Tay Ninh to hold culture-tourism week featuring Trang Bang rice paper

The southern province of Tay Ninh will hold the second culture and tourism week featuring the craft of making Trang Bang dew-wetted rice paper in Trang Bang district from December 20-25.

The event will have 200 booths to showcase Trang Bang rice paper, perform the stages of producing the specialty and introduce other special products of Tay Ninh. The craft was recognised as national intangible heritage in 2016.

The event will also highlight popular products and services of the province, along with traditional crafts and tours in Tay Ninh.

Trang Bang dew-wetted rice paper is a flexible two-layer rice paper, best served in summer rolls with boiled pork, greens and sauces.

According to Vice Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Hoang Nam, the biennial event aims to preserve the heritage’s value and honour artisans who are working to conserve the craft.

It gives a chance for visitors to explore the culture of Tay Ninh, while creating motivation for the development of the craft, he added.

Nam said three stoves for rice paper making will be arranged at the event to give visitors a try of making the product.

Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Hong Thanh said the event is expected to draw 10,000 visitors.

Vietnam shows off “pho,” “nem ran” at ASEAN Culinary Festival

Organisers and chefs from ASEAN countries pose for a photo at the ASEAN Culinary Festival 2018 in Seoul 

Vietnam has joined nine other ASEAN countries to showcase its best traditional dishes at the ASEAN Culinary Festival 2018 which is currently underway at the COEX Convention Centre in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, from November 29 to December 1.

This year, Vietnam will bring the country’s iconic “pho” noodle soup and fried spring rolls, or “nem ran”, to the festival.

The ASEAN Culinary Festival 2018 features a live cooking show with celebrity chefs from the RoK and Malaysia. There will also be cuisine and beverage booths that will present information on gastronomy tourism in various ASEAN nations.

The event has been annually held by the ASEAN-Korea Centre since 2016 to give Koreans a better understanding of the traditional cuisines and culinary skills of ASEAN countries which are top priorities of the RoK’s New Southern Policy.

The food festival is expected to foster cultural exchange between the RoK and ASEAN member states, creating closer ties among their peoples that will pave the way for more Korean visitors travelling to Southeast Asian nations.

According to the ASEAN-Korean Centre, ASEAN member states welcome around 7 million tourist arrivals from the RoK each year, who come not only for popular tourist destinations but also to taste local foods. Da Nang is emerging as one of the destinations most favoured by Koreans.

“Nem ran” (or “cha gio” as it is known in southern Vietnam) is a tasty, traditional dish. It is so popular that it is hard to attend a Vietnamese wedding, funeral, or Tet (Lunar New Year) party without seeing a tray loaded with these delicious spring rolls.

Meanwhile, the “pho” noodle soup originated from Hanoi before it was brought to the south where people added their own influences to the dish. 

A bowl of “pho” contains flat, soft rice noodles dipped in a fragrant beef or chicken broth flavored with different condiments. It is served with beef or chicken, shallots, and chili and lime to taste.

This year, travel site Rough Guides named “pho” among the world’s top 15 foods that are easy on a globetrotter’s pocket, while the dish was also listed as the world’s 20th best food experience by the travel publisher Lonely Planet.

Photo exhibition honours late painter Xu Man

At the event

A photo exhibition entitled “Painter Xu Man – Legacy” kicked off in Pleiku city, in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, on November 29, as part of the Central Highlands Gong Culture Festival 2018. 

On display are over 150 paintings and materials depicting the life of the painter who made great contributions to the fine arts of the Central Highlands and Vietnam in general. 

Xu Man has so far been the only painter in the Central Highlands to be honoured with the State prize for his artworks. His notable works include his oil paintings depicting President Ho Chi Minh and his love for the Central Highlands, the lacquer painting festival in the Central Highlands, as well as early dawn in a forest of the Central Highlands.

Born in 1925 to a disadvantaged Bahnar family in Bong village, Ayun commune, Mang Yang district, Gia Lai province, Xu Man, real name Dong, joined the army, then went on to study painting at the Vietnam University of Fine Arts in 1954. Two decades later, his paintings were then showcased at the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts. 

Nguyen Quang Tue, head of the cultural heritage management office under the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that 15 of Xu Man’s paintings are still kept at the museum. 

Deputy Director of the museum Tran Thi Huong said that Xu Man is one of the very few artists to have paintings on display at the museum. 

The event will last till December 2.

Film contest attracts young filmmakers

The poster of Tim, a short film by young filmmakers from the group Dragon O, is competing in the first HTV Short Film Awards 2018, launched by HCM City Television to encourage young filmmakers to develop their talent in the field. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

The final round of the HTV Short Film Awards 2018 will include 24 films by young filmmakers in HCM City and provinces, two months after its launch. 

The films of 15 minutes or less, which aired on HTV9, feature social issues related to young people and their hopes and dreams.

Highlighted productions include Lời Cầu Siêu (Prayer) and Tiếng Trống Lắc (Drum’s Beats) by professional film directors Hạnh Thúy and Phi Điểu, and Tim (Heart) by young talents from the Dragon O Group.

The three films tell stories about youth and their difficulties in life, study and love.

Ten advertising films of 30 seconds each offer messages to different communities.  

“Making films is not a game. We face challenges but we will never give up,” said young actress Quỳnh Hoa, who performed in Tim by Dragon O.

“Through this contest, I hope to find new chances for my career,” she added. 

Organised by HCM City Television (HTV) in co-operation with its private studio partners, the contest HTV Short Film Awards aims to give participants aged 18-35, particularly students at universities and colleges, an opportunity to explore their creativity.   

The jury includes film producers, directors and camera operators from film studios and cinematography schools. 

Movie star and film producer Trương Ngọc Ánh and award-winning cameraman K’Linh are also included.

The contest’s winners will be chosen next month.

Top prizes will be given for Best Film, Best Director, Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Sound Effects.

Prizes worth a total of VNĐ1 billion ($42,800) will be presented.

Audiences will also vote for their favourite film. 

Exhibition introduces traditional musical instruments of ethnic groups

An artist performs flute at the exhibition. 

Traditional musical instruments of ethnic minority groups are on display in the framework of the spectacular and can’t miss Gong Festival in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai.

The exhibition showcases different musical instruments of ethnic people living in 12 cities and provinces such as Tuyên Quang, Quảng Nam, An Giang and HCM City.

The items reflect music genres such as nhã nhạc (royal music) of Huế, xoan (spring) singing of Phú Thọ and gong music of Gia Lai.

During the four-day event, art performances of various types of music will take place.

The exhibition will run until Sunday at Gia Lai Provincial Museum. 

Hoa Lư Stadium in HCM City’s District 1. 

Hoa Lư Stadium in HCM City will host the French food and culture festival ’Balade en France’ on December 1 and 2.

Held as part of the Un Mois En France (One Month in France) programme, the festival, organised by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the French consulate in HCM City and SOPEXA company, will showcase prominent food and cultural features of France.

There will be 30 booths selling French products like cheese, syrup, jam, and chocolate.

Several French restaurants in the city will showcase some of the most favourite French dishes.

Guests can also enjoy other activities like wine tasting, face painting, henna tattooing, and music concerts.

The organisers expect to receive more than 4,000 visitors.

After HCM City, ’Balade en France’ will be organised in Hà Nội from December 14 to 16. 

The ancient town of Hội An in the Central province of Quảng Nam is set to welcome its first weekend market. 

Hội An’s first ever weekend market will be held in the park in Cẩm Châu Ward on December 1 and 2.

It will sell agricultural products, home appliances, souvenirs, food, and many other items.

Vendors will be encouraged to sell organic products that meet VietGap and GlobalGap standards and use environmentally friendly packaging. Plastic bags and straws will be banned.

The weekend market will open again on December 15 and 16 before becoming a weekly feature from early February next year. 

Visitors explore Lam Kinh Citadel in Thanh Hoá Province. 

Travellers to Thanh Hoá Province should visit the former citadel of Lam Kinh.

The citadel in Xuân Lam Commune, Thọ Xuân District, was built by Lê Lợi, founder of the Later Lê Dynasty, who reigned from 1428 to 1433.

The Lam Kinh Citadel and the surrounding forest cover an area of 200 hectares. The citadel complex includes temples, sanctums and tombs. The Ngoc River, which flows through the citadel and the forest, is also a must-see. 

VN a top spot for Korean winter tourists

Korean visitors in Đà Nẵng city. 

Việt Nam is the most popular Southeast Asian destination for South Koreans this winter with 33.7 per cent of all booking, according to Yonhap.

The Korean news agency cited Hà Nội Tour, a prominent travel agency in the East Asian country, as saying Southeast Asia was the top destination for Koreans this winter.

Thailand and the Philippines are also popular, Yonhap said.