“Vietnam year in Germany” organised successfully

The “Vietnam year in Germany” has been successfully, helping enhance the country’s image, said the Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Do Hoa Binh.

The Vietnamese embassy held a review meeting of the Vietnam year in Germany on Dec.26.

Minister – Councillor Bui Ngoc Toan highlighted 25 major events during the year that included the two-day Vietnamese festival from August 28-29 in Berlin, celebration of the 35 th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Germany, and especially a German diplomatic magazine is first –ever publication of the Vietnamese photo and his interview on Vietnam’s development as well as relation between the two nations on its special edition in May, 2010.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese consul general to Frankfurt Nguyen Huu Trang also reviewed the consulate’s activities to strengthen relations between the two nations.

Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador Do Hoa Binh expressed heartfelt thanks to the Vietnamese community’s material and spiritual contributions to the success of the “Vietnam year in Germany”.

Young traditional music exchange with China

A traditional music exchange programme between students from China’s Beijing University and their peers from Vietnam National Academy of Music took place in Hanoi on December 27.

The programme was held by the Sun Wah group with the aim of increasing understanding on the cultures at the two countries.

On this occasion, the Sun Wah foundation is scheduled to organise an art exhibition at the Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi on December 28.

Earlier, it held an exhibition on Vietnam’s sceneries in Ho Chi Minh City. Sun Wah foundation director Jonathan Choi said his foundation has decided to provide US$1 million to projects on health, education and arts for the first time to mark the group’s 40 years of presence in Vietnam.

The Hong Kong-based international Sun Wah group operates in food and seafood, financial services, infrastructure, technology and communications. Sun Wah began operations in Vietnam in 1970.

Painting exhibition opens on Christmas

A painting exhibition called “#” by a group of artists including Luong Luu Bien, Vo Duy Don, La Huy, Bui Tien Tuan, Mac Hoang Thuong, Phuong Quoc Tri and Nguyen Son opened at the Applied Arts Gallery in HCMC’s Binh Thanh District on Christmas, December 25.

The exhibition features about 30 oil on canvas paintings and an installation. Each of the artists had solo exhibition in 2010 so the group show is a review of their work this year with a few new pieces.

“It’s really worth seeing this show with famous artists displaying their different styles and emotional thrusts,” said Huong, a visitor to the show, adding that her favorite pieces were by Phuong Quoc Tri about human destiny.

The exhibition runs till December 31.

Ho Chi Minh inspired TV shows win golden awards

Thirty seven entries including four TV shows inspired by morals taught by Ho Chi Minh won golden awards  at the closing ceremony of the 30th National Television Festival in Can Tho City on December 25, reports VietnamPlus.

Fifty four silver awards and 124 certificates of merit were also granted.

Four winning entries made by television stations in Danang, Ninh Binh and Ben Tre had the theme of “Studying and working according the morals of Ho Chi Minh.” Other winners included ethnic-language programs by Vietnam Television in Can Tho, Danang, Bac Kan and Binh Phuoc.

For the first time, the National Festival had awards for best TV film. The Best Director was Bui Quoc Viet for the film “Dam lay bac”, the Best Actor went to Huynh Cong in the film “Vo ngua troi Nam,” Ho Thanh Ngoc won Best Actress for her role in the film “Me chong nang dau” and Nguyen Thanh Truc for the film “Vo ngua troi Nam” won Best Cameraman. 

The festival attracted 800 entries in 10 genres with a 52 member jury.

The jury panel congratulated all the entries on their high quality and topical subject matter including copy right piracy, school violence, online gaming, business fraud and ineffective economic projects.

Oriental medical books reveal secrets

While society's traditional values are fading little by little, there is a man who continues to maintain a large collection of small terra-cotta statues, antique coins and ancient Chinese script books.

The man, who is well-known for his antique collecting is Nguyen Khac Bao, head of a trade union branch in the northern city of Bac Ninh.

Bao was born to a family with five generations of experience in making oriental medicine. After graduating, he became a maths teacher at the Teacher Training School 1 in former Ha Bac province.

In 1989, Bao took early retirement after 26 years working as an educator./.

Hanoi honors Grand Ceremony’s sponsors

Hanoi municipal People’s Committee on December 25 presented certificates of merit to 98 organizations and ten individuals who sponsored trillions of VND to the city’s 1000th birthday anniversary.

The names of the organizations and individuals will be enlisted in the golden book to be displayed in Hanoi Museum, said Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee Phi Thai Binh.

This is the first time Hanoi received such a huge financial support from organizations and individuals for its social event, the Vice Chairman noted.

With the money, many entertainment facilities such as cinema have been built and many other activities have been organized in celebration of the city’s 1000th birthday, he added.

Besides, thousands of scientists and scholars published their own articles or researches covering culture, history and architecture that help enrich the capital’s all-around profile.

Furthermore, hundreds of artists, craftsmen, or ordinary people created and freely present their special art and handicraft produces to Hanoi on the occasion. One of the most outstanding works is the Ceramic Mosaic Mural that recognized by Guinness World Records.

CD/DVD fair to open in Ho Chi Minh City

The Recording Industry Association of Vietnam will hold a CD/DVD fair, from December 31 in Ho Chi Minh City, featuring over 5,000 disks of all genres.

The fair has so far gathered 14 manufacturers nationwide and purports to call on the public to buy and support copyrighted CDs and DVDs.

It will feature more than 5,000 disks in various genres of music, movies, and education software, offering 10 percent discount for all products.

Local pop stars like Duc Tuan, Huong Giang, Dam Vinh Hung, Ngoc Son will make appearances at the event to participate in an Q&A session with fans and fairgoers.

The exhibition will take place at the Labor Cultural Center at District 1’s 55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street until January 2, 2011.

Folk singing festival 2011 begins

Vietnam Television has launched the 2011 Folk Singing Festival to discover new original folk melodies peculiar to each region as well as prominent folk singing voices.

Participants in the festival will include artists aged between 18-30 (from both professional and amateur art troupes) who are capable of rendering different original folk tunes, and artisans aged 18-80. The People’s and Eminent Artists are ineligible for the contest.

Each province or city is permitted to submit two or three typical performances; each province in mountainous areas or primarily inhabited by ethnic minorities can send in up to five entries.

The final of the festival will take place in six regions: the northern delta and midland, the northern mountainous areas, the north central region, the Central Highlands, the south central region, and the southern region.

PV