HCM City holds photo exhibition on Truong Sa Island

A photo exhibition titled ‘Beloved Truong Sa’ featuring photographs taken by journalist Hoang Chi Hung is being held at the Women’s Cultural House in Ho Chi Minh City to mark the 67th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2).

Director of HCMC Women’s Cultural House (L) and journalist Hoang Chi Hung (C),

hand over a photo to Colonel Nguyen Duc Thang,

chairman of the People’s Committee of Truong Sa Island.

The exhibition presents to viewers 50 photographs taken by journalist Hoang Chi Hung on his trip to Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago in June this year.

The exhibits show the astonishing landscapes of Truong Sa and the daily activities of soldiers who are protecting the country's sovereignty on the Seas and Islands.

On the occasion, the City Women’s Cultural House has called on people to raise money for Truong Sa from now until August 31.

The exhibition is on until September 15.

At the end of the exhibition the photographs will be presented to the Traditional House on Truong Sa Island.

Red River Delta fine arts exhibition opens

The 17th Red River Delta’s Zone II Fine Arts exhibition opened in Thai Binh province on August 26 to celebrate the 67th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and Vietnamese National Day (September 2).

The exhibition displays 306 paintings, graphic works, sculptures and applied fine arts that were created between August 2011 and August 2012 by 277 artists from nine Red River Delta provinces and cities including Thai Binh, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Hung Yen and Hanoi.

The subject matter of works in this year’s exhibition is quite diverse, ranging from the Party, Uncle Ho and the nation’s revolutionary history, to farmers, agricultural development, new rural areas and Vietnam’s sea and islands.

At the opening, the organising board presented the A prize to Thai Binh artist Pham Hung Cuong for his wood sculpture ‘Ky vat nguoi linh bien’ (Mementos of Naval Soldiers) and awarded the C prize to ‘Rang dong tren bien dao tien tieu’ (Dawn on Tien Tieu Island) by Pham Ngoc Lam from Hai Phong. Six other awards were also presented to various artists.

The annual exhibition aims to promote artistic creation in the region and offer an opportunity for artists to meet, exchange ideas and show their art works to the public.

The 2012 exhibition, held jointly by the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, the Vietnam Literature and Arts Association and the Thai Binh provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, will last through September 3.

German artist to display woodblock prints in Hanoi

An exhibition of 50 woodblock prints by German artist Christiane Baumgartner will take place at the Goethe-Institute in Hanoi from September 8-30.

The German graphic artist Christiane Baumgartner has been granted a scholarship by the Cultural Foundation of Saxony and the Goethe Institute in Vietnam. Accordingly, she will travel to the capital for three months from September 1 to carry out her project, take part in exchanges with local artists and hold a week-long workshop at art universities in Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City in October and November.

In addition, the German artist and Vietnamese artist Pham Khac Quang will give a lecture on woodcut art which has a centuries-old tradition in both Germany and Vietnam, at the Goethe-Institute in Hanoi.

Christiane Baumgartner has become known internationally for her large-scale innovative woodcuts. She has studied traditional wood carving and shared her experience on the wood-engraving art with young artists.

Baumgartner studied at the School of Visual Arts in Leipzig from 1988 to 1994 and at the Royal College of Art in London from 1997 to 1999. She has been honored with many awards. Her works are in museums in Leipzig, Vienna, London, New York and Amsterdam.

Nguyen dynasty royal music lives on

Artists from the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre will give a royal music performance in Vienna between September 9 and 19 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Viet Nam and Austria.
According to Truong Tuan Hai, head of nha nhac (royal music) art troupe, this would be the first time the art is introduced in Austria.

The troupe will also perform two shows in Frankfurt after that.

Tunisian singer Emel Mathlouthi to perform in Hanoi

A concert featuring Tunisian singer Emel Mathlouthi will be held at the French Cultural Exchange Center, L'Espace, in Hanoi on September 8.

Emel Mathlouthi is a very promising singer. She has made great strides in her career with a unique music style influenced by folk music, psychedelic rock and Arabian songs.

Violinist Zied Zouari, percussionist Imed Alibi and Emmanuel Trouvé who plays electronic musical instruments, will join the event.

Tickets are priced at VND120,000 and VND60,000 (for members of L’Espace and students) and available at L’Espace.

Exhibition praises Uncle Ho’s sentiments towards Thua Thien – Hue

An exhibition of the 50 best entries received for a photography contest on ‘President Ho Chi Minh and Thua Thien - Hue’ will open on August 30 in Hue city to mark the 67th anniversary of the August Revolution and Vietnam’s National Day (1945-2012).

The organising board will present one first, two second, three third and five consolation prizes at the opening ceremony to the best works selected from those on display in the exhibition.

The contest was originally launched on April 29 by the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the Thua Thien – Hue provincial Photography Association, aiming to praise Uncle Ho and his good sentiments for the people of Thua Thien – Hue and honour the province’s revolutionary struggles. Four months after it was launched, the contest received 196 pictures from 41 members of photography clubs and associations in the province.

Museum reveals provincial history

The museum of the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum has just opened its doors to visitors.

The museum, located by the Dak Bla River at the entrance to Kon Tum City with a total area of 1,500sq.m, contains more than 1,800 objects, nearly 400 photos and 89 scientific files reflecting the history and culture of the province throughout historic moments.

The museum also features local ethnic groups like Ba Na, Gia Rai, Xe Dang and Gie Trieng.

Australia gives footie pitch to orphans

A new synthetic football pitch has been presented to the Birla Children's Village orphanage in Ha Noi.

The 650sq.m pitch valued at US$10,000 is ideal for small games. It's a gift from the Australian Embassy in Ha Noi, the Victorian Police Football Club and the Hilton Ha Noi Opera Hotel.

"We are very grateful to the sponsors for giving the orphanage's children this fantastic gift. The pitch will make the children very happy and will improve their health," said Le Tuan Huu, deputy director general of the Ha Noi Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

The Victorian Police Football Club also visited the orphanage in February this year and donated footballs and footwear to children. The club plans to provide on-going support to the Birla youth football team.

UHF touches hearts at fundraiser

The Understanding the Heart Fund raised VND2.73 billion (US$130,000) on August 24 from 500 guests at an event in HCM City to support social and community activities, including heart surgeries for poor children and the disadvantaged.

After two years' operation, the Understanding the Heart programme has paid for heart surgeries for 400 poor children, 50 houses of gratitude, and food for 700 children who live in remote areas of the country.

More than 100 family annals recorded

A centre for studying family annals at HCM City's University of Social Sciences and Humanities has completed recording 130 family annals in the south in the past 20 years.

It includes records on families of high-ranked State leaders like the Phan family in Cu Chi District, HCM City (of former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai), Truong family in Tien Giang Province (of former Vice President Truong My Hoa) and Truong family in Long An Province (of present President Truong Tan Sang).

The centre has also started many training courses for local cultural workers and those interested in family annals, published various books teaching how to write family annals, and provided HCM City General Sciences Library with 40 sets of family annals for interested researchers.

Completing a family annal requires three experts to work from six months to one year.

Japanese learning centre opens

The first Japanese training centre in Hoi An, in the central province of Quang Nam, has been opened in the city's Old Quarter.

The centre is located at 5 Ngo Gia Tu Street and run by Japanese company Human Resource Institute Viet Nam. It will meet the demands of Vietnamese people who want to learn the language and understand the culture of Japan, which first set up a sea trade route with Hoi An in the 17th century.

The centre will also act as a bridge for tourists from Japan and other countries visiting Hoi An and for Vietnamese students studying in Japan and vice versa.

Local authorities hope the centre will further develop the relationship between Japan and Viet Nam.

VNN/VNS/ND/SGGP