German Beer Festival to take place in Hanoi

The fourth Oktoberfest German Beer Festival which will be held in Hanoi on October 24-25 and participated by more than 3,000 people.

At a press conference in Hanoi on September 19, Elmart Dutt, Chairman of the German Business Association in Vietnam boasted that the Oktoberfest festival is a bridge to closer cultural exchange between the two countries.  

This year’s festival will highlight German’s cultural values in an open space. Hanoians will enjoy Germany’s traditional premium beer, a variety of foods and interesting folk music of Bavarian region performed by German band Gaudiblosn.

The organizing board said that around 65% out of 2,500 tickets have been sold out.

The event is co-organized by the German Business Association, Movenpick Hotel Hanoi and KBT – the exclusive distributor for Bitburger beer in Vietnam.

UK Film Festival scheduled for late September

The British Council in Vietnam will screen five British comedies in Hanoi, Haiphong, Danang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho from September 30 to October 4.

Outdoor screenings in central Danang City’s Hoa Vang district will debut for the first time.

Megastar cinemas will host the festival’s five films in Hanoi, HCM City, Danang, and Haiphong, while Ninh Kieu will screen the films in Can Tho.

This year’s programme includes Local Hero, A Private Function, The Witches, Four Weddings and A Funeral, and Shaun of the Dead.

Complimentary tickets are available from 2pm on September 25 at the British Council in Hanoi and HCM City, at Megastar cinemas in Haiphong and Danang, and at Ninh Kieu cinema in Can Tho.  

Awards ceremony honours literature

Fourteen books were honoured at the Good Books Awards 2013 ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on September 22.

Awards were presented in seven categories including research, education, literature, economics, management, children’s books and self-development.

Deities, People and the Land of Viet by Ta Chi Dai Truong and Nguyen Nghi’s translated version of The Inner Region: Vietnam’s Socio-economic History in the 17th-18th Centuries by Li Tana received prizes in the research category, while Annual Report on Vietnam’s Economy 2012: Facing Challenges in Economic Restructuring by authors from the Vietnam Center for Economics and Policy Research and the translated version of Why Nations Fall? by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson received prizes for economics.

Writer Vui Ngoc Tan received the literature prize for Sea and Kingfisher and Truong Thuy Lan received a prize for her translation of Tetsuko Kuroyanagi’s children’s book Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window, documentary film Director Tran Van Thuy received the self-development award for his new work Story of Thuy’s Career as well as others.

Presented by the Institute for Research on Educational Development, the awards recognise authors, translators and publishers who produce Vietnamese works that enhance the body of literature and knowledge available to the world in Vietnamese.

Hue imperial relic complex enjoys anniversary

Thua Thien-Hue province needs to create an overall management plan for the Hue imperial relic complex that is in line with the local planning, ensuring harmony between development and preservation, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.

The Deputy PM made the statement at a September 22 ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the relic complex’s UNESCO recognition as world cultural heritage and the 10th anniversary of an intangible cultural heritage honour being bestowed on Hue Royal court music.

Phuc said that despite many difficulties and challenges the Vietnamese Party and State always seek to preserve and uphold the value of world heritage in the country.

Since the honour from UNESCO, the Hue imperial relic complex has been carefully preserved to protect invaluable heritage for future generations to enjoy, while also attracting more tourists, he added.

Praising the achievements made in preservation work, UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam Katherine Muller-Marin asked local authorities to manage them even more effectively to negate the negative impact caused by both humans and nature.

According to Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Cao, since 1996 almost VND800 billion (US$37.6 million) has been spent on restoring nearly 100 works.

In 1993, the complex received only around 200,000 visitors per year, gaining VND4 billion (US$188,000). Twenty years later, over two million tourists come to Hue each year, raking in more than VND100 billion (US$4.7 million) for the local tourism sector.

Japan Culture Day in Dong Nai

The southern province of Dong Nai has organised a “Japan Culture Day” on September 21 to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Japan.

The event’s notable attendees included Japanese Consul General in HCM City Hida Harumitsu, Provincial People’s Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Thanh Tri, Japanese students, the local business community, and Japanese expatriates living and working in Dong Nai province.

The province’s Japanese companies hosted sports competitions for their workers, who could also enjoy an exhibition on Vietnam’s land and people, martial arts demonstrations, traditional food from both nations, and cultural and arts exchanges.

Dong Nai is home to around 135 Japanese projects with registered capital totalling almost US$3 billion (the fourth highest in the province). The Japanese Government provided the Official Development Assistance (ODA) that funded major sustainable infrastructure development.

Some of the largest Japanese trademarks with a Dong Nai presence are Fujitsu, Olympus, Toshiba, Sanyo, Ajnomoto, Mabuchi, Sojitz, Kao, Shiseido, Ojitex, Muto, Hisamitsu, Belmond Manufacturing Co. Ltd, and Maspro Vietnam Co. Ltd.

Special stamp range marks Vietnam-France ties

A range of stamps commemorating the 150th birthday of Doctor Alexandre Yersin has been launched concurrently in capitals Hanoi and Paris.

The French Embassy in Vietnam includes the range in its “50 notable activities” of the 2013 France-Vietnam Year

This is the second collaborative stamp range jointly produced by France and Vietnam. In October 2008, the two countries issued a collection celebrating the landscape of France’s Bonifacio and Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay.

Yersin was born in Switzerland in 1863. He graduated from the University of Paris in 1887, left for Indochina in 1890, and established the small Nha Trang-based research lab which would eventually become the Nha Trang Pasteur Institute.

He was the founder of the Hanoi Medical University, as well as its first director.

His researches into microorganisms were integral to humanity’s fight against diphtheria, tuberculosis, bubonic plague, and dengue fever.

Yersin is remembered as the co-discoverer of the bacillus responsible for the bubonic plague. It was later renamed in his honour (Yersinia pestis).

He was also pioneer in Vietnamese rubber tree cultivation, and an explorer who surveyed the Lam Vien Plateau, now Da Lat City.

Yersin passed away in 1943 after more than half a century in Nha Trang. He is remembered as a talented scientist, a kind-hearted doctor, and a benefactor of the Vietnamese people.

Cultural event raises Vietnam profile in Argentina

Vietnam Days in Argentina opened in capital Buenos Aires on September 19 as part of activities to mark 40 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 2013.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Argentinean Cultural Minister Jorge Coscia noted the festival takes place at a time when Argentina-Vietnam relations are developing well, and he hoped the cultural and sport event will help deepen the ties.

Vietnamese artists played traditional musical instruments such as the monochord, flute and k’ni, and performed songs in Spanish, receiving thunderous applause from the audience.

Photos, lacquerware and costumes of various ethnic groups of Vietnam will be on display at Evita Museum in the capital city from September 20 to October 3.

Earlier, a Vietnam Film Week was organised from September 12-18, screening domestic and international award winning films.

Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh held working sessions with Minister Coscia and other MPs of the Chamber of Deputies.

Anh proposed stronger bilateral cooperation in culture, sports and tourism by increasing visit exchanges, sharing experience in heritage management and preservation, and conducting fact-finding tours to seek investment opportunities and attract tourists.

Argentina will host a cultural week in Vietnam in November 2013, featuring photo exhibitions, film screenings, talk shows, and art performances in Hanoi and HCM City.

Nghinh Ong festival becomes national intangible heritage

A ceremony was held in Can Gio district of Ho Chi Minh City on September 19 to recognise the Nghinh Ong (Whale worshiping) festival as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Addressing the ceremony, Director General of the Southern Office of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Van Hung said the recognition affirms the unique character of the festival, while acknowledging the efforts of local people in preserving and upholding the cultural value over the years.

The ministry has asked the city, particularly Can Gio district, to continue building a project to preserve and bring into full play the value of this cultural heritage, he added.

In Can Gio district, the Nghinh Ong festival is held along with the Mid-Autumn Festival (from August 15-17 in the lunar calendar), with the public worship of the whale at sea on August 16.

It is a chance for fishermen to express their gratitude towards the Nam Hai god (a whale) and the sea gods for protecting and supporting fishermen in their daily life and at sea, and to pray for peace and good harvest.

Vietnamese artist brings “Hanoi Recitals” to Denmark

“Hanoi Recitals” – a joint music project performed by Vietnamese and Danish artists – will be staged in Denmark from September 20-26.

The project, led by Tri Minh of Vietnam and Michael Moller of Denmark, is supported by the Danish Vietnamese Cultural Development and Exchange Fund (CDEF).

Vietnamese artists such as Pham Tra My, who plays dan tranh (16-sring zither), and Le Thuy Linh, who plays dan tam thap luc (zither), will perform alongside other Danish artists at the event.

“Hanoi Recitals” reflects the multi-dimensional cultural relationship between Vietnam and Denmark in the 21st century, as well as exploring their traditional cultures and heritage.

The aim of the project is to enhance cooperation and mutual understanding between artists, musicians and students of the two countries.

Two workshops on music will take place within the framework of the event.

Fidel Castro’s historic visit to Quang Tri photographed

A pictorial book entitled “Fidel Castro – Quang Tri mot ngay lich su 1973” (Fidel Castro - Quang Tri on a historic day in 1973) has been published to celebrate the 40th anniversary of former Cuban President Fidel Castro’s visit to Vietnam’s Quang Tri province.

The book includes 150 photos featuring activities of President Fidel Castro, who was accompanied by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Van Dong, on his visit to the liberated zone in the province in September 1973.

Each photo captures Fidel Castro’s feelings when he was in such places as Hien Luong bridge, Tan Lam base and Dong Ha township, which were battered by the US troops during the American war.

These photos were taken by journalist and photographer Sy So, who has more than 40 years of covering important events in the Hien Luong demarcation line and the Quang Tri demilitarised zone.

Published by the Thuan Hoa Publishing House, the 75-page publication has photo captions in Vietnamese and English.

Dat Viet television service debuts in Germany

A television service for the Vietnamese community in Germany was launched at the Dong Xuan centre in Berlin on September 18.

Dat Viet (Vietnam Land) is the internet-based service using OTT technology solutions transmitting digital content to consumers across the world.

It provides 20 Vietnamese channels, covering all aspects of life, from politics to socio-economy, culture, sports and entertainment. It also offers on-demand services to cater to the diverse tastes of film and music lovers.

Dat Viet also publishes all information from the Vietnam Government Portal.

Lai Duy Thanh, Director of ViPT Company that provides the service, said Dat Viet will provide a variety of information about Party guidelines and State policies to the Vietnamese community, helping bridge Vietnam and Germany.

The company will improve content quality and add more channels to meet Overseas Vietnamese’s demand in foreign countries, he noted.

Photo exhibit for love of country

A photo exhibition by a HCM City journalist featuring Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) and the life of Vietnamese naval soldiers on the islands was part of the activities held at a festival entitled HCM City's youth and Viet Nam's Sea and Islands, an event held yesterday by the Viet Nam Youth Federation of HCM City.

The 69 photos featuring the Truong Sa Islands were taken by Do Viet Dung, a journalist from Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper, during a 10-day visit to the islands along with leaders from HCM City in May 2013.

"After a journey of hundreds of nautical miles on the East Sea, I reached Truong Sa where my compatriots were on guard. I was lucky to have the opportunity to stay with them and record the lively images about the lives of ‘Truong Sa people'," Dung said.

The exhibition, Gui Tinh Theo Song (Sending love through waves), features the life and portraits of Viet Nam's naval soldiers, who are optimistic and ready to protect the sovereignty of the nation's sea. The photo exhibition also features the love the city's leaders and youth for the soldiers who perform their military mission on the islands.

Every year HCM City's Party Committee organises a trip to DK1 Platform and Truong Sa. Since the first trip held by the city in 2003, love between the soldiers and people on the archipelago and HCM City's leaders and youth has been strengthened.

This was the theme featured in Dung's photos when he accompanied Nguyen Van Dua, deputy secretary of HCM City's Party Committee to Truong Sa in May.

Besides the photo exhibition, HCM City's youth attended activities including a painting competition featuring their love for Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) and Hoang Sa (Paracel Islands); musical performances; folk games; and quizzes about Viet Nam's sea and islands. The City's youth also joined hands to form the largest ever map of Viet Nam's sea and islands.

During the festival, young Vietnamese students introduced scientific research projects designed to support the development of the economy of the islands and coastal areas.

Duong Ngoc Tuan, deputy chairman of the Viet Nam Youth Federation of HCM City, told local youth during the festival that the sea and islands comprise the nation's territory and are not a separate part. He also stressed the responsibility of youth by saying that the knowledge of young people, their creativeness and determination play a key role in developing the marine economy and protecting the country's territory.

During the events previous years, several activities and programmes were organised to help improve the living condition for soldiers and people on Truong Sa, Tuan noted.

The festival was held to mark the 57th anniversary of the Viet Nam Youth Federation's establishment. The photo exhibition will be on display until September 25 at the HCM City Youth Cultural House.

Korean food fair to set sail

Vietnamese foodies will have the chance to sample several signature Korean foods when the 2013 Korean Food Fair kicks off in the capital city on Thursday.

With the slogan "Fun F-Food, Your Friend", the event aims to introduce popular Korean foods to Vietnamese consumers.

The event is being organised by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) to help the entry of Korean food into the ASEAN market.

"We hope the fair will give a positive impression of Korean food by showing premium goods to Vietnamese people," said aT director, Kim Jae-soo.

The event will also feature a customer conference gathering more than 80 importers and distributors from the ASEAN region as well as Korean exporters at the Grand Plaza Ha Noi Hotel on Thursday and Friday.

An exhibition will also showcase food and beverage products from around 30 Korean companies.

Korean chefs will prepare a feast presenting the best of Korean cuisine, including braised chicken with ginseng, braised beef short ribs, and traditional cakes on Friday night.

To round out the display of Korean culture, a fashion show will show off traditional Korean hanbok on the night.

The food fair will also see several outdoor activities taking place at the Thong Nhat Park on the weekend, where visitors can enjoy musical and comedic performances from Korean bands, as well as traditional dances performed by students of the Korean International School in Ha Noi.

Younger visitors will be able to enjoy a food-themed 3D painting exhibition or join several Korean folk games.

Earlier, a similar event was organised in Shanghai in June, and will take place in New York in October and Hong Kong in November.

Exhibition features geometric art

Self-taught artist Tran Hoang Minh Duc uses geometric lines to depict daily life and landscapes in his 21 oil-on-canvas paintings on display at an exhibition in HCM City.

"Recollections" at the Tu Do Gallery features landscapes titled City, Sai Gon Riverside, and Evening in Da Lat.

In The Family II, the 50-year-old artist uses geometric depictions of parents, a child, and a cat in background to express the family's love and happiness.

There are realistic works depicting the amiable nature of the countryside and its people such as Hamlet II and Young Girl with Bandana.

As a chemical engineer, Duc was inspired by the geometric patterns represented by cranes, electric wires, and turbines. He became good enough to have held six solo and several group exhibitions in Viet Nam and countries like Belgium, Australia, Singapore, and the US.

Tu Do Gallery is at 53 Ho Tung Mau Street, District 1, and the exhibition will go on until September 30.

Iran folk music to debut in Ha Noi

The Iranian folk music group Homayoun will present several famous traditional Persian music pieces at a performance in Ha Noi this week.

The five member group play a variety of instruments including the tar (Persian long-neck, waisted string instrument), the kamancheh (Persian bowed string instrument), the tanbur (pear-shaped, long-necked string instrument), the tonbak (Persian goblet drum), the daf (Persian frame drum), and the santur (Iranian dulcimer).

Founded in 1994, the group has performed in Germany, the Netherlands and France. The group will hold their debut concert in Ha Noi at 8pm on Wednesday at the Ha Noi Opera House.

They will also perform at the Ha Noi University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 336 Nguyen Trai Road, at 4.30pm on Thursday; and the Viet Nam National Academy of Music, 77 Hao Nam Street, at 8pm on Friday.

While the debut concert is by invitation only, the two following shows are open free to the public.

Hue celebrates UNESCO heritage recognition

Hue held a series of cultural events welcoming international and local delegates to the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of UNESCO's recognition of Hue's monuments and the 10 years since the recognition of the city's royal court music.

The events were held from Thursday to Sunday.

A meeting with officials from UNESCO, the Government, provincial authorities and the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre was held yesterday to review the past 20 years since the world cultural heritage was recognised by UNESCO.

Delivering a speech at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Hue was a unique centre of culture and tourism where the monuments and buildings had been preserved.

The former capital had worked hard to gain recognition by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site in 1993, he said.

"The path of 20 years of conservation and promotion of cultural values in Hue has taught us valuable lessons," he said.

Phuc noted that the Government had issued a plan to promote heritage in Hue, urging local authorities to find ways to preserve and exploit the monuments to develop the locality.

UNESCO representative to Viet Nam Katherine Muller-Marin highlighted the successful preservation of the tangible aspects of Hue's Complex of Monuments as well as the nha nhac (Hue royal court music), which was also the country's first intangible heritage to be recognised by UNESCO.

Muller-Marin noted that the values of the intangible heritage of humanity had been successfully relayed by the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, with support from local authorities.

"I am pleased to learn that the centre has received the endorsement of the local People's Committee as it plans to develop the heritage site," she said, noting the contributions of local authorities.

"The Hue Monuments Conservation Centre has achieved significant results in heritage conservation over the past decades, and UNESCO should support its activities to conserve wooden structures in particular," she said.

The UNESCO representative also pledged close co-operation with the centre for the next stage of conservation.

In response, local authorities admitted they had struggled to conserve the true values of tangible and intangible heritage in the city, but were determined to improve the situation.

"Hue will encourage the participation of locals and promote co-operation with international supporters to conserve and promote the sites," said Nguyen Van Cao, chairman of the local People's Committee.

On Friday, the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre opened two exhibitions at the royal palace, one of which is displaying heritage sites from around the world.

The other which runs until November 25 features handwritten documents and signatures by 10 kings under the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945).

On display are more than 150 documents which were drafted by administrative agencies from local to central levels and then submitted to the Kings for consideration and approval. They covered politics, the military, diplomacy, economics, culture and society. They are reliable evidence of the administrative system as well as the culture, history and art of the Nguyen dynasty, said director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, Phan Thanh Hai.

The Hue Museum of Artefacts also exhibited a collection of porcelain plates that were used during the dynasty. The artefacts were lent to the museum by collectors Doan Phuoc Thuan and Tran Dac Luc from the central province of Phu Yen.

A set of bronze musical instruments used for nha nhac was also presented to the centre by Vietinbank. Experts and locals were delighted by the events to celebrate the anniversaries, and hoped that local heritage and cultural values would live on for generations to come.

Dutch consulate launches photo contest

The Dutch consulate in HCM City has launched photo contest Holland & Viet Nam in Your Eyes.

The contest is open to professional and amateur photographers living and working in Viet Nam and Vietnamese studying in the Netherlands.

Photographers are invited to capture the connection or the characteristics of both countries and provide a description within a maximum of 30 words in one photo. Entries have to be sent by October 20. The contest is part of the "Holland Village" programme meant to mark the 40th anniversary of ties between Viet Nam and the Netherlands.

Held from November 22- December 1 at September 23 Park in HCM City, visitors can see typical Dutch houses and 3D photos and eat traditional Dutch foods.

Final of HTV hosting contest begins

Eight contestants were chosen from more than 500 others in the preliminary round to compete in the final round of the HCM City Television (HTV)'s annual contest Nguoi Dan Chuong Trinh (The Host), which will begin tonight.

The finalists will be judged by their appearance, presentation and emcee skills during the five shows of the round.

They will host short TV reportages, arts-performing shows, news programmes, game shows, conferences and debates with the judges. They will be sent for a short-term training course in the Philippines.

The final two people will be chosen for the finale at the Nguyen Du Gymnasium on October 18.

Prehistoric traces found in Thai Nguyen

Stone tools dating back as far as 20,000 years have been found in three caves in the northern province of Thai Nguyen.

According to Professor Trinh Nang Chung, head of the excavation team, the discovery widens scientists' knowledge of prehistoric culture in the area. All three sites are being excavated further.

Among the three caves, Kim Son Cave in Vo Nhai District, which locates near Nguom Cave – already a noted archaeological site – is the most important.

In the second site, Thung Cave in Phu Luong District, a 50cm layer of earth contained stone tools, broken ceramic pieces, animal teeth and well-polished metal hatchets.

Professor Chung said decorative patterns on ceramic wares found at the cave had features of the Phung Nguyen culture of 4,000-3,500 years ago.

In another cave, named Than in Dong Hy District, a thick layer of coal ashes were found together with tools made from animal bones. Than Cave is thought to have been used as recently as 4,000 years ago.

Evidence of Vietnam’s sea, island sovereignty goes on show

More than 50 ancient maps along with with several other historical documents proving Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Spratly) and Truong Sa (Paracel) archipelagos are on display at the Hue Culture Museum in the central province of Thua-Thien Hue.

The exhibits, dating from the 15th to the 20th century, hail from Vietnam, western nations and even China, which now also claims the islands.

Notably, many Chinese maps designed for administrative purposes, or for oil and gas exploration and transportation all show China’s territory ends at Hainan Island and do not include Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.

The exhibition, which opened on September 20, is also showcasing official documents from the Nguyen Dynasty, the last feudal government in Vietnam , along with old maps and records that show the country’s sovereignty and management over these islands throughout history.

Photographs of members of the Vietnamese navy protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands through economic, cultural and social activities are also on display.

The exhibition will run until October 20.

2014 Hue Festival to be held in April

The theme of next year’s Hue festival would be named “Cultural heritage with integration and development”, said the Festival Organising Committee.

The 2014 Hue Festival, to be held from April 12-20, would bring together art troupes from 25 countries and territories worldwide and France would be the main partner, added the Organising Committee.

The Vietnam Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank) on September 21 became the biggest sponsor for 2014 Festival after the bank had sealed a deal to fund 5 billion VND (230,000 USD) for the event.

Vietinbank’s Thua Thien–Hue branch also transferred bo bien chung (brass bells), instruments that were used in Hue ’s royal performances during the Nguyen dynasty, to the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre. The bank funded 300 million VND (14,200 USD) for the restoration of the bells.

The restoration work took place Hue city’s Duc precinct with the assistance of Korean traditional percussion artisan Kim Huyn-kon.

Dr Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Hue Conservation Centre explained that “bo bien chung” brass bells are arranged in a specific position to achieve different sound levels. The bells used to be played at musical performances in the Hue royal court. However, the instrument fell into oblivion in the early 1900s, and nobody is able to play them at present.

Since Hue royal court music (“nha nhac”) was recognised by UNESCO in 2003 as world intangible cultural heritage, the centre has actively implemented several projects to preserve and restore music and equipment from the Hue royal time.

Vietnam days in Japan delight visitors

Hundreds of thousands of Japanese citizens have been entertained by a wide array of political, economic and cultural activities organised as part of a programme celebrating the 40 th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Japan.

The “Vietnam Days in Japan ” programme, which is promoting Vietnamese culture in the framework of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Year 2013, is the largest of its kind to be organised abroad.

The event was taking place in the major cities of Tokyo , Osaka , Kobe , Fukuoka and Nagoya from September 12-22.

Scores of impressive music performances at cultural galas and festivals delighted those in attendance and gave them a closer look into Vietnam ’s rich culture and hospitable and hard-working people.

Meanwhile, Japanese and Vietnamese firms came in droves to participate in economic workshops, exchanging information and advice and exploring potential areas of cooperation, such as hi-technology, support industries and agriculture. The companies pledged to be trustworthy and important partners of each other.

As part of the event, top Vietnamese officials from ministries and the provinces of Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Thai Binh, Dak Lak, Quang Ngai and Ben Tre met with the local authorities of Aichi, Osaka , Hyogo, Kobe and Fukuoka .

They also worked with a number of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Japan, the Economic Federation and the Japanese Friendship Society, toured the factory of the Kawasaki heavy industries corporation and explored the hi-tech city of Kobe.-

Vietnam attends charity festival in Belgium

The Vietnamese booth at a solidarity festival held for charitable purpose in Bredene city, Belgium , drew large crowds.

The Vietnamese Embassy’s booth displayed photos of tourist attractions like Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, alongside French-language magazines namely Le Courrier du Vietnam, Culture Vietnam .

All of its proceeds went to the organising board for charitable activities.

Held annually over the past four years by the Workers’ Party of Belgium, this year’s event drew representatives from 150 embassies, international organisations in Belgium together with 10,000 local visitors.

Nguyen dynasty’s royal documents on exhibition in Hue

An exhibition of royal documents bearing the handwritten comments and signatures of the 10 Kings under the Nguyen Dynasty opened in the former imperial city of Hue on September 20.

On display are more than 150 documents, which were drafted by administrative agencies from local to central levels, and then submitted to the Kings for considering and approving. They covered many issues from politics, military, diplomacy, to economics, culture and society.

They are reliable materials for the study of the administrative system as well as the culture, history and art of the Nguyen dynasty, said Director of the Hue Relics Preservation Centre Phan Thanh Hai.

The ongoing exhibition, the first of its kind in Hue, is part of activities to mark the 20 th anniversary of recognition of the Hue imperial relic complex by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site and the 90 th founding anniversary of the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum.

‘XEM’ visual feast comes to San Art

‘XEM’ - a group visual exhibition which is able to turn photographic ideas into objects of artists Nguyen Thanh Truc, UuDam Tran Nguyen, Quang Lam, Hoang Duong Cam and Phan Quang - is open at San Art.

As each member of XEM individually works across various media – from painting, sculpture, video to installation – the exhibition embraces much more than just photography though it is an inherent focus. This exhibition charts each artist’s personal artistic preoccupations, from challenging ideas of photojournalism, the infamous snapshot, collective and individual space, absent authorship, to gender as an ephemeral construct and more.

The show is a discursive generative space of artistic experimentation. The book of artworks itself focuses on the primacy of the image, preferring explanations or possible meanings to be discussed collectively, in person, between and above the pages. The show quests on the meaning of a part of community of cultural relations, of friends in the sharing of mutual interests and values, a space that nurtures social or creative growth, the difference between form (as an exhibition) and ritual (as a social happening), the idea of an exhibition as a book, an experience made mobile and intimate, changing the way an image is read and remembered.

The exhibition runs until October 24 at San Art, 3 Me Linh Street in Binh Thanh District.

Yxineff announces selections and theme

Seventy-six short films selected from over 200 submissions from five continents will be screened at the fourth annual International Online Short Film Fest YxineFF which will open on Saturday with Even Just for One Day directed by Nguyen Trong Khoi.

The organizers have also announced the theme of this year’s festival ‘Choice’. In the International Competition, YxineFF 2013 features 12 films (10 fiction, one documentary and one animation) from 10 countries: Cambodia, France, Germany, India, Italy, South Korea, the Philippines, Romania, the U.S. and Vietnam. In the Local Competition of YxineFF 2013 there are ten young directors mostly from Hanoi and HCMC covering five fiction, four documentaries and an animation movie. This category expresses the diversity in genres of Vietnamese filmmakers and the strength of documentary film at YxineFF.

The Panorama Competition contains 13 films which are mostly drama expressing popular sides of the theme Choice. The In Focus of YxineFF also has nine films.

The festival brings to audiences five films made by students from the National University of Arts in Seoul, South Korea in a separate program. The special highlight of YxineFF 2013 is Before The Long Feature which includes six shorts made by famous Vietnamese directors before they made the big time, including Siu Pham, Bui Thac Chuyen, Phan Dang Di, Nguyen Quang Dung, Vu Ngoc Dang and Ham Tran.

The festival will close with Black Sun directed by Truong Que Chi in Paris on December 13.

Singaporean conductor and pianist to hit city stage

Conductor Adrian Tan Chee Kang and pianist Albert Lin will entertain music lovers in a chamber concert with the Saigon Philharmonic Orchestra at 8 p.m. on September 27 at HCMC Conservatory of Music.

The concert will stage the Piano Concerto No.3 by big name musician Sergei Rachmaninoff and Symphony No. 9 by Vietnamese musician Nguyen Van Nam who has spent his whole life writing symphonies with traditional sonority.

Adrian Tan, director of the Saigon Philharmonic Orchestra, graduated at Singapore National University and earned an MBA at Sydney Conservatory of Music. He is now music director of Singapore Flute Orchestra and Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra.

Lin has been called the ‘Darling of Singaporean composers’ and ‘Khoo Swee Chiow of the piano’ by the Singapore newspaper The Straits Times.

The concert takes place at the conservatory’s Concert Hall, 112 Nguyen Du Street in District 1. Admission is priced at VND200,000 and VND300,000.

VTV6 continues foreign influx with Step Right Up

Vietnam is currently in the midst of a season of foreign format reality shows/game shows being produced and aired on numerous channels.

Today also marks the debut of another game show originating from Argentina called Step Right Up (Mot buoc de chien thang), which is hugely popular in Argentina, Chile and Paraguay, on VTV6 at 9 p.m. It is also being broadcasted in Thailand.

The action game show features a series of games with rewards. In the Vietnamese format, participants join in four games with four prizes in each challenge.

According to producers, VTV6 and Blue Ocean Communication, who bought the copyright from Endemol, Step Right Up can compete with other game shows thanks to its easy play, easy win format.

Hosts of the show will be popular duo VJ Yumi and singer Min Xu. Some episodes feature popular artists and their fans to create something unpredictable and interesting for the show.

The organizers are currently searching for contestants for next month. If you are interested in joining the program check out http://www.motbuocdechienthang.vn/ to register and for further information.

Audiences can watch this show at 9 p.m. every Tuesday on VTV6.