Miss Global arrives in HCM City

The 2013 Miss Global Emily Kiss and runners-up Joanna Hill and Emilia Zoryan have arrived in HCM City at the invitation of super model Vu Ha Anh and Caravelle Saigon Hotel.

During their visit from October 2-10, they plan to take in Viet Nam's landscapes, culture, and foods.

Kiss met with the media on Wednesday at the Caravelle's Saigon Saigon Bar.

Vu Ha Anh hosted a poolside party for Vietnamese showbiz personalities and Miss Global at the hotel last night.

A charity party will be hosted at Reflections Restaurant for showbiz celebrities and business executives today to raise funds for charity Heartbeat Viet Nam.

Miss Global is an international beauty contest hosted for the first time in August this year in the US by Van M Pham, a Vietnamese-American entrepreneur and film producer who hopes to improve its status to match Miss Universe and Miss World.

“Drum and Voices” concert to mark Vietnam-Japan friendship year

A major percussion concert will be held in Hanoi on October 17-18 to mark Vietnam-Japan Friendship Year and the 40th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan cooperation.

The event, titled “Drum and Voices,” will include 12 traditional percussionists from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Myanmar, Thailand and Japan.

Mai Lien and Minh Chi will represent Vietnam to perform at the programme, playing the local t’rung and cheo drums.

The concert will be directed by renowned Japanese composer Michiru Oshima.

After Vietnam, the artists will tour the ASEAN countries of Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Brunei between October and November, before ending the programme in Tokyo, Japan on December 18.-

Vietnam – China singing contest picks regional winners

The final of this year’s Vietnam – China Friendship Singing Contest for the northern mountainous, midland and coastal region took place in the province of Quang Ninh on October 3.

In this annual competition, now in its fourth year, contestants have to perform one Chinese song and another in Vietnamese.

The first winner was Sam Thi Hieu from Thai Nguyen province while the second prize went to Do Truc Quynh from the same locality. They were followed by Nguyen Thi Huong Thao from Quang Ninh and Le Viet Nam from Hoa Binh province, respectively.

They will join winners from Hanoi and southern regions to compete in the national final on October 6 in Quang Ninh’s Ha Long city.

The event aims to offer people from both countries an opportunity to better their understanding of each other’s culture, thus consolidating their friendship.

The competition was jointly organised by the Quang Ninh Radio and Television Station and Vietnam’s VTC Digital Television with China’s Radio International, Guangxi People’s Radio and Guangxi Television.-

Documents reveal history of trade ties

Historical researcher Hasuda Takashi from Japan's Niigata University has donated copies of four rare ancient documents to the central province of Ha Tinh's Provincial Museum.

Nguyen Tri Son, director of the museum, told Viet Nam News that the four documents were Chinese-scripted official letters on do (poonah) paper signed in 1609 and 1611.

Among the documents was permission from mandarin Van Ly Hau and dated May 13, 1611.

The document permits Japanese traders' ships to follow Lam River to dock at Phu Thach ancient quarter, which is now in Duc Tho District of Ha Tinh Province.

Mandarin Van Ly Hau, who was also known as Tran Tinh, was born in today's Can Loc District, Ha Tinh Province.

Other documents show that the mandarin also offered help to Japanese traders when they met difficulties.

The ancient documents show that Phu Thach Old Quarter was prosperous at least 400 years ago.

The area was developed at the same time as Hien Old Quarter in today's northern city of Hung Yen and Hoi An Old Quarter in the central province of Quang Nam.

Professor Hasuda said he found the original documents while searching for his materials at Naga Museum in Japan.

Photo exhibition on Northwest People, Landscapes

A photography exhibition titled ‘Welcome Northwest Vietnam’ by photographer Nguyen Thanh Tung opened at 53-55 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street in Ho Chi Minh City on October 2.

The exhibition displays 28 photos printed on canvas, a material used usually for oil paintings.

Through these photos, the photographer introduces to visitors the physical and spiritual life of the ethnic minority people in Ha Giang and Northwest Provinces.

The photographer plans to use part of the profits from sale of the pictures to donate gifts, cakes and learning tools for disadvantaged children in the above provinces.

The exhibition is on until October 30.