VIUP wants Khau Vai Love Market preserved

The Vietnam Institute for Urban and Rural Planning (VIUP) has proposed adding Khai Vai Love Market and Khen Festival of the Mong ethnic minority group to a scheme on preservation of intangible cultural values when Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark is developed in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang by 2030.

VIUP rector Ngo Trung Hai said Khau Vai Love Market and the festival featuring bamboo flutes of the Mong ethnic group have unique values that need to be preserved.

Dong Van Karst Plateau is expected to incorporate a natural museum and theme parks of scientific, educational, cultural and geo-ecological significance.

Concerning the development of Dong Van tourism, cultural and historical center, VIUP wants to preserve and upgrade Dong Van Ancient Town and set up a museum featuring cultures of the ethnic minority groups in northern Vietnam.

An area of sports will be built for adventurers to play at Meo Vac border gate while a resort will be built in Yen Minh. Other entertainment facilities will also go up in Quan Ba Site.

Rest stops and supporting facilities for visitors will be built in addition to the preservation of the tourism spots on the plateau which is home to many ancient relics and artifacts.

Hai said the scheme is planned for submission to the Government for consideration and approval this year.

Dong Van Plateau is the only geopark in Vietnam recognized by UNESCO as an international geopark among 91 geoparks belonging to 27 countries and territories around the world.

Fantasia Wind Quintet to perform at Manzi

The Fantasia Wind Quintet will stage a special concert at Manzi Art Space tomorrow, October 17, featuring musical compositions from the romantic, classic and contemporary eras.

The concert will also create an open and intimate atmosphere with the audience, with the musicians talking about the works and the instruments.

Founded in 2006, the Fantasia Wind Quintet has some of Viet Nam's most accomplished professional musicians. All its members are teachers from the Viet Nam National Academy of Music and performers from the Viet Nam Symphony Orchestra.

The concert will start at 8pm. Manzi is located at 14, Phan Huy Ich Street.

CAMA ATK to showcase Danish music

A night of music with some of the most exciting and groundbreaking young performers from Denmark will take place at CAMA ATK tomorrow, October 17.

The night will start with a performance by Taragana Pyjarama, whose remixes have garnered much critical acclaim since his debut in 2010.

Lovers of cutting-edge electronic music will also enjoy the performance of Lydmor, a young singer and producer who has charmed the world with her quirky electronic music and intense live performances.

Feel Freeze, an eclectic duo with musical talent to match their heartwarming story, will also perform tomorrow night.

An extravaganza of accompanying visual effects will ensure that the audience will have a special treat as well.

The show starts at 8pm at CAMA ATK, 73A Mai Hac De Street.

Four contestants to vie for Viet Nam X-Factor top prize

Singing reality show Viet Nam X-Factor has reached its climax with the four best contestants set to compete in the final on Sunday.

Giang Hong Ngoc, Loki Bao Long, and the groups O Plus and F Band will perform in front of a star jury comprising top singers Dam Vinh Hung, Ho Quynh Huong, Duong Khac Linh, and Ho Ngoc Ha.

The final will be broadcast live on VTV 3 starting at 9.15pm.

FVH to screen award-winning movie

The Friends of Viet Nam Heritage will screen director Nhue Giang's film Lac Loi (Aimless) for its members tonight, October 16.

A fast-moving, tense human drama, the movie explores the themes of poverty, lust, jealousy and selfishness. It has won major Vietnamese film awards, including the Silver Kite from the Cinema Association of Viet Nam and the Silver Lotus at the 18th National Film Festival, both in 2013.

The Vietnamese movie with English subtitles will be screened for VND150,000 per ticket at Ha Noi Cinematheque, 22A Hai Ba Trung Street, from 7.30pm.

There will be a question-and-answer session later with director Nhue Giang.

To register, emailto nguyenvu_nganhang@yahoo.com.

Miss Vietnam International organisers reply to complaints about Japan show

After the Miss Vietnam International 2014 finale in Japan on October 12, comedian Viet Huong and other Vietnamese performers expressed dissatisfaction with arrangements at the show.

According to Huong, she and the rest of the crew were out on the streets of Japan until 1am trying to find accommodation. She has also said the organizers have not paid her for the performance.

In response, a representative of Viet Show Entertainment, the organisers, said: "First of all, on behalf of Viet Show Entertainment and co-organizer of Miss Vietnam International 2014, Motiti Trading Inc., I sincerely apologize to those who participated this last tour to Japan for the unfortunate events. We would like to take responsibility for not providing good logistical support, which led to the complaints of many performers. This is the first time we have arranged an transnational show and there were mistakes in the organisation. We apologize to these artists and the public."

The representative of Viet Show Entertainment also explained that there was a lack of communication between Viet Show Entertainment and Motiti Trading Inc. in booking flights and accommodations.

However, the representative of Viet Show Entertainment denied Viet Huong's complaint about payment. He said that on previous nights the crew was paid fully, but  they did not perform the final night and so were not paid for it.

Viet Huong commented that she wishes to move on from the incident and focus on upcoming shows.

Vietnam featured in Czech photojournalist’s artwork

The one-month exhibition “Faded with Time” at the Old Town Hall in Prague, Czech Republic, showcased 100 black and white photographs taken by Czech veteran photojournalist Jovan Dezort, including “Peace for Vietnam”.

For his photograph “Peace for Vietnam”, Dezort was awarded the first prize in an international competition organised by the International Journalist Association in 1973, when he was working as a photojournalist for the then Czechoslovakian News Agency.

“Peace for Vietnam” was taken in Hanoi when the US destroyed North Vietnam . His pictures did not show exploding bombs and battlefields, but showed how the war affected daily life for the people of Vietnam . The winning photograph shows a female militia fighting a hostile aircraft in a ground-to-air battle.

The exhibition “Faded with Time”, held from September 12 to October 14, features Jovan’s works in the 1960s and 1970s, and shows Prague and its transformation, daily life, celebrities, politics and current affairs, Czechoslovakian rural areas and his travels abroad.

Jovan Dezort, born in 1934, has won a number of awards in domestic and international photography competitions. He is famous for his natural shots of people’s daily lives.

Vietnam, US photography competition and exhibition kick off

A photography contest and exhibition entitled “Vietnam-US relations and the US through Vietnamese photographers’ eyes” were launched in Hanoi on October 15 as part of a series of events to celebrate the 20 th anniversary of Vietnam-US diplomatic ties next year (July 12,1995-2015).

The event was co- organised by The Vietnam-US Association under the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisation (VUFO) together with Vietnam Television (VTV4) and The Vietnam-USA Magazine.

Addressing the launch ceremony, Chairman of The Vietnam–US Association Nguyen Tam Chien said the contest and exhibition sought to promote bilateral relations between Vietnam and the USA.

The contest aims to praise the high quality of photography and boost Vietnam-US relations through showing Vietnamese photographers’ views on the country and the realms of politics, diplomacy, the economy, society, cultural identity, and nature. The organising board invited photographers to submit photographs taken since 1995.

Deputy Public Affairs officer at the US Embassy in Hanoi, Michael Turner, in turn highlighted the sound ties between the two countries, as proven by the success of the meeting between President of Vietnam Truong Tan Sang and US President Barack Obama in 2013. He believed the ties would be developed further in the near future, especially with the upcoming celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic relations.

Vietnamese citizen and overseas nationals are encouraged to participate in the competition. Information and registration forms can be accessed online at from vietpeace.org.vn and VAPA.vn.

The winners will be announced in an awards ceremony on July 3, 2015 in Hanoi, with the 100 best photos being exhibited in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and a US city from July 3 -14, 2015.-

Foodpanda to launch first ever TV commercial in Vietnam

Foodpanda, the mobile and online food delivery marketplace, plans for nationwide launching of its very first TV commercial for the Vietnamese market on the upcoming October 17, showcasing its leading position in the market.

The commercial’s familiar setting and story speaks the language of busy people working and living in modern urban areas with little time to spare, enjoying the convenience of ordering from the largest selection of delicious restaurants through the foodpanda app and foodpanda.vn.

It will be aired on major national and regional channels including VTV, HTV, SCTV, HanoiTV, VTVcab and YanTV.

“Foodpanda has been synonymous with convenience, wide culinary variety, a high-standard of service quality via innovative technology, wherein our team is dedicated to creating the most convenient way to order food for our customers – wherever they are.

The launch of our first TV commercial for the Vietnamese market reinforces that commitment and elevates our position as a major player in the e-commerce field,” said Tauriq Brown, co-founder and managing director of foodpanda Vietnam.

“This commercial will bring us closer to thousands of households in Vietnam to help them experience a modern and trendy lifestyle,” he added.

With the recent investment of $60 million, foodpanda is committed to facilitating continuous growth in existing markets through partnership expansion and further mastering customer experience.

The company has also recently launched its next generation mobile application available on all major platforms. The app’s user-friendly interface has helped foodpanda Vietnam secure the number one spot for mobile and online food delivery marketplace, in the promising realm of more than 20 million smartphone users.

Exhibition “Green Bridge” to be opened

Ngan Ha Art Club will open its 14th exhibition titled “Green Bridge” on October 16 at 92 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, HCMC.

Organization board said this exhibition is aimed to raise fund for disadvantaged children in Nhat Hong. Accordingly, 50 percent profit from selling paintings will be sent directly to Nhat Hong as scholarships for blind children.

Ngan Ha with 22 female artists was founded in 1999 and since then it has organized 13 exhibitions in the country.

The exhibition will run from October 16 to 20.

Exhibition celebrates Vietnamese Women's Day

An exhibition marking the Vietnamese Women's Day (October 20) will be held at Ho Chi Minh City Labor Culture Palace.

The display features 70 lacquer and oil paintings on the country and Vietnamese people by 43 members of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Culture Palace’s Fine Arts Club.

On the occasion, new members the Fine Arts Club will admit 11 new members, including Japanese artist Hideko Kanno who has lived in Ho Chi Minh City for 9 years. The Japanese painter usually participated in the club’s activities and created more than 20 art works.

Exhibition highlights Cham, Khmer costumes

The patterns used on the traditional costumes of women living in the South and Central Highlands of Viet Nam are on display in HCM City.

Inaugurated on Tuesday, the exhibition showcases more than 150 photos and 80 objects featuring the traditional techniques of weaving, dyeing and patterns that have been passed down through generations of the Cham, Khmer and other ethnic groups in the Central Highlands and Truong Son mountainous regions.

It's hoped that the exhibition will help preserve and promote the cultural values expressed through the costumes of the ethnic women.

The patterns and weaving techniques are different among each group. For example, the Ta Oi and Co Tu people are fond of using glass beads to form geometric shapes, while the patterns on the clothing of the E De, Gia Lai, Stieng and K'Ho people are often made with coloured threads.

The exhibition will run till February 1 next year at the Southern Women's Museum, 202 Vo Thi Sau Street, HCM City.

The museum's Director Nguyen Thi Tham said that the making of a piece of beautiful cloth with unique decorations is the result of skilled hands and the creativity of women weavers.

She noted that the patterns are inspired by the living environment, daily activities and the religious practices of the local weavers.

Hanoi International Film Festival to highlight integration, sustainable development

The third Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF), ‘Cinema – Integration and Sustainable Development’, is scheduled to be held in Hanoi from November 23-27, said the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Department of Cinema on September 15.

The highlight of this year’s event will be ‘The World's Cinema Today’ featuring a number of new films from different countries.

The festival will also include competitions, screenings, a Vietnamese film programme, a HANIFF campus, a film project market, exhibitions and seminars.

The organising board has so far received over 320 films from 32 countries and territories for the contest.

The event aims to honour outstanding films of high artistic value and encourage new talents of Vietnamese cinema.

Vietnam’s feature film Thien Menh Anh Hung (Blood Letter), directed by Victor Vu won the jury special prize at the second Hanoi International Film Festival in 2012.

Columbian artist to meet local fans

Artist Maria Fernanda Plata will join a talk entitled “An evening where architecture meets arts from a Latin American perspective in HCMC” at San Art Studio, 48/7 Pham Viet Chanh Street in Binh Thanh District at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow.

The Columbian artist will stay in the city until November 11 thanks to an international artistic exchange program.

The Given Tree translated into Vietnamese

Tiki Corporation (Tiki.vn) is giving as many as 5,000 copies of a book entitled The Given Tree written by Shel Silverstein to readers and its business partners until the end of this month. For the first time, the book has been published in dual languages of English and Vietnamese in the country.

The Given Tree tells a famous allegory about the love of an apple tree for a boy, which is seen as a special metaphor on parental love toward their children. Having a bright and punchy style of writing to convey a meaningful message, the book has been translated into 30 languages with 14 million copies sold around the world.

An animated movie of the same name has been produced based on the book by Churchill Films and has attracted lots of views on YouTube.