thanh District.

Engage with Viet Nam's own Bob Dylan

The Ha Noi Social Club on Saturday will host a music event to honour Trinh Cong Son, regarded as a most influential figure in modern Vietnamese music.

Son was also dubbed "Viet Nam's Bob Dylan" by American singer/songwriter Joan Baez.

Entitled Crystal Sun, named after a famous song by Son (Nang Thuy Tinh), the concert will offer audiences a chance to engage with this important part of Vietnamese culture.

Key translations and explanations will be given for many songs. Translated books of lyrics will also be available to early arrivals.

The night will feature guitarist Van Dao alongside singers Hong Nhung and Anh Van.

The show will start at 8 at 6 Hoi Vu Street in Hoan Kiem District. Entrance fee is VND100,000.

Nation honours Francophone Day

Viet Nam will once again honour the French language through a wide range of cultural activities to celebrate International Francophone Day which falls on next Wednesday.

"It's an opportunity for us to honour the values of solidarity and respect for cultural differences," said Anissa Barrak, Asia-Pacific director of the International Francophone Organisation (OIF).

A Francophone Film Festival showcasing the cultural diversity of the Francophonie, will kick off tomorrow (Mar 15) in Ha Noi with the French film Tomboy as part of a national celebration of this month-long event. The festival will present 12 films in different genres – including documentary and animation - from nine countries: Viet Nam, France, Canada, Morocco, Switzerland, Belgium, Benin, Egypt and Senegal.

All the entries will be screened with Vietnamese subtitles, while the Vietnamese movie will have French subtitles.

A festival cultural day will be held at the Ha Noi University on Nguyen Trai Road this Saturday from 10am to 4pm, gathering together lovers of French culture. All are invited enjoy a 20m cake to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ha Noi's Agency of the Universities of Francophonie. The cake has been recognised by Viet Nam Guinness Records as the country's biggest ever cake.

On the same day, the public will also watch performances of French music performed by Vietnamese students.

An official ceremony will take place next Wednesday to celebrate the 44th International Francophone Day at the Government's Guesthouse on Le Thach Street.

Diverse cultural events will also be held at l'Espace, the French cultural centre in Ha Noi, including a French fashion performance and exhibition held next Wednesday, followed by a concert from French singer Jesers on March 27.

A wide range of other cultural activities will also be organised in Hue, Vinh, HCM City, Can Tho, Da Lat, Nha Trang and Hoa Binh.

Viet Nam was one of the founder countries of the Francophonie Organisation in 1970.

Over the last year, the OIF has maintained an active co-operation with Viet Nam featuring the exchange of training and technical expertise in a number of fields.

French is spoken by 220 million people across the world in 77 countries and governments of the OIF.

Cafe will rock with night of laughter

Comedians Marcus Ryan from the UK and Joey Medina from New York will take part in a comedy night at the Hard Rock Cafe next Tuesday.

The two stand-up comics will perform with HCM City-based comedians Chris Baker and Andi Davies from 8pm to 11.30pm.

Admission is VND250,000.

The cafe is at 39 Le Duan Boulevard in District 4.

Broadway dance and all that jazz

A dance performance called Jazz! will take place tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday at the HCM City Youth Cultural House. It will present dances from renowned Broadway musicals such as Cabaret and West Side Story.

The performance will feature choreographers John Huy Tran, Linh Rateau and Rosie Pollard, and dancers from the Dance Urban Group and finalists from the Vietnamese version of the TV show So You Think You Can Dance, Lam Vinh Hai, Vo Hong Nhung and Do Quang Dang.

Two shows tomorrow and Saturday will begin at 7.30pm, while the other will start at 3pm. Tickets are priced from VND150,000-350,000 and are available at the venue at 4 Pham Ngoc Thach Street in District 1.

Crossroads captured by camera and music

Autochtones, a French non-profit organisation promoting cross-cultural understanding through film, will present Crossroads: Between Viet Nam and Mongolia by Perrine Le Roy at CAMA ATK tonight.

A silent exploration of the daily life of both countries, the documentary explores space, crowds, family relationships, work and the everyday expressions of religion attitudes.

The documentary will be accompanied by a live performance by three Vietnamese musicians: accordionist Nguyen Quynh Chi, singer Dinh Lan, and dan tranh (16-chord zither) player Nguyen Thuy Dung.

The night will also feature a screening of Ha Noi DocLab's documentary Hard Rails across a Gentle River. Through footage captured by four filmmakers, elements of Long Bien Bridge's life unfold. Whether exploring communities of nudist bathers by the river, female workers on city intersections or security guards patrolling the iconic bridge's old rails, the film presents Long Bien as audiences have never seen it before.

The film night begins from 8.30 at CAMA ATK, 73A Mai Hac De Street. Entry is VND100,000 (all proceeds go to the artists).

Drawings and photos offer a visit to Sahara

A display of drawings and photos by Vincent Bertholon will open today from 6.30pm at 21North, 49 Yen Phu Village, Tay Ho District.

Entitled Massakory – A Village in the Sahel, the display presents what Bertholon sees and feels about the arid region, where he lived for six months.

Located in the Sahel between the Sahara Desert and the tropical zone, Massakory is a regional capital. This city of 20,000 inhabitants is the last stop before the desert.

Bertholon's exhibition will reveal an overview of life in the region.

Military artists to perform in RoK

The Army Music and Dance Theater will make a tour of the Republic of Korea (RoK) from March 17-23 as part of efforts to strengthen ties between Vietnam and the RoK.

A rehearsal of the upcoming tour took place on March 11 in the presence of Major-General Nguyen Trong Nghia, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army.

The tour aims to introduce Vietnam’s folk culture to Korean friends through solo performances of musical instruments such as flute, two-string violin, monochord and four-chord lute along with traditional dances and songs.

The military artists are scheduled to perform in Seoul and a number of localities of the RoK.

VNN/VOV/VNS