Vietnamese rockers win favour at ASEAN fest

 

A Vietnamese rock band, “Buc Tuong” (The Wall), has won the audience’s applause at a rock festival during the ASEAN Youth Cultural Exchange Festival 2011 (AYCEF 2011) in Jakarta, Indonesia.

 

With their professional and impressive style in the performance on May 1, the five-member band’s three songs, especially a song in the style of Vietnamese folk music named “Ra Khoi” (Setting out to sea) were praised as an unique combination between the traditional factor and modern rock.

 

In an interview to ASEAN magazine, Ambassador, Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to ASEAN Vu Dang Dung said that Vietnam’s participation in AYCEF 2011 helped strengthen people-to-people exchange and cultural interaction among ASEAN nations, as well as Vietnam’s active contributions to the bloc.

 

The ASEAN Youth Rock Festival was held on the initiative of the current ASEAN Chair, Indonesia to boost cultural exchanges between young people in regional countries.

 

Ambassador meets UNESCO and Francophonie leaders

 

Ambassador Duong Van Quang, Head of Vietnam’s Mission to UNESCO, has presented his credentials to the Director General of UNESCO and the Secretary General of La Francophonie in France.

 

During the meeting with UNESCO chief Irina Bokova, Quang affirmed that Vietnam wants the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization to continue to help the country preserve and build on its natural and cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO.

 

The ambassador said Vietnam also seeks UNESCO assistance in preparing and submitting new dossiers.

 

Quang stressed the role of UNESCO as nations are trying to associate culture with sustainable development and thanked Bokova for visiting Vietnam during the celebrations for the millennial anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

 

Bokova said that UNESCO and Vietnam share the same approach to culture, education and science, which she believes will further promote bilateral cooperation for the interests of both sides.

 

At the meeting with Abdou Diouf, Secretary General of the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF), Ambassador Quang reiterated Vietnam’s consistent external policy toward the French-speaking community.

 

Meanwhile, Diouf highlighted the importance of the seventh Francophone Summit in Hanoi in 1997, which approved the Francophonie charter and elected a Secretary General.

 

Diouf confirmed his support for a project to develop the French language in Southeast Asia and expressed his pleasure at the news that the French television channel TV5 Monde has been subtitled in Vietnamese for cable, satellite and digital TV services in Vietnam.

 

Dep Fashion Show wins Asian fashion award

 

The annual fashion show launched by Vietnam Pictorial’s publication, Dep magazine, won a prize at the second Fashion Asian Awards (FAA) 2011, in Dalian city, China on April 29.

 

The ninth Dep Fashion Show (DFS) “Dreaming” beat two other nominees, Japan’s “Miss Walkway Collection” show and India’s “Making the Cut” show, to win the prize in the category of Asian Top Fashionable Contest of the Year.

 

FAA 2011 awarded prizes in 19 categories to candidates from 12 countries and territories in the region including Vietnam, mainland China, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and Taiwan (China).

 

Besides DFS, Vietnam also had nominees in the categories of Top Fashion Model and Top Fashionable Creative Design.

 

The first FAA was held in Hangzhou city, China in February 2009 with contestants from nearly 10 countries, who established the Asian Fashion Media Association (AFMA) with 17 communications agencies from eight countries including Malaysia, Japan, Mongolia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and China.

 

Hanoi life shown in exhibition at Versailles

 

Life in Hanoi in the past and at present is the highlight of an on-going photograph exhibition in Versailles, France, as part of activities to mark the 36th anniversary of the Liberation of South Vietnam (April 30) and International Labour Day (May 1).

 

The exhibition “Hanoi – Now and Then” was under the “Versailles – a meeting with Vietnam” programme, jointly held by the Centre for Vietnamese Culture in France in coordination with relevant French agencies, from April 26-30.

 

The lively life in Hanoi in the old times as well as the capital city’s recent changes and developments during international integration are reflected vividly in black and white and colour photos taken by French and Vietnamese people.

 

There are also pictures of Vietnam’s sites of interest like Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha Ke Bang cave, Hue imperial city, Hoi An ancient town, and the unique and colourful costumes of ethnic minority people in Vietnam’s central region.

 

After the exhibition in Versailles, the photos will be shown in several other cities in France to promote tourism in Vietnam, according to Le Hong Chuong, Director of the Centre for Vietnamese Culture in France.

 

Within the framework of the “Versailles – a meeting with Vietnam” programme, documentary films about UNESCO-recognised relics and landscapes in Vietnam were screened, and there was an art performance and Vietnamese cuisine on April 30.

 

Artistic performance marks Vietnam-Morocco relations

 

A large crowd of overseas Vietnamese and Moroccan people gathered for an artistic performance at the Mohamed National Theatre in Morocco’s capital city of Rabat to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Morocco diplomatic ties on April 27.

 

The event was jointly held by the Vietnamese embassy in Morocco and the Moroccan Ministries of Culture, Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

 

Secretary General of the Moroccan Ministry of Culture, Amed Gouitaa, and Vietnamese Ambassador Cao Xuan Than highlighted the friendship and traditional cooperation between the two countries.

 

They affirmed their resolve to elevate bilateral relations to a new height, especially through cultural exchanges, seeing this as a bridge to expanding cooperative ties in other areas.

 

The event featured the Vietnamese martial art (Vovinam), the Ao dai (Vietnamese women’s traditional long dress) and musical performances by Vietnamese and Moroccan students.

 

Japan’s comics and cartoonists in Hanoi exhibition

 

An exhibition of Japanese comics and print cartoons (aka manga) will take place in the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts in Hanoi on May 18.

 

With the theme ‘Discovering Japanese contemporary comic books’, the show will feature nine of Japan’s most outstanding cartoonists and their original drawings since 2000.

 

The exhibition will also highlight a background of Japan’s modern comic industry which was founded shortly after World War II and focus on the specific world in manga with three dimensions and the author’s experiences.

 

The show also reveals the role of comic books in modern society in Japan. In Japan, comic books have developed as a culture industry and not only for children as they also cover important social issues such as sports, love, science and education.

 

The exhibition runs until June 16 at the museum on 56 Nguyen Thai Hoc.

 

World famous U.S. dance troupe visits Vietnam 

 

The international Ballroom Dance Company from Brigham Young University, one of the U.S.’s leading troupes, will entertain Vietnamese audiences in Danang and Hanoi from May 12 to 14.

 

The show themed ‘Grasping the miracles’ will feature Latin and international dance styles from classic to contemporary including waltz, samba, foxtrot and hustle.

 

The troupe has 50 members, of which 32 are dancers. While touring around the world, they bring numerous musical instruments and hundreds of costumes. The shows in Vietnam promise to leave a strong impression on the local audiences with a creative, young and dynamic style in colorful costumes.

 

The troupe has won 27 championships in the U.S. and 12 international titles.

 

Since its formation in 1870, the troupe has given performances in 35 countries worldwide.

 

Vietnam is the next stop for the troupe who has just come from Thailand. The troupe will perform in Trung Vuong Theater, 118 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street in Danang City and the outdoor stage of Bao Son Paradise Theme Park on An Khanh Street, Hoai Duc District, Hanoi.

 

Polish violinist Smietana to perform in Hanoi

 

Polish violinist Alicja Smietana will team up with the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra under Carlos Cuesta’s expert guidance at the Hanoi Opera House on May 10.

 

Smietanat will perform Variation on ‘Se Vuol Ballare’ by Beethoven,  Sonata in D Minor No.3 by Brahms and Fatasie brilliante on the theme of Opera ‘Faust’ by Wieniawski.

 

Born in 1983 in Krakow, Smietana has been described by San Francisco music critics as having “extraordinary brilliance and sensibility”.

 

Alicja studied at the Krakow Academy of Music with Mieczyslaw Szlezer and later moved to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with David Takeno, Stephany Gonley and Ofer Falk. In October 2009 she joined Young Soloists at the Kronberg Academy where she studied with Christian Tetzlaff.

 

Last year Nigel Kennedy invited her as co-founder for his new outfit Orchestra of Life.

 

Tickets are priced at VND150,000 and VND250,000 at the Opera House, 1 Trang Tien Street and at Vietnam National Academy of Music, 77 Hao Nam Street in Hanoi.

 

Idecaf movie treats this month

 

Idecaf will showcase four French movies and a German offering for the ridiculously cheap price of VND15,000 for each screening.

 

German film Nach Fünf im Urwald (After Five in the Forest Primeval) will be shown at 7.30 p.m. on May 17. The 1995 romantic comedy directed by Hans-Christian Schmid and starring Franka Potente in her movie debut sees Anna, 17, throwing her first big birthday party without her parents, but some of her guests are so drunk that they crash the house and, even worse, destroy the favorite record of Anna’s father. After the return of her shocked and angry parents, Anna runs away to Munich with boyfriend Simon. They discover the nightlife of the big city and become involved with a new group of friends. Anna’s frantic parents get in touch with Simon’s mother and father as they try to find their children. As they travel around Munich, her parents reminisce about their own wild days as teenagers.

 

The 2003 Le Coeur des Hommes (Frenchmen) by Marc Esposito, will be shown at 3 p.m. at May 7. Alex, Antoine, Jeff and Manu are four best friends living in Paris. Their time is shared between their respective jobs, their relationships with women and the times they meet together to discuss life and have fun. Several events happen that change their lives forever. It is a story about how they keep their friendship alive despite the dark times.

 

French comedy Je Crois que Je L’aime (Could This Be Love?) focuses on how forty-three-year-old Lucas, a rich, divorced industrialist, can’t resist thirty-eight-year-old Elsa, a renowned ceramist whom he has commissioned to create a fresco for his office foyer. But, still smarting from recent heartache, he asks Roland Christin, a private detective, to discover why this lovely woman is still single. The film airs at 3 p.m. on May 14.

 

Le Petit Lieutenant (The Young Lieutenant) is a 2005 drama by French director Xavier Beauvois which tells how Antoine graduates from police academy and moves to the big city intent on making his contribution to the fight against crime. Captain Vaudieu (Nathalie Baye) takes him under her wing. Antoine fits easily into her team of work-hard, play-hard detectives. Then tragedy strikes and Vaudieu has to fight the memories that she used to be drown in drink. Baye won Best Actress in a leading role at César Awards for her performance. It will be screened at 3p.m. on May 21.

 

Kirikou et Les Betes Sauvages (Kirikou and the Wild Beast) is a 2005 French animated feature which premiered at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. The movie will be screened at 3 p.m. on May 28. HCMC-based French institute Idecaf is at 31 Thai Van Lung Street, District 1.

 

Ethnicity’s place of courtship recognized as cultural site

 

The northern province of Ha Giang has recently recognized its famous Khau Vai Love Market in Meo Vac District as a historical cultural site.

 

Nguyen Trung Thuong, Director of Ha Giang’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the recognition was part of an effort to promote the cultural identity of ethnic minorities which make up a big part of the population of Ha Giang.

 

Every year on lunar March 26th and 27th single men and women throughout the province gather at this 90-year-old market to look for a partner, making it an important cultural event.

 

Thuong said Ha Giang planned to revive market activities, build hotels and improve roads as part of a master plan to attract tourists to this area.

 

Viet-Franco writer to judge French literary award

 

Vietnamese – French journalist and writer Tran Huy Minh, known for her book La double vie d’Anna Song (The Double Life of Anna Song), has been chosen to be one of nine judges of the annual France-based literature award Drouot.

 

The Drouot award was founded in 2007 by the French public auctions institution Drouot with professional assistance from French literary magazine Le Magazine Littéraire. The award honors the best French fictitious writings in art.

 

Born in Paris in 1979, Minh is now the deputy editor of Le Magazine Littéraire.

 

She’s also the editor of the culture section Des mots de minuit and literature section Jeux d’épreuves on Frane 2 and France Culture TV channels respectively.

 

La double vie d’Anna Song (2010) which won the Drouot last year is her third novel after La Princesse et le pêcheur (The Princess and the fisher) (2007) and Le Lac né en une nuit (Nhat Da lagoon and other Vietnam’s legends) (2008).

 

French town to hold Vietnam Month

 

From May 5, a month-long cultural program featuring Vietnam-themed cultural, academic, and performance activities will be held in Lorient, a small town situated northwest of France’s Brittany coast.

 

The town has had a long tradition of medical cooperation and exchange with Vietnam, pioneered by the medical nongovernmental organization APPEL which has operated in the country since 1968.

 

“For years, we have helped provide training for Vietnamese medical staff and run different community development projects in Vietnam, such as a clean water program in Khanh Hoa and Kien Giang province,” pediatric doctor Gildas Tréguier, head of the APPEL branch in Lorient said.

 

“Now we want to widen the scope to include cultural, historical and social exchanges activities and introduce more about Vietnam to the French people,” he added.

 

During the event, an academic conference centering on children, named L’enfant, ici et là-bas (Children, here and there) will be chaired by APPEL to discuss child education, health and development issues in Vietnam.

 

More than 120 ao dai designs by three Vietnamese famous fashion designers, Minh Hanh, Trong Nguyen and Viet Lien will also be featured at the festival.

 

To be held at Lorient’s Grand Palace square and Gabriel hotel, the ao dai fashion show will introduce Minh Hanh’s deep color pieces adorned by handcrafted details.

 

Trong Nguyen’s patterns drew inspiration from the phoenix while Viet Lien use color blocks with traditional embroideries on Vietnam’s traditional wear.

 

The Month of Vietnam will be held until May 29.

 

No Truong Sa day at Nha Trang sea fest: official

 

Nha Trang coastal city will not organize the Truong Sa Day at this year’s Sea festival as planned earlier, Khanh Hoa People’s Committee has said.

 

Earlier, Le Xuan Than, deputy chairman of the province’s Committee, said on March 29 that Truong Sa Day is scheduled to be held on June 15 at Bach Dang Park.

 

The Day was to feature Truong Sa archipelagos and Vietnamese islands through workshops, photo exhibition, and film screening to affirm Vietnamese sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly Islands).

 

Instead, the organizers said the sea festival themed "Nha Trang - sea rendezvous" will feature more than 60 activities like Miss Khanh Hoa beauty contest, Cau Ngu whale worship fest, bird’s nest fest, cuisine fest, film week, music performances, fashion shows, beer fest, among others from June 2-15.

 

The biennial fest is aimed at promoting the province’s traditional cultural values and tourism industry to the world.

 

Vietnam to auction Ha Long Bay painting at Korean pageant

 

Huong Giang will try to represent as a modern and dynamic Vietnamese womanPhan Thi Huong Giang, who will represent Vietnam at the Miss Global Beauty Queen competition held in Seoul (Korea) this month, left Vietnam for Korea on May 1, bringing with her an embroidery painting of Ha Long Bay for an auction there.

 

Besides charity purposes, Giang also wants to promote to foreign friends Vietnamese tourism, especially Ha Long Bay, a world heritage recognized by UNESCO in 1999.

 

As the first runner-up in the 2009 Miss Jewelry contest and having experience doing fashion shows overseas, the 21-year-old beauty said she is confident of a good show and will try to represent as a modern and dynamic Vietnamese woman.

 

Miss Global Beauty Queen, which debuted in 2005, seeks to help the less fortunate people and victims of natural disasters around the world.

 

The theme of this year is Beauty with a heart, attracting participation of contestants from 60 countries including the US, Japan, and China.

 

Contestants need to go through several rounds like talents, traditional clothes, bikini before the finale on May 10.

 

People can vote for their favorite contestants and donate to the contest at http://vote.missglobalbeauty.org/vote/vote.php

 

Hoi An restores 7 ancient houses

 

Hoi An, a UNESCO world heritage city, has restored seven important historical and cultural relics since last month at a cost of VND2.7 billion (US$135,000).

 

According to the Relic Preservation and Management Center, the relics include a centuries-old house at 14 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street and six other ancient houses that faced a high risk of collapse on Bach Dang and Tran Phu Streets.

 

The city has earmarked VND5 billion this year for upgrading its relics.

 

Hoi An, which was made a world heritage in 1999, has around 200 relics, including 82 ancient houses, 87 pagodas, several ancient wells, and a tiled bridge.

 

US honor for 3 Vietnamese photographers

 

Three Vietnamese photographers are in the annual “Who’s who in photography” compiled by the Photographic Society of America.

 

Dao Tien Dat, who was one of the judges of an international competition hosted last month by the United Photographers International, an international photography organization, is rated top in the small color as well as black-and-white categories.

 

The photographer from the central province of Binh Dinh is also second in the digital category.

 

Le Hong Linh of Ho Chi Minh City is second in the small black-and-white category.

Tran Phong of Gia Lai Province is third in small black and white and fifth in digital.

 

The annual list is compiled by the PSA based on award-winning photos and photos chosen for exhibitions around the world.

 

Thai paintings capture Hanoi's beauty

 

A painting exhibition featuring works about Hanoi people and life by three Thai painters is held today  in Hanoi to celebrate 35 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Thailand.

 

Titled “Hanoi in Spring,” the exhibition will include pencil and coal portraits of Hanoians by Suwit Jaipom along with oil and watercolor paintings of daily life in Hanoi by Direk Kingnok and Dinhin Rakpong Asoke.

 

At the opening ceremony to take place at 6pm on May 3, Suwit Jaipom will draw pencil and coal portraits for visitors.

 

The exhibition will run until May 9 at the Viet Art Center, 42 Yen Kieu Street.

 

Actor eliminated from Dancing with the Stars

 

Despite his attempt at difficult moves, actor Hua Vi Van was eliminated after the third of TV dance show Dancing with the Stars last night.

 

Hua Vi Van’s performance with partner Anna Nikolaeva Sidova, which was inspired by American comedy musical classic “Singing in the rain,” was judged by the jury as “lacking humor.”

 

Other star contestants better succeeded in impressing the jury in this round, which was themed “free style.”

 

Singer Thu Minh and Lachezar Stefanov Todorov were applauded as charming in a lively performance set against the background music of hip-hop hit Low.

 

Meanwhile, supermodel Vu Thu Phuong and her partner Tihomir surprised the jury with a traditional Japanese dance combined with a distinctly contemporary style.

 

In the Japanese traditional costume Kimono, Phuong performed well besides two Samurais to capture the fight between good and evil and Japanese stoicism.

 

“I want more,” said dance sport athlete Khanh Thi, a jury member. Thi complimented Phuong for her creativity and excellent moves.

 

For their parts, actress Thanh Thuy and her partner Aleksandar Vacher fell short of themselves and didn’t get the highest score yesterday as they managed to do in the second round.

 

Despite his sickness, rocker Anh Khoa and his partner Iva won the jury with an extraordinary traditional Bulgarian dance and received the highest score of 38.

 

For this season of Dancing with the Stars, 10 local celebrities are pairing with foreign professional dancers to compete for votes from both the jury and the public.

 

The star contestants are Thu Minh, Thuy Tien, Pham Anh Khoa, and Nguyen Vu, Huy Khanh, Dai Nghia, Hua Vi Van, Thanh Thuy, Kim Hien, and Vu Thu Phuong.

 

The show is being broadcast live from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Vung Tau on Sunday nights at 8 pm. The season finale will take place on July 3.

 

First album for visually impaired children released

 

An album featuring singer Hien Thuc’s performances of Trinh Cong Son songs using Braille is now available for visually impaired children.

 

Titled “Angel,” the album with its cover written in Braille has been given as gifts to visually impaired children around Ho Chi Minh City.

 

The album includes familiar Trinh Cong songs as well as “Thien su bang khuang” (the dazed angel), which has never been recorded before.

 

“Angel” is Hien Thuc’s second album featuring Trinh Cong Son works after “Portrait 17” in 2009.

 

Hue culinary quintessential captured in book

 

A book capturing the philosophical depth and cultural influences of Hue cuisine by researcher Nguyen Nha has been released as part of the on-going Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2011.

 

Titled “Hue’s Unique Cuisine,” the book also features recipes that have evolved through different historical periods of the former imperial capital.

 

Readers are offered an insight into the two integral traditions of Hue cuisine: folk and Imperial Court cuisine.

 

Rare Nguyen Dynasty manuscripts on sale in US

 

A set of rare manuscripts belonging to Vietnam’s 19th century Nguyen Dynasty is on sale at Klinebooks, an antiquarian book dealer based in Santa Monica, California (US).

 

Still in excellent conditions, the set, named Grande Tenue de la Cour d’Annam in French (Raiment of the Court of Annam) depicts in original watercolors courtiers and costumes of the Nam Giao festival, the largest national festival of Hue-based Nguyen Dynasty.

 

These pieces were painted by a man named Nguyen Van Nhan in December 1902, most likely as a gift to be presented at the 100-year celebration of Nguyen Dynasty, Klinebooks’ Laurent Mazzotti said.

 

The art dealer also contacted French noted museum of Asian art, the Guimet (Paris) which boasts one of the largest collections of Asian art outside Asia.

 

America’s art and antiques show manager Sanford L. Smith & Associates called the original script a unique one with spectacular illustrations in vibrant colors.

 

After a long interruption, Nam Giao festival has been revived in Hue Festival since 2004, an annual event to promote the country’s rich culture and history.

 

However, due to a lack of documented resources of the original festival, many historians have criticized that the restoration of Nam Giao has been merely superficial and lost its authenticity.

 

To Vietnam’s last feudal regime ruling from 1802 to 1945, Nam Giao is an important ritual to honor the earth, the sky and the gods, representing a wish for peace and prosperity.

 

The ceremony is featured by royal rituals, court music, royal dance performances and folk games.