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They have contributed to preserving and expanding traditional occupations, creating jobs and increasing income for local people, thus helping socio-economic development in the city.
They are the Banh Trung Tranh Khuc village in Thanh Tri district, Van Lang Village making fishing nets in Phu Xuyen district and Ngoc Than woodwork village in Quoc Oai district.
Nguyen Phuong Quang, born 1984, is the youngest craftsman to receive the title artisan this time.
He is the third generation in a family working in rattan weaving in Chuong My district.
Quang’s grandfather was recognised as an artisan in 1961, and his father was honoured in 2009.
By this year, Hanoi has honoured 277 craft villages and 135 artisans.
Paris hosts exhibition of Hanoi’s Old Quarter
An exhibition of photographs, paintings and installations by overseas Vietnamese Vuong Pat Cam is currently on display in Paris.
20 silk paintings and 30 colour and black and white photos, from the past to the present as well as installations have helped to give visitors a taste of the atmosphere in the old quarter and the people who live there.
The artist says that all of his work reflects his love of Hanoi, which is always in his heart.
As part of the exhibition, which lasts until May 4, a number of Vietnamese students currently studying in France will perform traditional Vietnamese dances and songs and recite Vietnamese poetry.
Hanoi’s ‘Old Quarter’ of 36 streets, each closely attached to a traditional trade, made clear by the streets name, such as Hang Muoi, or Salt Street, Hang Manh, or Curtain Street, which sells bamboo blinds and Hang Bac, Silver Street, which sells silver work and other kinds of jewellery.
Hanoi is currently undergoing drastic changes daily and the Old Quarter with its ‘Hang’ streets are also affected by development. Hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and the like have mushroomed along these streets. Subsequently, only a few streets where the traditional trades remain still exist, including Hang Bac, Hang Ma, Hang Manh, Hang Chieu and Hang Dong.
The others are now engaged in other trades, for example, Hang Than Street now sells Banh com, or green rice cakes, tea and cigarettes for wedding ceremonies. Hang Vai Street now sells bamboo products and Hang Chao sells household and electric products to meet the demands of customers in the 21st century.
When strolling through the old quarter or ‘36 streets’ of Hanoi one can appreciate the beauty as well as typical features of these streets, which should be preserved by not only the authorities but also by the local people.
HCM City awards television talent
Singer and actress Nhat Kim Anh won the Favourite TV Series Actress award at the sixth HCM City Television Awards on Saturday by polling more than 16,000 audience votes.
It came for her performance as a strong, kind-hearted doctor Ha Linh, who tries to discover the reason for her husband's death, in M&T Pictures' Gieo Gio (Sowing the Wind).
Anh, a native of the central province of Thanh Hoa, began her professional singing career in HCM City when she was just 16.
With her stunning looks and melodious voice, she quickly became popular and began to act in many TV serials and movies.
In 2010 she won the Best Actress Award at the Viet Nam International Film Festival for her role of a young singer in Dao Ba Son's Long Thanh Cam Gia Ca (The Tale of a Songstress in Thang Long Citadel).
Actor and model Binh Minh won the Favourite TV Series Actor award for his performance as an undercover police officer pretending to be a gangster in Vat Chung Mong Manh (Fragile Evidence).
Huynh Dong and Le Phuong won the Favourite Supporting Actor and Actress prizes.
Singers Dam Vinh Hung and Ho Ngoc Ha were voted the Favourite Male and Female Singers.
Que Tran won the Favourite Cai Luong Actress award for the second successive year, while Trong Phuc won the prize among men.
Quy Binh was the Favourite Theatre Performer for his contributions to the development of theatre last year.
The organisers also gave away three more Contribution Awards to script-writer Nguyen Manh Tuan, singer Duc Tuan, and cai luong (renovated theatre) actress Phuong Hang.
Actress Van Trang received the organisers' and sponsors'award for the Friendly Artist for her involvement in the TV channel's charity and community activities.
Over 200,000 visitors to HCM City Tourism Fest
More than 200,000 domestic and foreign tourists attended the 8th annual Tourism Festival in Ho Chi Minh City from April 12-15.
During the four-day event, many travel agents offered hundreds of low-cost tours for visitors.
They said there will be a discount on tourism services on the occasion of Southern Liberation Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) in addition to a 40-percent discount program launched by domestic airlines from now to the end of this year.
According to Saigontourist, a leading tour operator in Vietnam, more than 490 visitors have booked tours to northern and central regions.
Exchange on Japanese literature
The Vietnamese alumni club in Japan held an exchange on Japanese literature at the Asia Cultural House in Bunkyo, Tokyo, on April 15.
Professor Dao Huu Dung spoke of recent studies into Japan’s literature and history conducted by himself and other researchers and translators.
His three-hour presentation provided a fascinating window into the development of Japanese literature through different stages of history.
After graduating from Tokyo University, professor Dung did his MAs at the National Measurement Institute in Paris and later got a Ph.D degree at Paris University 2.
He used to lecture at some universities in France and Japan and work as an adviser to the Japan-Vietnam Cultural Association’s Secretariat.
Do Van Trung, First Secretary in charge of culture and education of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, expressed his wish that Dung would take part in more cultural exchanges to boost the friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries.
Kite contest set to take place in Hoi An
An international kite competition will be held on the beach area at the Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort and Spa on May 19.
The annual one-day competition is expected to attract foreign and Vietnamese participants from provinces and cities nationwide, according to the event's organising committee.
The winner will be awarded VND10 million (US$476), while second and third places have an award of VND5 million ($238) and VND3 million ($143), respectively.
The Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort also announced its summer promotion programme running during the kite competition. Tourists who book a four-night stay at the resort during the period between May 3 to October 31 will get one night free.
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