Learn new words on Language Day

It only takes 30 minutes to learn a new language – or at least a few words. At the second European Language Day, planned for tomorrow at the Goethe Institute Ha Noi, Hanoians can participate in half-hour classes guaranteed to get them speaking more fluently.

Hosted by the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) in collaboration with its members, including British Council, the Embassy of Hungary, the Goethe Institute, the Cervantes Institute, the Embassy of Spain, the Embassy of Italy and Wallonia-Brussels Delegation, the event aims to promote multilingualism.

Sessions in German, English, French, Spanish, Italian and Hungarian will be open to all interested.

To address the benefits of Early Foreign Language Learning, a conference on the theme will be held for linguists and experts on language teaching. There will also be a festival of European Languages aimed at children and parents, and posters, books, brochures and short films from the participating countries will be presented at the Goethe Institute's exhibition hall.

UNESCO starts Green campaign

A campaign for environmental protection kicked off yesterday, Oct 25, at the HCM City Zoo Garden with a concert featuring rocker Tran Lap, who is also the campaign's ambassador.

The concert is the first in a series of 16 activities held during the campaign, Green Talk.

Hosted by the UNESCO Viet Nam, Green Talk activities include talks on wildlife conservation and other environmental issues, a photo contest entitled Im Lang Hay Len Tieng (Keep Silent or Speak Out), and a contest for innovative ideas about environmental protection.

The environmental campaign will run until January 20, 2013.

Orphans show paintings

A charity exhibition featuring dozens of paintings by disadvantaged children has opened its doors in HCM City.
Created by children living in the Tre Xanh orphanage, the paintings depict their living environment and Viet Nam's famous tourist attractions as well as their dreams of a happy family.

The paintings cost between US$75 and 150. The proceeds will be used to support the orphanage.

The event was organised by the Friendship Association of HCM City's District 1 and the Arcueil commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France, in collaboration with the Vietnamese Union in France (UGVF).

A similar exhibition will be held in Arcueil from November 29 to December 1.

HCM City Circus Troupe to perform

HCM City's Circus Troupe will perform in the southern provinces of Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Dong Nai following last month's successful tour in Ha Noi and some northern provinces.

The show includes somersaults, prestidigitation, juggling and cycling acts, as well as animal acts with monkeys, dogs, bears and pythons.

In Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, the troupe will offer shows at Ba Ria Stadium on October 27 and Vung Tau Gymnasium on November 3-4.

Shows in Dong Nai Province will be organised on November 11 at the provincial Sports and Physical Culture Centre in Bien Hoa town.

Artists from the circus troupes of southern Long An Province and Dam Sen Park will also take part in the shows.

Record bean cake to go on display

A bean cake in the shape of a royal phoenix, which was recognised in the Asian Book of Records, will be on display at the Rex Hotel Sai Gon from October 27 to November 3.

The cake (6.8m by 4.2m), which depicts a dancing phoenix, was made by chef Ton Nu Thi Ha and her daughter Phan Ton Tinh Hai in the Hue royal style.

The phoenix is one of the four sacred animals in Vietnamese folklore.

It took more than 5,000 bamboo toothpicks to connect the 4,862 items made from ingredients such as rice dough, bean, and vegetables.

It took 18 people more than three months and 3.5 tonnes of coal to bake the cake.

The Rex Hotel Sai Gon is situated at 140 Nguyen Hue Boulevard, District 1.

VNN/VOV/VNS