Vietnamese language promoted in France

The Vietnamese language, culture and cuisines were introduced at the 37 th International Language Festival that took place in Tours city of France on November 19-20.

With two display booths, seminars and film screening, Vietnam helps international friends understand more about the country.

In particular, this year’s festival features Vietnam ’s lunar New Year (Tet) festival and many traditional customs.

Vietnamese language has become part of the annual event since 2006 thanks to the Touraine-Vietnam Association, which gathers French people in Tours city who love Vietnam and overseas Vietnamese people.

This year’s event featured more than 40 different languages such as French, English, Spanish, Arabia, Esperanto and Vietnam .

Since its inception in 1995, the event has contributed to promoting diversification of language, thus bringing people worldwide closer.

Vietnam celebrates Teacher’s Day
 
Poster of the Vietnam University of Fine Arts' exhibition Vietnam is ready to celebrate Teacher’s Day, its biggest festival of the year for educators, with many art activities.

A show titled “Teachers in integration time”, to be held by the Ho Chi Minh City Education Newspaper, will take place at the Lan Anh Music Stage at 7pm on November 19.

The show, to be broadcast live on VTV9, will feature local top singers including Huong Lan, Dam Vinh Hung, Thu Minh, Nguyen Vu, Quang Vinh, Duong Trieu Vu, Dong Nhi and Wanbi Tuan Anh.

Also on the 19th, the city’s Labor Culture House will hold a dancing night showcasing local dancers like the Hoang Thong dance crew, Minh Tue, Phi Nhung, Quy Lam, Thu Huyen and Mai Hanh at 7:30pm.

The show “Golden wish – Success” at Dam Sen Park, featuring local pop singers like Nam Cuong and Angela Phuong Trinh at Dam Sen Park on November 19 and 20, will add further joy to Vietnamese Teacher’s Day.

In Hanoi, the Vietnam Singing, Dancing and Music Theatre will celebrate the day with a show titled “Chalk dust – the moment of season changing” at 8pm on November 20 at the city’s Opera House at 1 Trang Tien Street.

In the art world, an exhibition featuring works of Vietnamese teachers is being held by the Hanoi University of Culture.

Titled “Life through lens”, the event showcases pictures taken by members of the school’s photography club.

The exhibition taking place at 418 La Thanh Street in Dong Da District and will run until November 20.

Also, the Vietnam University of Fine Arts is organizing an exhibition to showcase works of teachers from the school to celebrate their day.

The exhibition will be held at the Viet Art Centre at 42 Yet Kieu from November 18 to 28.

Vietnamese professor receives prestigious award

Tran Van Khe, a renowned Vietnamese music professor, is set to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in Music from the San Francisco - Ho Chi Minh City Sister City Committee on Sunday, November 20 for his contributions to the study and research of traditional Vietnamese music.

A delegation of the committee paid a visit to the professor’s house in HCMC on November 15.

Born in Vietnam in 1921, Khe moved to France to study in 1949, and then spent most of his life in the country studying and conducting research on Vietnamese and Asian traditional music.

He has been a member of the French Academy of Sciences; academician of the Europe Academy of Science, Literature and Art; and chairman of the Science Board of the Germany-based International Institute for Comparative Music Studies.

He has also contributed to reviving and developing many types of Vietnamese folk music, especially ca tru, an ancient genre of chamber music from northern Vietnam.

Khe, 90, can also play traditional musical instruments, such as the zither, monochord and moon guitar.

The Lifetime Achievement Award aims to honor people who have given great contributions to the world’s health , science and art fields.

Vietnam-RoK idol music gala organized

A Vietnam-Republic of Korea (RoK) idol music gala was held at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi on November 19, as part of the activities to commemorate the 19th anniversary of Vietnam-RoK diplomatic ties.

The event was co-organized by the Korean Cultural Centre and Silkroad C&T Co. Ltd.

The Korean side impressed Vietnamese audiences with the show by 2N1E, a girl band from the RoK, who performed their hits.

Vietnamese singers Phuong Vy, who won Vietnam Idol 2007, and Thanh Duy, who was awarded the second prize in Vietnam Idol 2008, also took part in the event.

Photo book salutes General Giap

A book of photographs entitled General and Commander-in-Chief Vo Nguyen Giap, compiled by photographer Tran Manh Thuong, has been published by the Culture and Information Publishing House.

Nearly 500 photos bring readers insight into the life and career of the great general. The 216-page book focuses on his youth and his revolutionary activities to the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the national resistance movement, the victory at Dien Bien Phu, the American War (including images of the general inspecting the Ho Chi Minh Trail), and the Liberation Day in 1975, as well as his enthusiasm for science and technology.

Readers will be able to view images of documents, such as Decree No 110-SL dated January 20, 1948 by which President Ho Chi Minh conferred the title of General and Commander-in-Chief on Giap.

Thuong said the photos were gathered from the general’s family, the Vietnam News Agency, the Vietnam Museum of Revolution and other sources.

6,000-year-old bone needles found in Tuyen Quang cave

Seven needles made of animal bones dating back 6,000 years were recently unearthed from Tham Trong cave in the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang.

Prof. Trinh Nang Chung, head of the excavation team, said the six-to-eight centimetre-long needles were polished along their length and sharpened at one end. He theorised that the needles might have been used to thread tree bark string to make clothes.

Scientists have also gathered various pollen samples dating back to the pre-historic era for further research.

More than 1,500 stone tools have also been found including 10 sets of grinding tools, where remnants of a red mineral powder thought to be used as a cosmetic for either living people or the bodies of the deceased, with the notion that red was the colour of eternal life.

Many animal teeth, shells and nuts have also been found. Sea shells found at the site suggested the early relationship between local residents and those from coastal regions, scientists said.

Hanoi to host Vietnam-Korea cultural, culinary festival

A Vietnam-Korea cultural and culinary festival will be held in Hanoi from November 26-27 to promote cultural exchanges between the two nations.

The festival is one of the activities to mark the 19th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK). It is co-organised by the RoK embassy in Vietnam, the Korea Tourism Organisation and the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Visitors will have the opportunity to sample the traditional cuisine and see folk dances and games from both countries. Eleven special Korean dishes will be offered to visitors at VND10,000 for a plate of three dishes.

Minister Counselor of the RoK embassy Park Noh Wan said all proceeds from the sale of food and lottery tickets will go to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee to help disadvantaged children. The festival this year expects to raise more than US$16,000, Wan said.  

Cultural week deepens Vietnam-Russia understanding

A Vietnam Week is taking place in Vladivostok city, Russia, from November 18-25 as part of activities to mark the 40th establishment of the Primorie chapter of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association (1971-2011).

During the event, exhibitions on the history of Russia-Vietnam relations, Vietnamese arts and handicrafts, and books are on display.

In addition, a competition for Vietnamese poetry lovers is being held.

The Primorie chapter of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association was established on November 19, 1971 with the purpose of supporting the Vietnamese people’s struggle for national independence and freedom.

Currently, Prof. Alexander Sokolovski, President of the Primorie chapter, also a researcher in Vietnamese studies, and Prof. Vladimir Buiyanov, President of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association and Director of the Moscow Academy of Economics and Law, are present in Vladivostok to attend the event.

San Francisco-HCM City Sister City Committee gives out award

The San Francisco-HCM City Sister City Committee yesterday conferred the literary award on Hue-based writer Tran Thuy Mai.

The citation said the award had been given "In recognition of your voluminous and award-winning work in the fields of literature and screenwriting including the composition of short stories and novel. Much of your work has been translated into numerous languages. We are also honoured to recognise your achievements in the preservation of folklore."

Music awards were given away to composer Pham Duy and researcher Prof Tran Van Khe.

Hue hosts painting exhibition of works by art teachers

An exhibition of paintings by 58 arts teachers from primary and high schools in Hue opened in the central city on Thursday.

The exhibition celebrates the Viet Nam Teachers' Day, which falls on November 20. On display are paintings and art works with various materials, including oil, silk, acrylic, lacquerware and wood-engraving, that capture the country's landcapes, people and other features.

The Arts Teachers' Painting Exhibition, organised by Hue City's Division of Education and Training, will remain open until Monday, November 21, at the Hue Exhibition House on 4 Hoang Hoa Tham Street.

Dance contest for Wondergirls song seeks entrants

People are invited to take part in a dance contest for the song Be My Baby, the title track on K-pop girl band Wondergirls' new album Wonder World.

Participants should upload video clips of their dance routines set to the song to Youtube and email the URL along with their nationality and country of residence to South Korean's entertainment company JYP at wgbemybaby@gmail.com.

The entry deadline is November 30.

Winning teams will be announced on December 5 on the news section of the VisitKorea site and the JYP event page on Facebook. Three international teams will win a free 4 day, 3 night trip to South Korea plus a free tour of Seoul and the JYP office, plus have the opportunity to attend a Wondergirls fan meeting.

The contest aims to celebrate the Wondergirls' second album.

Consular Club holds international charity bazaar

On Saturday morning, thousands of Vietnamese and expatriates flocked to the 18th annual Ho Chi Minh City Consular Club’s Charity Bazaar to raise fund for disadvantaged people in the southern region.

Held at the Diamond Place Convention Center in Phu Nhuan District, the event showcased more than 20 booths selling goods from 18 countries including America, Australia, Canada, China, Cuba, France, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Japan, Kuwait, Netherlands, Holland, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

The goods included the countries’ national costumes, cuisines, souvenirs, ceramics, fruits and books.

Local celebrities including actor Chi Bao, singer Minh Anh and MC Thu Huong also took part in the bazaar.

Duong Chi Hung, the visually impaired keyboardist, who was supported by the club, performed at the event.

“I’m so happy to be here and perform. Music is my love but it also is a chance for me to say thanks to the Consular Club, who help me a lot,” Hung said with smile.

Like bazaars in previous years, visitors also had chance to join a Grand Raffle and won prizes or brochures for airline tickets, resort stays, and spa packages sponsored by well-known international and local enterprises.

Olesa and Elina, two Russian women who have lived in HCMC for 3 years while studying in RMIT University, said this was the second time they had attended the bazaar.

“This year’s bazaar was better than previous ones, with more and higher-quality goods for sale,” they said. Last year’s event attracted 1,900 attendees.

Santa Claus also appeared and took pictures with children, adding the festive atmosphere of Christmas into the event.

Founded in 1994, the Consular Club of Ho Chi Minh City, a non-profit organization comprising of spouses of the city’s Consul-Generals, aims to make a contribution towards improving the quality of life of disadvantaged people, mainly in southern Vietnam.

The main fundraising is the annual Charity Bazaar, typically held in November.

The club has launched around 30 charity projects, such as Dieu Giac Orphanage Education Grants in HCMC, the Women’s Union in Long An Province Scholarship Program, the Can Gio Clean Water Project, and the My Thanh Senitation Project in Ben Tre to help disadvantaged people in the region.