Publisher fined for disrespectful images of great generals

A government publishing house has been fined for using disrespectful images of historic Vietnamese generals.

The Ministry of Information and Communication on December 15 fined The Culture and Information Publishing House a total of VND21 million (USD1,000) for violating publishing registration rules.

The Vietnamese Dictionary for Students was found to contained numerous inaccuracies, as did two books on great Vietnamese generals.

Concerns had been raised that five female generals had been caricatured in Japanese Manga style, with only 12 of 60 generals represented by photographic portraits, others having only drawn portraits in various styles.

Five female generals had been caricatured in Japanese Manga style in the "Most Famous General in Vietnamese History"

The Department of Printing and Publishing said the publisher failed to submit a required draft for review before publication. The publisher has admitted its error and recalled all copies of the books.

The Ministry of Information and Communication asked on December 10 that the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism suspend the Culture and Information Publishing House's license to publish.

The ongoing Ha Noi Art Market will stage a performance featuring hat chau van (ritual singing), which will be performed by artists of the Nghe Tinh UNESCO Club.

A religious art form that combines music, song, dance and colourful costumes, hat chau van is usually performed during len dong (spiritual trance) rites.

The performance will start at 3pm on Sunday.

Christmas concert with Hanoi Ensemble

Christmas is just around the corner, and to celebrate the special occasion, Manzi and Hanoi Ensemble have teamed up to present a special chamber concert.

Come, sip some mulled wine and enjoy some favourite Christmas tunes – classical, folk, contemporary and popular.

Hanoi Ensemble's musicians and teachers come from the Viet Nam National Academy of Music, and have performed in several concerts, festivals and cultural exchange programmes in the country and abroad. The members have studied both in Viet Nam and in well-known international conservatories.

The concert will start at 8pm on Saturday at Manzi Art Space, 14 Phan Huy Ich Street. Due to limited capacity, please email manzihanoi@gmail.com before 8pm today.

The Phu My Hung Urban Area will see a countdown party called Escape New Year – The Age of Tomorrow on New Year's Eve.

Swedish DJ duo Icona Pop, who became famous worldwide for the hit I Love It in 2013, will play electro house, punk, and indie pop music.

It will also feature an Egyptian trance music duo Aly & Fila. They have been voted among the top 100 DJs by DJ Magazine ever since 2008, ranking 28th this year.

There will also be robotronic dance and live visual arts performances.

The party will take place from 3pm to midnight at Lot 13, Tan Trao Street in District 7. Tickets costing VND680,000 and 2 million are available at teetalk.vn/vi/ve-escape.html.

More information is available at www.escape-party.com.

Two American DJs come to City

New York-based producer and DJ John Morales will perform together with Alton Miller from Detroit at The Observatory in District 4 tomorrow.

Morales was a legendary mixer/remixer of the 80s while Miller played an important role in Detroit's thriving electronic dance music scene that began in the mid-80s.

The performance will start at 10pm at 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street. The entrance fee will be VND200,000.

Thai Nguyen hosts South Korean Days

Cultural activities have been held in the northern Thai Nguyen province from yesterday till Monday, to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the establishment of the Viet Nam-South Korea diplomatic ties.

A photo exhibition of the landscape and the people of South Korea was inaugurated yesterday afternoon at the provincial museum. An exhibition of Korean Hanbok costumes will be held at the same museum from December 19 to February 28, where visitors will have a chance to try on the costumes.

A series of Korean movies will be screened on Saturday and Sunday, while Korean traditional arts will be performed at 7.30pm on Friday.

Luy Lau ceramics to be exhibited in France

Some 300 porcelains made by the Luy Lau Pottery Cooperative will be put on display in France on January 13-15 next year, said Director Nguyen Dang Vong.

Established in 2006 in Thuan Thanh district, northern Bac Ninh province, the Luy Lau Pottery Cooperative produces 10,000 pieces of 10 product groups every year, a number of which are exported to the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan and the Europe.

Luy Lau ceramics, evidence of a culture dating back 2,000 years in the Luy Lau region which now belongs to Bach Ninh province, were revived and developed by craftsman Nguyen Dang Vong in Man Xa village, Ha Man commune, Thuan Thanh district.

Prominent among his works is a 2.2 tonne ceramic vase, which was on the display during the celebrations of the Thang Long – Hanoi millennium anniversary in 2010.

The ancient Luy Lau used to be a major economic centre of Vietnam. Laying on the banks of the Dau river, it was a great convenient port that many traders from China, India and Central Asia came here to do business.

During that time, Luy Lau was home to large-scale pottery kilns equipped with “modern” technologies such as a system of high-speed ovens and turn tables.

BikeNBrunch special event at Ecopark

On Saturday, BikeNBrunch will host a special Christmas event at Ecopark, a new urban residential area in Hung Yen Province, about 13km from Ha Noi's centre.

Free shuttle buses will take participants from Hoan Kiem and Tay Ho to the park at 10.30am, where they will get a bicycle to discover this green, quiet area. Afterwards the group will have lunch at Nha San Restaurant right in the centre of Ecopark for VND250,000.

Tandem and children's bikes will also be available, making the event fun for the whole family.

To join the event, email to ole@exoticvoyages.com or call 0123 9502699.

Arabic calligraphy on show

Though many people don't understand what the Arabic words mean, they can still find the Arabic calligraphy in a new Hanoi University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS) exhibition beautiful.

The first ever exhibition of Arabic calligraphy in Vietnam opens on December 18 in Hanoi. It commemorates World Arabic Language Day on December 18, established by UNESCO in 2012 to highlight Arabic's importance as of the UN's official languages.

Presented by the Egyptian Embassy and ULIS, the exhibition would help enhance cultural exchange, and mutual understanding between Vietnam and Egypt, said Ambassador Youssef K Hanna. It would also promote Arabic teaching at the university.

Nguyen Thu Lan, one of about 60 students learning Arabic at ULIS, said she finds the exhibition beautiful and interesting, despite not knowing all the words.

"I have been learning Arabic for a short time and don't know every word, but I understand that most of the calligraphic works express tribute and respect to Allah," she said.

"The artworks look like wonderful paintings, as the calligraphers combine writings with fine arts. They decorate the writings with patterns of natural elements and colourful drawings."

Arabic calligraphy is the artistic practice of handwriting, based on the Arabic language and alphabet and originating in lands sharing a common Islamic and Arabic cultural heritage.

"It is known in Arabic as ‘khatt', which is derived from the word ‘line', ‘design' or ‘construction'," Hanna said. "The Arabic calligrapher's traditional instrument is the ‘qalam', a pen made of dried reed or bamboo. The ink is often coloured, and its intensity can vary greatly, so the greater strokes of the compositions can be very dynamic."

Religious significance

Most works of Arabic calligraphy have religious significance based on verses from the Qu'ran – the Muslim holy book.

So these works are usually used at home and worship places for obtaining blessings, as well as for decorating purposes.

They also include words about wisdom, luck and happiness, and the Egyptians use this kind of art at their homes or stores to bring in peace and prosperity.

The exhibition showcases 24 artworks by Egyptian calligraphers Mostafa Khoder, Ahmed Abdel Baset, Hamdy Zayed, and Mohamed Youssef Elmaghraby.

Elmaghraby is one of the most renowned calligraphers in Egypt, having participated in many local and international exhibitions. He also teaches Arabic calligraphy in various schools and universities.

"It's wonderful that I have the chance to introduce the beauty and value of Arabic calligraphy to Vietnam, where Arabic is not a popular language and very few people learn it," Elmaghraby said.

"I expect that the exhibition will help increase awareness about the importance of learning Arabic, for further mutual understanding of cultural heritage between Vietnam and Arab countries. I believe the easiest way to understand a nation is to learn its language."

The exhibition will run in two days at ULIS, 144 Xuan Thuy street, Hanoi.

National TV festival opens in Thua Thien-Hue

The 34th National Television Festival kicked off in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on December 17.

In his opening speech, General Director of Vietnam Television (VTV) Tran Binh Minh highlighted challenges facing both regional and global television industry, especially in the context of the current digital era.

It is essential to turn challenges into opportunities, thus further promoting the industry’s development in the future, he stressed.

The annual festival is to review the operation of the television industry throughout the year, and honour outstanding works.

Over 500 works from 100 organisations nationwide will compete in nine categories including children’s programme, documentary, reportage, science and education, talk shows, exchange-dialogue-discussion, programmes in ethnic minority languages, music and dance, and TV film series.

In the framework of the four-day event, there will be three seminars focusing on the power of breaking news, TV programmes on agriculture and rural development, and new media - opportunities and challenges for television stations in the digital era.

Other activities will include photo exhibitions, screenings of nominated works as well as talks between television makers and local audiences.

President hails stage artists’ role in culture

The Party and State always treasure the role of performing arts in the national culture and create favourable conditions for the arts to develop, President Truong Tan Sang said at the 8th congress of the Vietnam Association of Stage Artists in Hanoi on December 17.

He commended the association on its efforts to encourage and help stage artists to exploit to the most their talent and creativity as well as to popularise the arts through organising field trips, training courses, exchanges and overseas study tours for association members.

The President however, called attention to the fact that there are few theatrical works dealing with contemporary themes and new issues in society, while many just focus on entertainment while neglecting their educative role. Many artists are also slow in recognising and dealing with arising issues.

He urged the association to try hard to reform the content and modes of working in order to enhance the quality of creative work as well as artists.

The eighth congress of the Vietnam Association of Stage Artists is taking place until December 18 with the participation of nearly 500 delegates representing 2,000 members.

Thai ethnic group festival to showcase culture

Various cultural and sports activities, featuring the Thai ethnic group's traditional identities, will be held for the first time in the northern Lai Chau province from December 27 to 29.

The event will bring together local people and those from the provinces of Dien Bien, Hoa Binh and Son La, as well as Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Nghe An, besides Thanh Hoa, where the majority of the Thai ethnic people in the country live.

Mass artistic performances will be organised during the days, and traditional costume shows, tourism and cultural products as well as the revival of traditional ceremonies of the group will be showcased.

Various folk games such as day gay, ban no and tung con, as well as to ma le and danh cu will be organised.

Visitors will be able to explore some popular tourism sites in the province, including the villages of Vang Pheo, Ban Hon and Na Luong, as well as San Thang and Pusamcap.

Lai Chau has the maximum number of Thai people, numbering more than 400,000 people, accounting for 37 per cent of the province's population.

According to Vuong Van Thanh, vice chairman of the Lai Chau People's Committee, 150,000 tourists visit the province every year, 20,000 of which are foreigners.

"We have coordinated with the neighbouring provinces to draw tourists to destinations in the northern provinces of Phu Tho, Yen Bai and Lao Cai, as well as Dien Bien and Son La," he said. "Our challenge is how tourists can be made to stay longer in Lai Chau."

Hanoi hosts the biggest hot pot event in Vietnam

More than 300 chefs gathered in The Biggest Hot Pot in Vietnam scheduled to take place in Giang Vo Exhibition Centre in Hanoi on December 18.

At the event, two celebrities - famous chef Pham Tuan Hai and actor Tran Thanh - shared the technique and skills to create a delicious hot pot.

The event, organized by Unilever Food Solutions-one of the world’s leading food companies, attracted thousands of Hanoians.

The Biggest Hot Pot in Vietnam was held in Ho Chi Minh City on November 12. With a diametre of 5 metres and a height of 1.2 metres, the hot pot was made from 1.3 tonnes of raw materials. Over 500 chefs participated in the event.

University of North Park to award music scholarships

Tran Tuan An, a young aspiring Vietnamese guitarist, is passionate about music and he attributes his success to a scholarship he received to attend the University of North Park in Chicago (USA) and Professors Julie Goldberg and Tom Zelle.

Now Tuan An, who is currently studying for his Master of Music at Yale University in New Haven Connecticut (USA), has returned to Vietnam along with the two professors from North Park to select and present music scholarships to outstanding Vietnamese students.

Tuan An successfully managed to persuade the two professors who taught him at North Park University to visit Vietnam from December 15 to 20 to impart their musical knowledge at the Vietnam National Academy of Music and HCM Conservatory of Music.

The first lectures by the US professors are set for December 17 at the Vietnam National Academy of Music in Hanoi and for December 20 in HCM city.  At the end of their visit, lucky students will be presented with scholarships to attend North Park University.

Tuan An has won several musical awards in the US such as the first prize at a music competition at North Park University in 2013, the first prize at a contest held by the American Music Association and was honoured by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois in 2011.

Fahasa hosts children book fair

The children book fair and exhibition themed “Enjoying Christmas and greeting New Year with books” opened at Fahasa Nguyen Hue Bookstore in District 1 and at Fahasa Xuan Thu Bookstore in District 5 in Ho Chi Minh City on December 16.

The organizer, the Ho Chi Minh City Book Distribution Corporation (FAHASA) displays more than 200,000 copies of over 20,000 titles, including local and imported books.

Books of various genres such as literature, comics, skills training, languages, games, and fun puzzles are being presented at a book fair which will run until January 11, 2015.

Books will be offered at 10-20% discounts during the exhibition.

Young Vietnam designer wins Logo contest: New Zealand Embassy

The New Zealand Embassy in Hanoi and Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City December 18 announced  the official logo to brand the ‘New Zealand – Open to the New’ season of events to celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Viet Nam.

A young Vietnam designer, Tran Giang Nam is the winner for the first prize of VND20,000,000. Giang’s design is inspired by the fusion of highlights in the cultures of both New Zealand and Viet Nam.

The organizer received over 500 entries from many different parts of the Vietnamese public. Many of the entries are very creative, covering distinctive features of New Zealand and Vietnam and was very hard for us to choose a winner, said HE Haike Manning, New Zealand Ambassador to Vienam.

"The winning logo is inspired by the “Hongi”, the traditional greeting style of ’New Zealand's Māori community. The Hongi involves the touching of two noses, clearly seen in Nam’s design, and symbolises the sharing of ones’ life force through exchange of breath.   The official logo is also the modern symbol of Vietnam’s beautiful lotus, and the combination of the flags of our two countries. This official logo will be used as a core part of the branding for the events and activities to mark the important milestone of 40 years of bilateral relations" , Ambassador Manning added.

Special gifts will also be sent to students of An Hoa secondary school in the Mekong delta city of Can Tho, who submitted many creative logo entries, all drawn by hand.

The anniversary year will commence with an official launch to kick-off the ‘New Zealand – Open to the New’ on 5 February, and will be followed by many other exciting events and projects throughout the year to showcase a slice of New Zealand in Vietnam and the broad cooperative links between New Zealand and Vietnam, including in education, culture, trade, and development.

Handmade market features local designs

The Hanoi Social Club will host a Handmade Christmas Market, featuring local designs, handmade knick knacks and high-quality products on Sunday.

The market will provide visitors a glimpse into the city's creative underbelly, where they'll be able to find unique, gift-worthy items.

Visitors can also soak up the Christmas atmosphere with some mulled wine, Christmas pudding, pulled pork and other treats at the venue.

The market will take place at 6 Hoi Vu Street, from 9am to 5pm.

Theater director elected ITI member

Theater director Le Quy Duong has become the first Vietnamese to be elected to the 16-member executive council of the International Theater Institute (ITI) at the 34th ITI World Congress held in Armenia last month.

This will make it possible for Vietnam to give a voice to the world’s theater development and make the most of opportunities to send local artists abroad for international activities.

The director was also chosen as the deputy chairman of the ITI’s International Festival Forum, which aims to facilitate international exchanges to create new models of theater performances in the world.

Famous literature books out on December 17

A presentation of a series of Vietnamese famous literature books will take place at 6 p.m. on December 17 at the French Culture Center in Hanoi.

The series, known in Vietnamese as Vietnam danh tac, comprises classic works by Vietnamese writers such as Gio dau mua, Ha Noi bam sau pho phuong by Thach Lam, So do by Vu Trong Phuc, Viec lang by Ngo Tat To, Mieng ngon Ha Noi by Vu Bang and Vang bong mot thoi by Nguyen Tuan.

The works which were selected for reprint are the original manuscripts.

Vietnamese modern literature works, particularly in the 1930-1945 period, are reprinted to help young readers learn about the quintessence of classic works.

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