Project awakens Vietnam’s beauty

The UNESCO Centre for Culture and Education launched a project titled ‘The Beauty of Vietnam’ on May 12 in Ho Chi Minh City with a vision to preserve and promote the essence of Vietnamese culture.

The project includes three major programmes titled ‘Dang Viet’ (Figure of Vietnam), ‘Duyen Viet’ (Charm of Vietnam) and ‘Net Viet’ (Features of Vietnam).

The ‘Dang Viet’ programme features displays of Ao Dai collections to exhibit the fine beauty of the country’s traditional long gown. The shows will be held for free for the public in the lobby of the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House every Saturday morning.

‘Duyen Viet’ comprises of a series of performances including songs and dances imbued with the cultural identities of the 54 ethnic groups throughout the country. The performances will take place at luxury hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, promising to provide domestic and foreign visitors with a chance to explore and learn about Vietnamese culture and people.

Meanwhile, ‘Net Viet’ is the theme of a photo collection on Vietnamese traditional costumes. The outfits in the photo set were exhibited by 70 Vietnamese models, celebrities and winners of beauty contests.

Cafe chain staff wins barista competition

Nguyen Quoc Hung, 26, has beaten five other finalists to win The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's 2015 Vietnam Barista Competition and qualify for this year's International Barista to be held in Bandung, Indonesia, on July 28.

Hung, who works at the cafe's Kumho outlet in Ho Chi Minh, achieved the highest score in the competition with an outstanding performance and a unique signature drink made from unique Vietnamese ingredients like rice flavour tea, lotus seeds, and lychee.

The competition had begun in February, with around 40 young baristas working for the chain competing to make the best espresso, cappuccino, and signature drinks.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is the oldest and largest privately held American specialty coffee and tea retailer.-

Scholars discuss religious culture role in sustainable development

A conference titled “Religious culture and sustainable development in Vietnam” was organised in Hanoi on May 13 by the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.

Vietnam is home to a number of religions introduced through the country’s global interactions.

According to scholars, religion has become an important part of the nation’s cultural life, contributing to the formation and development of a uniquely Vietnamese culture.

Scientists, managers, religious dignitaries and followers objectively reviewed the role of religious culture in Vietnam’s sustainable development and added opinions and scientific basis to complete policies and laws on religion in Vietnam.

Delegates agreed that tapping the social resources of religions to fuel the country’s sustainable development is urgently needed.

In addition, issues such as the general theory on religious culture and sustainable development; the role of religious culture in social life; and religions’ cultural contributions to Vietnam’s sustainable development are under discussion.-

Nghe An: Film series held to mark national celebration

Film screenings marking the 125 th birth anniversary of late President Ho Chi Minh have been organised in the central province of Nghe An, beginning on May 12 and heralding the beginning of the Sen Village Festival 2015.

The films, which will be shown over three days in Vinh city, Nam Dan district and Cua Lo town, depict the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh.

Festival organisers hope to encourage patriotism and national solidarity among the public, while educating young generations about the late leader’s principles and aspirations for Vietnam.

The films being screened include “Thau Chin O Xiem” (Thau Chin in Thailand), “Nhung Dua Con Cua Lang” (The Children of the Village), “Duong Xuyen Rung” (Roads through the Forest) and “Dinh Cao Chien Thang” (The Peak of Victory).

Meanwhile, a revolutionary film month has been arranged nationwide from April 20 as part of the activities to celebrate the anniversaries of the Liberation of South Vietnam and National Reunification (April 30), the Dien Bien Phu victory (May 7) and late President Ho Chi Minh’s birth anniversary (May 19).-

Khau Vai Love Market to attract visitors to Ha Giang

The 2015 Khau Vai Love Market Culture-Tourism Week is held in Meo Vac district in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang on May 13-16 (or 25th-28th of the third lunar month).

The event opens with the final round of a beauty pageant for the northernmost mountainous areas. It attracts the participation of young girls from all districts in Ha Giang province.

In the four-day event, visitors will have a chance to join the market day’s activities, including a horse race, a cow fighting festival and incense offering at two temples in Khau Vai commune.

The unique love market in Vietnam which is 180km from Ha Giang City’s center is expected to lure thousands of visitors this year.

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.

Wood chips turned into jewelry

Wood chips seem to be useless, but Pham Nguyen Khoa, the owner of Lady Noname shop in HCMC’s District 1, has succeeded in using them to create jewelry and other items for decoration.

The items created from wood chips by Lady Noname are diverse, including bracelets, rings, necklaces, key holders, notebooks with wooden covers, and paintings printed on wood.

Khoa says he uses small pieces of wood discarded at wood workshops as material for making those products. However, the effort to create artworks from these tiny wooden pieces is huge as artisans must be patient and clever to make tiny patterns on wood.

The first step in the process is to polish wood chips to make a smooth surface. After that, the wood chips are covered with a water-proof layer. The next step is to carve patterns on the wood using a pen torch.

Apart from the skills of the maker, the quality of the products depends on how material is chosen. For example, Podocarpus imbricatus wood is the best material for making bracelets and rings as it is soft and easy to be cut.

At Lady Noname shop at 18bis/7 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, a bracelet costs VND220,000 (US$10) to VND240,000.

VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP