Ancient ceramic sculptures on display in Hanoi

An exhibition showcasing more than 70 statues of ancient ceramics, dating back thousands of years, opened at the National History Museum in Hanoi on April 22.

The historical items were divided into three categories – realistic, belief and architectural purposes.

The event aimed to help visitors gain a better understanding of Vietnamese sculpture and honour the nation’s historical, cultural and artistic values.

It will run until the end of August 2014 at No1 Trang Tien Street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi.

The Museum has installed an auto-guide service in both Vietnamese and English to introduce its exhibits and background information to visitors.

Fine arts festival 2014 cultivates creativity among youths

A Young Fine Arts Festival 2014 was launched in Hanoi on April 22, providing an excellent venue for young artists to share views and introduce their talent to the public.

Participants, aged between 18 and 35, took the opportunity to show individual initiatives and make art works from various types of new materials demonstrating high artistic value, a sense of humanity and a true reflection of daily life.

Head of Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibitions Vi Kien Thanh said the festival is expected to stimulate young artists’ creative flair and encourage them to connect with the world’s contemporary arts as well as Vietnam’s cultural identity.

The best pieces will be selected to be showcased at an exhibition in August.

Quang Ninh exhibition spotlights fishing culture

An exhibition on fishing village culture opened in Ha Long Bay, the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh, on April 25.

The show is helping visitors gain a better understanding of the spiritual life of local fishermen and how they make their living.

Performances of local folk songs were also organised at the exhibition.

The activities, held as part of Quang Ninh Tourism Week 2014, aim to promote the cultural heritage of fishing villages to domestic and foreign tourists.

Ha Long bay is one of Vietnam’s major international tourist attractions and a UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage site.

It also sustains a range of other economically important activities such as aquaculture, fisheries, mining and maritime transportation.

Vietnam Day in Venice attracts large crowds

A wide variety of Vietnamese themed activities were held in observance of Vietnam Day in Venice on April 23, attracting large numbers of Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) and foreign friends.

Highlights of the event were seminars on economic and investment opportunities in Vietnam, education and training in Vietnam, Vietnamese culture, and a dialogue on Vietnam-Italy ties.

There were also gatherings discussing Vietnamese culinary traditions and cinematography, introducing Vietnamese movies to Italian and other international friends.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Hoang Long expressed his desire to promote cooperation between Vietnam and Italy, as well as with the Ca' Foscari University of Venice that hosted the festivities, especially in scientific research and student exchanges.

Founded in 1868, the Ca ' Foscari University of Venice was the first business university established in Italy and the second in Europe.

Since February 2012, the university has offered a course on the Vietnamese language and culture.

Currently, there are about 500 Vietnamese students studying in Italy, and the figure is expected to rise to 1,000 in the coming years.

Vietnam Day was jointly hosted by the Embassy of Vietnam in Italy, the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and the Vietnam-Italy Friendship Association (VIFA).

Hoang Sa, Truong Sa exhibition comes to Thai Nguyen

An exhibition of historical evidence proving Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos opened in the northern province of Thai Nguyen province on April 25.

The event forms part of activities celebrating the 39 th anniversary of liberation of the south and national reunification, the 60 th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, and the 124 th birthday of late President Ho Chi Minh.

On display are 95 maps and atlases, and documents in traditional Chinese, French and Vietnamese languages issued by Vietnamese feudal states from the 17 th to the 20 th century, all declaring Vietnam ’s sovereignty over these islands.

The exhibition aims to help promote patriotism, solidarity and sense of responsibility among people, especially the young generations, in protecting sea and island sovereignty.

The event, entitled “Vietnam’s Hoang Sa and Truong Sa – Historical Evidence”, will welcome visitors until May 5.

Flower festival to brighten up port city

The northern port city of Hai Phong is preparing for a busy May after making plans to host both a major flower festival and a ceremony recognising its Cat Ba archipelago as a special national relic site.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Khac Nam released the information at a press conference on April 22, adding that activities to mark the 59 th anniversary of the Hai Phong Liberation Day (May 13) will also be held during this time.

The Flame-red Flower Festival will celebrate Royal Poinciana , the city’s most distinctive and popular flower. It will be held from May 9-11 and include a wide range of activities, such as art performances, a trade, tourism and cuisine fair and a boat race.

These activities will allow the port city to promote its image and boost tourism.

Meanwhile, photos highlighting the beauty of Cat Ba will be displayed at the event to celebrate the archipelago’s certification as a nationally important area.

Hai Phong will also introduce the bio-diversity potential and advantages of Cat Ba archipelago in the run-up to canvassing for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to officially recognise Cat Ba as a World Natural Heritage Site in 2014.

Located some 45 kilometres east of Hai Phong and 150 kilometres southeast of Hanoi, Cat Ba covers more than 17,000 hectares of land and 9,200 hectares of sea. It is already recognised by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve, as it boasts tropical rain forests on limestone islands, mangrove forests, coral reefs, beaches and cave networks. It is home to some 2,320 types of fauna and flora.

The Royal Poinciana has been voted among the five most beautiful flowering trees in the world. It is also known by the names Gulmohar, Peacock Flower and Flame of the Forest.

Love market festival opens in Ha Giang province

The 2014 Khau Vai Love Market Culture-Tourism Week kicked off in Meo Vac district, the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang on April 24 evening with the legendary love story staged by Cai Luong (reformed opera) artists.

Visitors will have chances to join the market day’s activities and try to weave linen, make brocades and pan-pipes together with local artisans, and ride horses.

A string of cultural activities will also be held during the week such as goat, cow and nightingale fighting festivals, horse races, and incense offering at two temples in Khau Vai commune.

Especially, a beauty pageant will be held for the first time for young girls from mountainous areas in the province.

In addition, there will be a seminar on preserving and promoting the cultural values of the stone plateau.

The hundred-year-old festival, which is held annually in the third lunar month, is a popular meeting place for ethnic groups in the locality, particularly those in love.

Legend has it that a couple who very much loved each other but could not live together made the promise to meet once every year in Khau Vai on the 27th of the third lunar month. From then on, the festival has been held every year on this day for ex-lovers to meet.

The event has now become a tourist attraction, drawing in visitors from across the country and foreigners as well.

Renowned Argentinean wine introduced in Hanoi

Wine lovers, sommeliers and hotel managers in Hanoi on April 22 were offered a chance to taste Malbec, Argentina’s world-renowned wine.

Organised by the Argentinean Embassy, the event, soundtracked by authentic tango, was named “Cinematango, to the sound of Malbec.” It provided guests with an immersion in the culture and spirit of Argentina.

It also allowed Argentinean producers to present their Malbec wines in Vietnam, where the drink is not well known due to the market domination of French and Chilean wines.

Argentinean Ambassador Claudio Gutierrez said that this event was inspired by the annual Malbec World Day, which last year saw 106 activities organised in 76 cities across 50 countries.

Argentina is the largest wine producer in Latin America and the world’s ninth biggest exporter of the beverage. Malbec accounts for 72 percent of the country’s wine output.

“Cinematango”, linking tango music and movies, was performed by Osvaldo Montes and his group. It is one of Osvaldo Montes’ most well-known stage performances since its premiere in Montreal, Canada in 2002.

“Cinematango, to the sound of Malbec” was also played at the festival 2014.

Film screenings mark major national holidays

There will be screenings of historical films across the nation from April 25 – May 20 to mark several major national anniversaries, including

the 60th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory, a Government official revealed in Hanoi on April 23.

At the opening of the film festival in Hanoi on April 25, movie lovers will be able to enjoy a documentary “Dien Bien que toi” (My homeland Dien Bien) and a new feature “Song cung lich su” (Living with history).

Other features being screened include “Nga ba Dong Loc” (Dong Loc T-junction) and “Vao Nam ra Bac” (Head to the South and return to the North). Other documentaries set to air include “Dia chan o Dien Bien Phu” (Shake in Dien Bien Phu) and “Hoi uc Dien Bien” (Memory of Dien Bien).

A similar event will kick off in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien on April 28.

Ngo Phuong Lan, Director of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Cinema Department, said digital editions of these films have been sent to cinemas and film distributors nationwide.

On the occasion, a set of stamps dedicated to the Dien Bien Phu victory and featuring the white ebony flowers symbolic of the north-western region will be released between May 5 and December 31.

Besides the Dien Bien Phu Victory anniversary, the nation will celebrate the 39th anniversary of the southern liberation and national reunification (April 30), May Day (May 1) and the 124th birthday of late President Ho Chi Minh (May 19).

Promoting Vietnam image in France

The Vietnam Culture Centre in France will play host to a photo exhibition and a film week, starting in Paris on April 26, to mark 40 years of Vietnam-France relations and introduce Vietnam as a global tourist attraction.

The exhibition is to promote Vietnam’s image and contribute to strengthening the strategic partnership in politics, diplomacy, culture, economics and social affairs between Vietnam and France.

It will span eight themes, from Vietnam-France relations, French architecture in Vietnam and Vietnamese sea and islands, to Vietnam’s integration and development, traditional craft villages in Vietnam, traditional festivals, Vietnamese cuisine, and Vietnamese press.

Organisers have selected more than 200 photos, about 400 publications, and nearly 100 documentaries for the event.  

The film week is expected to help French and international friends better understand about Vietnam, its land and people, as well as the strategic partnership between Vietnam and France.

The 8-day exhibition, to be held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Vietnamese Embassy in France, will tour other localities in France.

Cuba’s Giron victory marked in Hai Duong

A ceremony was held on April 24 in the northern province of Hai Duong to mark the 53rd anniversary of Cuba’s Giron victory.

On April 19, 1961, responding to the call of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, the Cuban people defeated more than 1,500 US-trained troops who landed at Playa Giron (better known as the Bay of Pigs), as part of a scheme to overthrow the fledgling Cuban government after less than 72 hours.

Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, who is also President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association, congratulated the Cuban Government and people on the historic triumph.

She highlighted the country’s socio-economic development in recent years and said it has also made strides in foreign affairs and international cooperation.

She confirmed that the Vietnamese and Cuban people remain close in the fight for the national independence and liberty despite their geographical distance.

Vietnam and Cuba set up diplomatic ties in 1960. The bilateral all-around cooperation been incessantly forged ahead thanks to regular high-ranking delegation exchanges, with the most recent visit to Cuba made by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Herminio Lopez Diaz and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Hien highlighted the brotherhood between Vietnam and Cuba, and affirmed that both countries will stand side by side and do their utmost to nurture and develop their relationship.

Bubble magician Fan Yang joins “Vietnam Dream”

Internationally acclaimed Vietnamese bubble artist, Fan Yang, current holder of 19 Guinness World Records, dazzled audiences in Hanoi on April 22 with his bubble majesty.

In a programme honouring the natural beauty of Vietnam entitled “Vietnam Dream” Yang staged a captivating performance of his bubble theatre, a perfect combination of contemporary and traditional art.

Theatergoers, have an opportunity to view the performance at Dai Nam Theater on each Friday, Saturday and Sunday until the end of May and also joined a spectacular coinciding light display performed by Canadian artists.

Vietnamese-Canadian Fan Yang’s bubble art has won the hearts of audiences worldwide. With an instrument resembling a racket, and soapy water, Fan Yang weaves bubbles into an awe-inspiring variety of shapes, sizes, and colours.

In a performance in Vancouver in 2012, Fan Yang amazingly managed to envelop 181 people inside one huge bubble.

During his stay in Vietnam, Fan Yang will entertain Hanoi children at the Friendship Palace from May 28 to June 1 in observance of International Children’s Day.

Can Tho hosts exchange of culinary culture and French language

The Can Tho Union of Friendship Organizations (CUFO) held an exchange of culinary culture with the Vietnam-France Medical Development Society (ADM) in Can Tho City on April 22.

Jean-Caude Comar, a member of the ADM, shared interesting tidbits about French culinary arts of the nation’s western region. Through the exchange, ADM hopes to make a contribution to the development of the French language in Can Tho in the coming time.

Vo Van Chuong, member of the Vietnam-France Friendship Association in Can Tho said that this is the first cooperative venture between ADM and Can Tho City.

“The exchange offers a fantastic opportunity for students to share experiences in learning the French language with French friends who promise to provide additional documents to help them in learning the language” Chuong said.