Denmark supports fine arts education in Viet Nam


Denmark will grant US$700,000 to fund the second stage of a fine arts education in Viet Nam's primary schools during 2011-15, under an agreement signed on Tuesday between the Danish embassy and Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training.

Building upon the success of the first stage of project during 2006-10, the project would contribute to promoting comprehensive education for Vietnamese school children and encouraging new teaching methods in the arts, said Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan at the signing ceremony.


Festival of ASEAN’s family held in Egypt


Eight ASEAN embassies in Egypt held a festival of ASEAN family day on December 11 with the participation of foreign diplomats from ASEAN countries and their families.

Various activities were arganised such as fundraising for charity, folk games, and traditional musical and cultural performances. 

Each embassy presented two dishes of their traditional cuisine. Vietnam prepared “chicken nem” and steamed glutious rice. 

Members of ASEAN showed a lot of enthusiasm participating in sport games and cultural events. 

The annual festival of ASEAN family day is aimed at promoting friendship and solidarity as well as cultural understanding among the ASEAN’s diplomats and their families.


President Ho's palm leaf testament recognised


The testament of President Ho Chi Minh written on palm leaf will be among 30 new Guinness Records for Viet Nam.

The Centre for Viet Nam Guinness Records says the unique display at the Thoai Son District's Cultural and Tourism Complex, southern province of An Giang, will be included in the new listings to be announced on Saturday

Almost 20 of the new listings are for art and culture.

They include musicologist Tran Quang Hai, who is able to create melodies with spoons. The "King of Spoon" plays jazz, pop, techno and flamenco.

Nguyen Vinh Bao, 92, will be recognised as "The Oldest Musician Who Offers the On-line Course on Vietnamese Traditional Music."

The 118-year-old Tran Thi Viet of southern Long An province of Long An will be recognised as "The Oldest Vietnamese Heroic Mother."


Men fail to make up numbers in quan ho love songs


The number of women singing quan ho (love duets) far exceeds the number of men, according to statistics from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in the northern province of Bac Ninh.

Female singers make up 81 per cent of the over 8,000 members of the 598 quan ho clubs in the province, they said.

Quan ho singing is a Vietnamese folk music characterised by its antiphonal nature – with alternating groups of female and male singers issuing musical challenges and responses – and by the fact that most of the songs in the repertoire deal with topics of love and sentimentality as experienced by young adults. The artform was recognised by UNESCO in 2009 as Intangible Cultural Heritage, while Vietnamese authorities are trying various methods to popularise it and train new singers – as well as attract more men to join in.


Writers Association awards prize for historical novel


The novel Hoi The (Oath-Taking Ceremony) by Nguyen Quang Than has been granted the top prize in the Novel Competition of the Viet Nam Writers Association.

The novel reflects the Lam Son uprising against the Chinese domination in the early 15th century which established Le Loi as the first king of the Le dynasty.

The competition, held for the third time, received entries from 245 writers during 2006-09.

The Viet Nam Publishers Association has also granted annual awards since 2005 for books with good design, recognising 77 titles this year. The awards presentation ceremony will take place on Sunday at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Ha Noi.


“Rock on U” at book café


Two local rock cover bands, The Peanuts Company and Black Rose, will play at Phuong Nam Book Café, 3 Nguyen Oanh Street, HCMC’s Go Vap District at 8pm Friday.

The Peanuts Company, whose members are brothers, has been around since the 1960s. Their repertoire contains hits that span the last 50 years. The five young musicians of Black Rose are addicted to rock music and met at a music contest.

At the “Rock on U”, show, Black Rose will sing such rock classics as November rain, Welcome to the jungle, Live and let die, Civil war, Don’t cry and Sweet child of mine. The Peanuts Company will perform songs including Don’t let me down, Come together and It’s my life.


VNN/VNS/VOV/SGT