American reporter hails Vietnamese food

In her article introducing ‘6 Food Tours Worth Traveling For’, American reporter Claire Volkman of US News described Vietnam as one of the world's most incredible culinary countries.

She suggested that the best way to taste all of what Vietnam has to offer is to join Artisans of Leisure, a private tour company that offers customized tours specifically for foodies that span Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.

Accordingly, the tours begin with visits to Hanoi's famed markets, bustling with locals, exotic fruits and meats. Afterwards, visitors will have chance to explore picturesque Halong Bay and make their way to Hue and Hoi An.

Finally, she said, they will end their culinary tour in Ho Chi Minh, where a guide will take them to food stalls downtown slinging some of the country's best pho and banh mi (sandwiches).

Rounding on the list of top 6 food tours are Peru, Miami, Caribbean islands, Mexico, and multiple continents such as Slovenia, Montenegro and Macedonia.

Singapore comedians coming to town

The Saigon International Comedy Club will host the stand-up comedians Jinx Yeo and Kristel Zweers from Singapore on September 24.

Yeo, who was the first runner-up at the 2011 Hong Kong International Comedy Competition, has shared the stage with international comedy heavyweights Emo Philips, Paul Ogata, and Rob Schneider, a veteran of Saturday Night Live, a popular late-night American TV show.

Dutch-born Zweers, who began her career by winning second prize in the Dutch Lucky Strike Comedy Talent Tour in 2001. She moved to Singapore in 2013, and has performed in Beijing and Dubai.

The show will begin at 8pm at Game On, 115 Ho Tung Mau Street, in District 1. Tickets cost VND200,000.

Saigon Reggae Festival opens next weekend

The second Saigon Reggae Festival featuring reggae music, visual arts, dance and culinary treats will be launched at Cargo Bar on September 26.

The 12 hours of non-stop reggae music will present the Mekong Delta Force band and 12 Vietnamese and foreign DJs, including King Cargo, Dub and Jase. International artists Macky Banton and Masia One will be two of three MCs at the event.

A mini international food festival will present homemade dishes from cuisines from Jamaica, Mexico and France.

The festival takes place from 6pm to 6am at 7 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in District 4. Pre-sale tickets are available on www.ticketbox.vn. Tickets at the door are VND250,000.

Concert in the Dark at Goethe-Institut

Goethe-Institut Hanoi will kick off a new concert series entitled Listen Differently: Concert in the Dark, on September 24.

The series will start with violinist Mirijam Contzen, who will play three violin solos. The classical pieces composed by famous virtuosos and rarely performed include sonatas by Eugen Ysayes and Paul Hindemith, and a partita by Johann Sebastian Bach. The twist, the performance will be set in an entirely dark room to provide a unique chance to discover the act of listening without visual distractions.

Free tickets are available starting at noon today, September 17, at Goethe-Institut, 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.

Norwegian DJ at electronic-music night

DJ and producer Telephones from Norway will perform during an electronic music night at The Observatory on Saturday.

The musician, who has gained a reputation for his cosmic disco, Balearic house, Italo disco and percussive works, has played music around Europe and the US.

Telephones' performance, starting from 10pm, will be supported by resident DJ Nic Ford.

The venue is at 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in District 4. Entrance fee is free before 11pm, and VND150,000 (US$7) afterwards.

Cinematheque screens opera Tosca

The Hanoi Opera Guild continues their monthly opera film screening at the Hanoi Cinematheque. The next screening on Sunday, features the opera Tosca – a classic production of Giacomo Puccini.

Tosca is a three-act opera based on the melodrama play by Victorien Sardou. The story involves the singer Floria Tosca, her lover Mario Cavaradossi, and the chief of police Baron Scarpia. When a prisoner escapes and his whereabouts are known only to Cavaradossi and Tosca, Scarpia tortures Cavaradossi to wrest the information from Tosca.

Tragedy ensues when all three characters wrongly assume they can get what they desire from the others.

There will be two screenings, at 2pm and 7pm. The opera will run in the original Italian with English subtitles.

For those with Cinematheque membership, make a reservation by phoning the Cinematheque at (04) 39362648, between 2-9pm. A limited number of tickets are also available through the Opera Guild, send an email to info@hanoioperaguild.com. A donation of VND60,000 is suggested.

Mitsubishi launches children's illustration competition

The Mitsubishi Asian Children's Enikki Festa 2015-16 was launched in Ha Noi on Tuesday.

The 12th illustrated diary competition was co-organised by the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan.

"The event offered an opportunity for children to learn more about daily life of Asian people," said Vi Kien Thanh, head of the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition. "Under the theme ‘Here Is My Life', this year's contest is open to children in 24 Asian countries."

Children in Viet Nam from six to 12 years old are invited to draw pictures of their favourite topics, such as friends, family, festivals, customs or their hometowns.

Each participant may submit a maximum of two sets (each set includes five drawings) from November 23-27. In addition to illustrations, submissions should include short essays on the chosen theme.

Eight sets of winning paintings will be sent to Japan for a final round of judging, which includes submissions from other Asian countries.

Chau van ritual singing artists given folk awards

As many as 11 artists who perform and teach the art of chau van (ritual) singing and dancing have been awarded "Folk Artisan" title by the Viet Nam Folk Arts and Literature Association.

The award marks the first official praise of chau van artists. Chau van is a spiritual performance art accompanying the hau dong (mediumship) ritual of the Mother Goddess' religion.

The awards ceremony was in the framework of the second Chau Van Performance Programme of the Northern Delta Region held here by the Ministry of Culture, Viet Nam

Theatre Artists' Association and the Viet Nam Folk Arts and Literature Association.

The Ministry of Culture has asked the Viet Nam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies to compile a dossier on Chau Van songs and dances, to seek UNESCO recognition of the art as invaluable cultural heritage.

Russian film focuses on ethnicity

Russian movie On the Road to Berlin will be screened at the opening of the Russian film Festival in Ha Noi tonight.

Directed by Sergei Popov, the movie was nominated for the Montreal Film Festival's World Competition category held from August 27 to September 7 and was awarded Ecumenical Jury Mentions.

In the film, the heroes are young citizens thrown together from various corners of the Soviet Union. Having grown up in different ethnic and cultural settings, they have many differences in terms of their characters and beliefs, but they are all united in the effort to throw off Nazi invasion.

The strong script and direction tell us how trust and loyalty develop between a guard and his prisoner.

"On the Road to Berlin is not so much about battles as it is about the relations between these people," director Popov said at the press conference held yesterday at the Russian Culture and Science Centre in Ha Noi.

The screenplay of the film is based on various books written by two authors Emmanuil Kazakevich and Kostantin Simonove who participated in the World War II.

The film was produced by Mosfilm in 2015.

The 82 minute-film will be shown at 7.30pm tonight and 8pm on Saturday at the National Film Centre, 87 Lang Ha Street.

Three other films including war-themed White Tiger (2012); comedy Girl Prisoner of the Caucasus (1966) and drama Ward Number 6 (2009) will be shown at the two-day event.

All films will be screened free with Vietnamese subtitles.

The Russian Film Festival will be held from September 21 to 23, in the central city of Da Nang's Le Do Cinema, 46 Tran Phu Street.

The first Russian Film Festival was held last year in Ha Noi and Da Nang City to mark the 90th anniversary of Mosfilm, the largest and oldest film studio in Russia and in Europe.

Workshop focuses on Nguyen Dynasty mandarin's life

About 48 research works by scientists highlighted the life and contributions of mandarin Nguyen Thuat (1842-1912) at a workshop held on September 15 in the central Quang Nam Province.

Thuat served as a high-ranking mandarin under Nguyen Dynasty Kings Tu Duc (1874-1883) and Duy Tan (1907-1916).

Mentioned in historical materials as an honest mandarin who felt pity for the poor, Thuat held different important mandarin posts in the royal system and left behind 800 poems and prose pieces.

On the occasion of the workshop, the local authorities plan to reprint and publish his literary works, and exploit the values linked to relic sites such as tombs and buildings,

the construction of which Thuat initiated. These include Van Thanh Ha Lam (Ha Lam Village's Literature Temple) and Ha Lam Village's Communal House.

Reverie Saigon hosts Marco Polo Weekwith special menu

The Reverie Saigon is introducing Marco Polo Week at its R&J Italian Lounge & Restaurant and The Royal Pavilion from September 14 to 20, featuring two specialty set

menus recognising the legacy of the famous Venetian traveller who traded throughout Asia and Europe.

An enduring tale of Marco Polo is that the famed traveller brought pasta back to Europe after his trips in China and other places in Asia.

During his expeditions, he feasted at the tables of emperors including the famed Kublai Khan of Mongolia. Each dinner introduced him to the wondrous spices, ingredients and recipes of Asia.

Celebrating this blend of culinary culture, two of the hotel's prestigious restaurants are hosting specialty Marco Polo Set Menus featuring a blend of ingredients and recipes to create a one-of-a-kind gastronomic journey through Asia and Europe.

VNA exhibits journalists' photos

A photo exhibition to mark the 70th anniversary of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) is on going in Ha Noi.

The exhibit, launched on Sunday, displays 70 photos taken by VNA journalists during both war and peacetime.

Among more than 400 journalists who lost their lives during this time, 260 were working for the VNA on the battlefield. Many received renowned prizes such as the Ho Chi

Minh Prize for Literature and Arts Awards and National Journalism Awards.

The photos are divided into three categories: the Party's interest in the development of and achievements of the VNA over the past 70 years, the technical activities of the VNA and the award-winning photos of VNA journalists.

The event aims to highlight the VNA's role as a strategic news agency, serving the Party and State, and to affirm its goal of becoming a multi-media platform and acclaimed national news agency in the region.

Visiting the VNA's display booths, 60-year-old guest Nguyen Minh Ha showed his interest in a picture of President Ho Chi Minh making his speech during war time: "I really love this photo as it elicited feelings of nostalgia for my childhood. That image was so familiar to me."

The photo Thoat Khoi Tu Nguc" (Free from Prison) by journalist Chu Chi Thanh has been highly acclaimed by domestic and international photographers.

Journalist Truong Duc Anh, former VNA deputy general director, said this picture was taken during the prisoner handover in 1973 after the Paris Peace Accord.

The photo captured the moment the prisoners being released took off their shirts and headed to the North.

The exhibition, on the first floor of the VNA headquarter at No 5 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, will run until this Friday.

Hanoi Book Fair to honour Hanoi’s heritage

The 2015 Hanoi Book Fair themed ‘Book and Heritage’, featuring not only the latest books, but also honouring Hanoi’s heritage, will open on September 29 at Thang Long Royal Citadel.

Nearly 50 publishing houses from across the country will showcase around 20,000 of the latest publications in various genres with180 booths, and discounted prices for readers.

The fair will offer a book exhibition area where books will be displayed in three sections. The first section will feature the traditions, culture and history of Thang Long - Hanoi, the construction and development of the capital city, and its cultural heritage. The second section will focus on revolutionary achievements, the Vietnamese Communist Party and President Ho Chi Minh, and Studying and Following Examples of President Ho Chi Minh’s Ethics Movement. The third section will introduce books, photos, maps and documents on Vietnam’s sovereignty over islands and seas, and Hanoi’s activities concerning the Spratly (Truong Sa) Islands.

The highlight of the festival is performances and discussions with meritorious artist Bach Van, a famous Ca tru (traditional ceremonial singing) singer, on September 29 and October 3.

As part of the event, visitors to the fair will also have a chance to join seminars, exchange programs, book and author introductions, along with music performance, calligraphy performance and games for children.

During the week-long event, the organiser will call for donations of books for local libraries, schools, post offices and cultural houses in poor communes in Hanoi, Ly Son Island dítrict and Truong Sa Island district.

The event is being hosted by the city Department of Information and Communications on the occasion of the 60th Liberation Day of the Capital City, to uphold the habit of reading among citizens, particularly the youth.

Photo exhibition highlights Vietnam – Iran diplomatic ties

An exhibition featuring 80 photographs on the history, politics, economy, culture and tourism in Iran as well as the history of Iran – Vietnam diplomatic relations officially kicked off at the National Library of Vietnam in Hanoi on September 15.

The photos introduce the most distinctive features of the cities, landscapes and historical relic sites in Iran, including Vakil Mosqueand in Shiraz city, Masir ol Molk and Imam Reza in Mashhad, Zoroastrian fire temple in Yazd, Shiraz ecological garden, the tomb of renowned poet Saadi and Yazadi square.

Through the exhibition, visitors can learn more about a wide range of folk arts that are imbued with Persian culture, such as sophisticated traditional handicrafts of Iran, as well as paintings on philosophy and nature as well as several famous Persian poems including ‘Mose - prophets of Judaism’, ‘Gift from a friend’, ‘Glass globe’ and ‘The dance of nature’.

Additionally, the economic achievements of Iran are showcased via photos depicting oil refineries and petrochemical plants, nuclear power factories and the longest tunnel in Tehran city.

In one section of the exhibition, several photos capture the working visits of the high-level leaders of Iran and Vietnam over the past highlighting the traditional friendly relations between the two countries and two peoples.

Established in August, 1973, the diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Iran have developed actively. In addition to bilateral meetings and talks held between the two countries’ leaders, the two sides have signed numerous co-operation agreements in various fields.

The exhibition will run until September 18.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri