Concert protests rhino horn use

Twenty famous Vietnamese musicians yesterday performed in a televised music show Loi Khan Cau tu Thien Nhien (Solicitation from Nature) as part of the "Stop Using Rhino Horn" campaign.

The two-hour performance was organised by the nonprofit organisation WildAid in collaboration with the African Wildlife Foundation, CHANGE Center, and Viet Nam Television at Ben Thanh Theatre in HCM City's District 1.

Performing were celebrities My Linh, Thu Minh, Australian Idol 2008 winner Thanh Bui, Viet Nam Idol 2010 winner Uyen Linh, singers Ngoc Tuyen, Mai Khoi, Phuong Vy, Dong Nhi and Ho Trung Dung.

The LIFE dance group and the 50-member chorus of HCM City-based SOUL Music and Performing Arts Academy (SMPAA) were also featured.

Documentary films about rhino protection activities were shown during the show.

The show aimed to create conditions for students to learn about the alarming level of illegal wildlife trade and consumption in Viet Nam. About 1,000 young people in HCM City attended the performance.

The Stop Using Rhino Horn campaign expects to improve Viet Nam's image in the eyes of international friends by releasing positive images of Vietnamese youths involved in natural conservation, and sustainable and civilised development.

Award-winning cartoon to be screened

Animation filmmaker Pham Ngoc Tuan has won the first prize at the short animated cartoon making contest launched by the South Korean Cultural Centre.

His cartoon, entitled Bo Cua Ga Con (Father of Chicken), is a story of a lonely dog and his happy chicken family neighbour. They are separated by a fence and do not enjoy a good relationship. After the dog catches an egg and becomes the father of a newly-hatched chicken, the relations get much better.

"The cartoon convinced the jury board since it depicted paternal love and funny situations," said the centre director, Park Nark-jong, at the contest award ceremony held in Ha Noi yesterday.

Tuan is a veteran animation filmmaker and also a deputy-director of the Viet Nam Animation Centre, one of the four studios in the entire nation taking part in the contest.

"I don't think about the award. I sent my latest cartoon to the contest to introduce it. I also want to see the cartoons made by other young filmmakers," said Tuan. The ten-minute cartoon film was produced in eight months as part of the Viet Nam Animation Centre's annual plan.

The second and the third awards went to Lu and Robot by Co Lo Ry Studio and Chiec Banh Tinh Ban (Friendship Cake) by Phan Ngoc Thuy Duong – a second-year student of HCM Architecture College.

The three award-winning animation films also received support from the Korean Gangwon Information & Multimedia Corporation (GIMC) yesterday and today to improve their films.

These will be shown at the Chuncheon Anitown Festival, the most popular international animation festival in Korea, in September.

"It will be a good opportunity to introduce Vietnamese cartoons at the Chuncheon Anitown Festival. I will take advantage of this opportunity to share my filmmaking experience and appraise Vietnamese cartoons," said Tuan.

The first, second and third place winners will win prizes worth VND30 million (roughly US$1,500) offered by the cultural centre, VND20 million ($) offered by the GIMC and VND20 million offered by the Viet Nam Department of Cinematography, respectively.

The contest launched in June attracted 22 cartoons from four studios including the State-owned Viet Nam Animation Centre, and from independent filmmakers.

The top award winner, Father of Chicken, is among eight cartoon films to be screened at the second Viet Nam – Korea Animation Festival, to be held from 13-16 August at Ha Noi's Au Co Theatre.

Three shows will be held at 3pm, 5pm and 7pm on Saturday and Sunday. One more screening will begin at 9.30am on Sunday.

Mekong Delta art show to celebrate National Day

The new Mekong Delta Fine Arts Exhibition of 233 paintings, sculptures and other artworks has opened in Bac Lieu Province as part of the celebrations of the 70th National Day on September 2.

The event, organised by the Viet Nam Fine Arts Association and the province's Literature and Arts Association, showcases the latest products of 200 artists from the provinces and cities of the Mekong Delta.

The artworks are made of silk, lacquer, coloured powder or wood.

The organisers have awarded prizes worth a total of VND10 million (US$476) to eight of the best works, many of which highlight local people's life.

These include Su Doi lap Cua Cuoc Song (The Contrast of Life), an oil painting by Vo Thanh Lac from Dong Thap Province, and Giao Luu Don Ca Tai Tu (Don Ca Tai Tu Performance), an oil painting by Quoc Hung from Bac Lieu Province.

The exhibition will close on August 19.

Another exhibition featuring artefacts related to transport opened on Wednesday in Can Tho City to celebrate the National Day.

The exhibition 100 Nam Giao Thong Ve Can Tho (A Hundred Years of Transport Development in Can Tho) includes more than 200 photos, images and documents on the city's main routes and traffic construction sites. Vintage bicycles, automobiles and boats are also exhibited.

The event is open at the Museum of Can Tho City from Tuesday to Thursday until December.

Adult colouring books all the rage

Psychology expert Dinh Doan, painter Pham Thu Thuy and MC Tran Xuan Quynh will discuss the new popularity of adult colouring books at The Book Talk No 3 in Ha Noi starting at 7pm today.

The event will be held at Manzi Art Space, 14 Phan Huy Ich Street in Ba Dinh District.

Since mid-2015, colouring books for adults have appeared in Viet Nam, including Vuong Quoc Muon Loai (Animal Kingdom), a bestseller in the UK featuring drawings of nature, birds and plants in black and white, and Thien Duong Nhiet Doi (Tropical Wonderland), both by British author Millie Marotta; and Mot Ngay Dep Troi (Beautiful Day) by South Korean author Park Young-Mi.

The books "have appeared on the top list of websites that sell books, and have created a ‘revolution' in entertainment", a press release from The Book Talk's organiser, Nha Nam Culture and Communications, said.

Heritage magazine unveils awards

Vietnam Heritage magazine has announced the opening of the annual Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards.

The awards will be given to the best photos depicting Vietnamese natural and cultural heritages, which can be images of nature, tangible and intangible heritages, and the daily life of people around the country.

Entries should be sent to www.photocontest.vietnamheritage.com.vn.

The results will be announced and the awards of 10 Canon cameras and printers will be given on November 23.

To celebrate the 20th year anniversary of tourism in Binh Thuan, organisers will earmark six prizes for photos taken in the central coastal province.

One hundred photos will be chosen for exhibitions in the country and abroad.

The jury comprises Hoang Trung Thuy, a photographer and the chairman of the Gia Dinh photography club; photographers Doan Thi Tho, Truong Huu Hung, and Le Huu Dung; and film director Nguyen Quoc Hung.

The magazine is published by the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association and the awards are given to commemorate National Cultural Heritage Day, November 23.

Since its inception in 2012, the contest has received more than 13,000 entries.

Buffalo Tours unveils promotion to attract tourists to VN

Buffalo Tours has launched a promotion campaign to attract tourists following the Government's recent move to increase the number of countries whose nationals do not need a visa to enter Viet Nam to 22.

With effect from July 1 citizens of the UK, Italy, Germany, Spain, and France do not need visas.

For bookings made from now until December 30, Buffalo is offering citizens of the 22 nations savings on a select range of short-stay packages.

The company is offering discounts on seaplane tickets from Ha Noi to Ha Long Bay and promotional rates for tours of Hoi An, Ha Noi, HCM City, and Can Tho.

Toyota concert makes debut in Thanh Hoa

The Toyota Concert 2015 was held for the first time in Lam Son city in the central province of Thanh Hoa on August 13 as part of activities to celebrate the 2015 National Tourism Year-Thanh Hoa.

The concert was performed by the Vietnam National Orchestra Symphony under the baton of Japanese conductor Honna Tetsuji, with the participation of well-known artists such as violinist Bui Cong Duy and saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan.

At the event, audiences enjoyed Vietnamese lyrical music as well as classic masterpieces by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Charles-Camille.

Thanh Hoa was the final destination of the Toyota Concert 2015. Earlier, the event was aired in Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.-

Son and his photo installation “8 sq.m”

The photo installation “8 sq.m” by artist Nguyen The Son opened at the Goethe Institute in Hanoi on August 13.

In his photo installation, Son reflects the life and living environment of the migration workers in Vietnam. He addresses the individual consequences of the process of industrialization in Vietnam. People who move to the city in quest of work and often live there in the smallest spaces under severe conditions for years.

“8 sq.m” is the extended version of an installation that was shown by Nguyen The Son last year in the exhibition Green Journey for Vietnam at the University of Fine Arts.

After studying the Chinese language and fine arts, Nguyen The Son worked at the University of Fine Arts before he graduated in Photography at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Peking.

Since 2012 the artist has been working as a lecturer at the University of Fine Arts Vietnam and has been represented in many group- and solo exhibitions. His latest project “Hanoi–a living museum” combines past memories of the city with the changing rhythm of the present.

The exhibition titled “8 sq.m” will last through to August 30.

JW Marriott Hanoi hosts US Food Festival

JW Marriott Hanoi’s JW Café will host an American culinary journey from September 1 to September 14 by the famous chef from the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Scottsdale Resort & Spa in the US, Paul Anthony Valenzuela, to celebrate 20 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the US.

Selecting the most exemplary dishes of American gastronomy, the Marriott’s chef will satisfy guests’ appetite with amazing culinary wonders from half a world away.

With two separate traditional menus crafted to perfection, guests can enjoy some of the best-known American classics, from creamy Boston clam chowder on the East Coast to flavorful beef chili from the Southwest and the country’s all-time-favorite, apple pie.

Lunch will be served from 12pm to 2.30pm and dinner from 6pm to 10pm, with prices starting from VND770,000++ ($35) per person.

“President Ton Duc Thang with Vietnam People’s Army” exhibition opened

An exhibition marking the 127th anniversary of late President Ton Duc Thang's birthday (August 20, 1888- 2015) named “President Ton Duc Thang with Vietnam People’s Army” was opened in the Southeastern Armed Forces Museum yesterday.

The exhibition was held by Political Bureau of Military Zone 7, Department of Culture, Sport and Ton Duc Thang Museum.

On display were over 100 photos, documentaries and exhibits to highlight emotions of late President Ton Duc Thang to Vietnam People’s Army and Military Zone 7’s army forcer, and from soldiers, officials to the President.

In addition, the exhibition also introduced to visitors the foundation, struggle and development of Vietnam People’s Army during past 70 years.

It will run until September 20.  

Vietnam’s cultural night impresses US friends

A Vietnamese cultural night themed ‘Colours of Vietnam’ opened at the NewYork Historical Society Museum and Library Archive (NYHS) in New York city on August 12 (local time) as an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the normalisation of Vietnam-US diplomatic relations.

The gala attracted much attention from US friends, Vietnamese representative offices, Overseas Vietnamese and students in the country.

It introduced to the US public the traditional musical instruments and costumes of Vietnamese ethnic groups, and the latest Ao Dai (traditional Vietnamese long dress) by the country’s leading designers. The guests also saw Vietnamese folk songs and dances.

In his opening remark, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh expressed his hope that the event would help Americans learn more about Vietnam, a country with a rich history and diverse culture.

He also stressed that reviewing the past 20 years of normalisation, culture has played a special role in bringing Vietnam and the US together.

Head of the Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga said that the past decade witnessed significant progress in Vietnam-US relations with the establishment of the comprehensive partnership.

The outcomes are largely attributed to culture and people-to-people exchanges as the activities have helped heal the wounds of war, and build trust and mutual understanding, she emphasised.

NYHS President Louise Mirrer affirmed that it was an honour for the NYHS to host the event, expressing her hope to further co-operation with Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in the museum sector so that peoples from the two nations can understand more about the history of each other.

Six artists join Cafe Saigon exhibition

Eighteen paintings made on oil and lacquer by six Vietnamese artists are on display at a group exhibition called Cafe Saigon at Tu Do Gallery. Those works reflect the new creativeness and bold ideas of the young generation.

The six artists – Ho Van Hung, Tran The Vinh, Pham Tuan Tu, Chu Viet Cuong, Tran Dinh Binh and Nguyen Hoang Viet – are not from Saigon but Hanoi in the north and central provinces.

Cafe Saigon is expected to be where the participating artists tell Saigonese visitors stories about regions and angles of life.

Born in Nghe An and currently working and living in HCMC, Hung delves into the tough competition for survival in urban life. With colorful interlacing lines, he uses the images of trees to tell stories of people around him as trees of life.

Hanoian Tu tells mysterious stories of characters with no clear gender identity. The dark background layer, beheaded plastic dolls and soulless eyes remind visitors of haunted stories.

Meanwhile, Cuong brings to Cafe Saigon peaceful and rustic daily chores along the Red River. Visitors can hear lullabies, and see floating cottages scattered with old clothes and wooden boats at a river wharf.

In Saigon and Hanoi, people often wear face masks on the street and that image is depicted in portraits of Viet in a funny way.

Vinh and Binh have the same hobby of drawing faces as they believe the face can expose characteristics of a person.

The paintings are on show until August 28 at the gallery, 53 Ho Tung Mau Street, District 1, HCMC.