Encyclopaedia Britannica now in Vietnamese

The Vietnam Education Publishing House recently published a two volume 3,000 page Vietnamese language version of Encyclopaedia Britannica, which includes in excess of 25,000 word categories in 51 classifications.

Notably, the book set has been highly accredited by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. and introduced at its global online store. It includes more than 2,500 illustrative images and maps printed in four colours on high quality paper.

The encyclopaedia was first published in 1768-1771 in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has become the most prestigious encyclopaedia in the English language and the most used by schools, families, libraries and organisations throughout the world.  

VN’s colourful chapel named top ingenious work of architecture

Rainbow Chapel, a communal building made of recycled materials in Ho Chi Minh City’s outlying Binh Chanh district, topped the list of the 20 most ingenious works of architecture in 2014 elected by the US-based Huffington Post magazine.

The chapel was designed by a21studio as a community centre where people can participate in activities such as conference, weddings and exhibitions or enjoy light coffee and snacks.

The steel frame and metal sheets, used to build the 140 sq.m structure, were leftovers from the owner’s previous projects, allowing the building to be constructed on a tight budget.

Three layers of printed fabric cover the windows, creating a rainbow of light inside, while a tree-shaped steel column supports the roof.

The building accommodates a café, and has recycled furniture. Its kitchen and utility areas occupy a triangular space along one side.

The multi-coloured masterpiece also won the “World Building of the Year” Award at the 2014 World Architecture Festival in Singapore.

Tunnels recognised as national heritage site

The Vinh Moc Tunnel system in central Quang Tri Province's Vinh Linh District has been recognised as a national special heritage site following a decision by the government.

The system of underground tunnels, built by locals and Vietnamese soldiers from 1965-68, includes 114 tunnels that run through 15 villages. They protected locals and soldiers from American bombs during the war, keeping thousands of people safe inside for days.

The governmental decision puts the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and provincial authorities in charge of conserving the heritage site.

It also recognises temples, pagodas and historical sites around the country, including temples and tombs for Ly Dynasty (1009-1225) kings in Bac Ninh, Thay Pagoda in Ha Noi and Tay Son worshiping complex in Binh Dinh.

Youth concert to commemorate late singer Anh

Fifty young singers will participate in the first television music show Toi Toa Sang (I Shine) of 2015, which will commemorate the late talented singer Wanbi Tuan Anh, Vu Thanh Vinh, director of the show, said at a press conference yesterday.

Pop singer Wanbi Tuan Anh, who was once a top teenage singer with several hits between 2010 and 2011, died in July 2013 due to complications from a brain tumor at the age of 26.

"The number of singers who have registered to join the programme want to represent an energetic, optimistic person who lived with all heart for his passion," Vinh said.

The theme of the show will be Cam On (Thank You), which is also the name of one of Wanbi's hits.

The performance will likely centre on Wanbi's autobiography Bat Dau Tu Mot Ket Thuc (Starting from the End), which will unfold one after the other by the singer's friends and colleagues.

The show will take place at 8pm on January 17, and will be broadcast live on VTV9, VTV Hue, VTV Phu Yen and VTV Lam Dong, and several other regional television channels.

The monthly live show for young singers Toi Toa Sang airs at 8pm on the third Saturday of each month.

Belgium, VN promote restoration

Experts from La Cambre, the Brussels-based National School of Visual Arts, will come to the HCM City University of Culture next autumn to train master's and Ph.D students in artefact preservation and restoration.

"Viet Nam has several museums with great cultural values," said Georges Dewispelere, head of La Cambre's objects conservation department.

"That's why the country needs qualified employees working in the fields of restoration and preservation."

From 2010 to 2012, the French-speaking community of Belgium sent experts to Viet Nam to teach restoration techniques to more than 30 museum employees and teachers nationwide.

Since 2001, the French-speaking community of Belgium and the Association for the Promotion of Education and Training Abroad have sponsored the co-operative effort by the Viet Nam National History Museum and the Royal Museum of Mariemont to improve museum employees' abilities.

Subscription Concert Vol.77 to enthrall Hanoi audiences

Subscription Concert Vol.77 is set to get underway on January 15-16 at the Hanoi Opera House on No. 1 Trang Tien street.

The event has drawn the participation of foreign artists including conductor Olivier Ochanine, soprano Rachelle Gerodias and tenor Byeongin Park and the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra.

The performance will last in 1 hour 30 minutes including a 15 minutes break.

Ticket prices range from VND200,000, VND350,000 and VND500,000 and free delivery is provided.

Vietnamese myths featured in music

Vietnamese singer Le Cat Trong Ly along with American artists depicted six legendary Vietnamese myths through singing, live visual arts and an interactive dance in Ho Chi Minh City on January 10.

The American electronic duo, Space/Panther, will collaborate with Ly to create a digital fictional book about the six myths.

Le Cat Trong Ly used one of the legends in composing her first song Chenh Venh when she began her music career.

She wrote the song after reading the myths about Tien Dung and Chu Dong Tu.

Inspired by the Vietnamese stories, the production will take the audience on an exhilarating ride through a land of fantasy.

The legendary story of the fairy Au Co and dragon king Lac Long Quan represents the origin of the Vietnamese people, and the myth about Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh represents the seasonal patterns in Vietnam.

The story about Thanh Giong concerns a young boy who becomes a giant, brought by the gods to fight off invaders in Vietnam, and another myth revolves around Chu Dong Tu, a marsh boy who represents love, and is destined to marry a princess.

Two other myths are about Princess Lieu Hanh, a heavenly spirit, who is the goddess of the universe, and Ba Chua Xu, known as Lady of the Realm, who also brings prosperity and success to those who pray to her.

Four sold-out performances are expected to reach nearly 2,000 attendees.

In 2015, the projected tour throughout the country is predicted to reach 10,000 people.

After performances in HCM City, the group will tour in Da Nang, Hanoi, Hoi An, Hue, Nha Trang, and rural Vietnamese communities.

The performances are expected to capture the heart of the Vietnamese people by illustrating the country's historically rich and cultural experiences.

Standpoint Theories will include performers Ly and her American friends David Moses Haimovich, Bryon Ramsey, Leonard Rudd, Daniel Long, Emily Navarra, Julien Noyer, Julian Hodgson and Miki Morana, all of whom have lived in Vietnam for several years.

After earning fame beyond Vietnam, Ly studied Vietnamese traditional music and culture while living in Hanoi.

Artists join hands to raise community culture

A number of well-known Vietnamese artists have recorded a song named “Commit Vietnam”as part of the UNESCO project to raise people’s awareness of traffic safety and culture, environmental protection, and public manners.

The project is divided into 3 phases, starting from October 2014.

Famous model and actress Truong Ngoc Anh said this is a meaningful activity that Vietnamese artists and showbiz celebrities should take part in, using their influences to send the message to the community.

“Commit Vietnam” is scheduled to release widely in media channels with the aim of urging people to work together for a better Vietnam.

Hanoi audiences dazzled by RockStorm7

Thousands of Hanoi audiences gathered at My Dinh National Stadium on January 10 to attend RockStorm7 despite the cold weather and heavy rain.

The event, themed “Dong A Spirit”, left a deep impression on rock enthusiasts with a number of amazing performances of well-known local and foreign bands including Buc Tuong (The Wall), Morning Waits (from Hanoi), PAK Band (from Ho Chi Minh City), Ban Nguyen (from Hanoi), and Microwave, and Stevans band from Switzerland.

RockStorm has presented live shows in Haiphong, Hue, Danang, Bien Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho.

More than VND2 billion from ticket sale proceeds in seven cities over the next two months were donated to Operation Smile Vietnam, local Funds for Underprivileged Students and the Heart Fund of Vietnam Television.

Mau Son Winter Tourism Festival 2015 opens

The 2015 Mau Son Winter Tourism Festival has kicked off at the Mau Son Tourist Site in Lang Son province.

Organized by the Lang Son Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism the festival will feature special cultural and tourist products of Lang Son including a display of devices for brewing wine and Mau Son wine tastings.

Be Thi Thu Hien, deputy director of the Lang Son Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said this is the first time the province has organized the festival.

We plan on holding it annually and hope it will become a new tourist product of Mau Son and Lang Son as well as of all of the northeastern provinces. It’s part of a programme of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s to stimulate the demand for tourism.

Visiting Mau Son mount at this time of the year, tourists will be amazed with the spectacular natural beauty of the region, Hien added.

During the 2015 Mau Son Winter Tourism Festival, a number of specific cultural and arts activities will be held, the highlight of which is the opening ceremony in the central stage of Mau Son Tourism Area with an arts programme theme ‘Majestic and sacred Mau Son’.

Attending the festival, visitors will have an opportunity to learn more about Mau Son tourism through display of images, artifacts and documents related to cultural and historical monuments in Mau Son. In addition, many public arts performances will also be organized.

First Tiki Book Awards presented

Online retailer tiki.vn has announced the winners of its first book awards, most of whom were voted by Tiki's readers.

The Best-Selling Author prize was awarded to Nguyen Nhat Anh, who also won the Favourite Children's Book Award for Cho Toi Xin Mot Ve Di Tuoi tho (Give Me a Ticket to Childhood).

Nha Nam Culture and Communications JSC was voted the Favourite Book Distribution Company.

Ca Mau-based writer Nguyen Ngoc Tu was named Best Author for her contribution to Vietnamese literature.

"The Tiki Book Awards are the first in a series of awards praising writers, books and distribution units, with the aim of promoting a reading culture across the country," said Thai Son, director of Tiki.

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