‘Turbulence: A Survival Story’ author arrives in Vietnam

Annette Herfkens, the author of the memoirs “Turbulence: A Survival Story” and the sole survivor of a plane crash in Vietnam’s central coast province of Khanh Hoa 22 years ago, has started her week-long trip to the country.

This is her second visit to Vietnam since the air crash and this time she comes with her daughter and son. Her first trip back to the crash site on O Kha Mountain in Son Trung Commune, Khanh Son District, Khanh Hoa Province took place in 2006.

The Dutch-born author will meet local media, have an exchange with readers and tour O Kha Mountain which the Yak-40 jetliner of Vietnam Airlines Flight 474 crashed into in 1992 in a tropical storm, killing 30 passengers, including her fiancé, and crew members.

Herfkens will also be visiting the families of seven people who died in a crash while they were flying a Mi-8 helicopter to reach the Flight VN 474 crash site.

The Vietnamese version of her book, called 192 Hours - Gianh giat su song tu chuyen bay dinh menh, has been on the bookstore shelves since early this month. The book has gained much attention from local readers as they admire her incredible will and strength to survive after eight days drinking rainwater with multiple injuries and she has healed her soul wounds to be back to family and work.

Herfkens’ and her children’s transportation from Paris to HCMC and from HCMC to Nha Trang is sponsored by Vietnam Airlines.

It is expected that Herfkens will have an emotional meeting with Nguyen Thanh Chung, former deputy chief of staff of the military affairs of Khanh Son Commune of Khanh Hoa Province, who directly conducted the search for the VN 474 aircraft.  

Earlier this year, the book “Turbulence: A Survival Story” was launched in the U.S.

Vietnamese folk humour enthrals Korean audiences

A short play entitled Cai Lao Hoan Dong (Rejuvenation) performed by 13 artists from the Vietnam National Drama Theatre captivated Korean audiences at the 14th Pohang International Performing Arts Festival on August 11.

The drama, written by Vietnamese director Tuan Hai, tells the story of Dat and Xoan, a couple of poor farmers who avoid the oppression and exploitation of a cruel official thanks to their ingenuity.

The play was also awarded three prizes at the China-ASEAN Theatre Festival, which took place in Nanning city last August.

Within the framework of the event, Vietnamese artists will hold exchanges with Korean colleagues, attend a number of seminars, and enact drama theatre at Incheon city.

Vietnam Ambassador to the RoK Pham Huu Chi highlighted the event as a good opportunity for Vietnamese artists to learn experience from foreign colleagues and help Korean and international audiences gain a better understanding of the nation’s land, people, and culture.

This year’s event in Pohang city, the Republic of Korea (RoK) has attracted artists from 10 countries from around the globe displaying a wide variety of artistic talent in drama, opera, dance and street art.

Museum holds South Korean week

The Viet Nam Women's Museum will host a week of South Korean traditional culture activities from August 17-23.

Visitors will get the chance to learn about South Korean culture, including mask dance art and the popular folk art of Pungmul. Musicians will offer dance and drum lessons. The climax of the week will be a mask exhibition and hanbok costume trial.

The week is organised by the museum and Korean Cultural Centre in Ha Noi with the participation of Jeju Doorunanum folklore art troupe.

Gig spotlights traditional music

A concert in Ha Noi tonight will raise funds for young traditional musicians.

Organised by musician Vo Van Anh, the concert features pop singer Tung Duong alongside traditional music instrument performances by Anh and People's Artist Xuan Hoach.

It is the second concert held by Music Bridge - Under 25, which targets young composers, musicians and music students. Launched early last year by Anh, a 16-chord zither musician, the educational project aims to encourage young musicians, through funds raised, to write compositions based on Vietnamese traditional music.

Vung Tau launches food fest

A food festival titled For the Fatherland's Sea and Islands will be held from August 28-31 in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province to celebrate the August Revolution Day (August 19) and Viet Nam Independence Day (September 2).

The venue will be in Trung Trac and Trung Nhi streets, the same location as last year's event but enlarged throughout the flower garden with 66 stalls.

Through this event, the local authorities expect to promote Vung Tau image as a dynamic beach city with a variety of exciting culture and tourism activities and introduce tourists and travelers to its authentic specialties. Visitors will have a chance to experience genuine dishes from different countries like Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Ukraine, Japan and many more at the food festival.

There will also be a live cooking performance every night. The organising board will consider awarding prizes to outstanding participants, with the aim of encouraging businesses to deliver professional services to visitors.

VN artists join art festival in Yokohama

Three Vietnamese artists are joining nearly 40 others from all over the world at Japan's annual Koganecho Bazaar art festival in Yokohama City.

The event, which lasts until early November, features various types of art projects from performances to community intervention and technology-based works. They are shown in various spaces in the city, including studios under a railway bridge, small buildings, existing shops and empty lots.

Artist Uu Dam Tran Nguyen has contributed License 2 Draw, an interactive painting project where a robotic car controlled by internet users draws lines on a canvas.

"The painting can be drawn by anyone interested from all over the world," Dam told Viet Nam News. "I placed a white canvas at the exhibition. Anyone wanting to draw on it can download the License 2 Draw app on their iPhones, iPads or Android phones and control the car to create lines on the canvas as they wish."

During the three-month festival, Dam intends to invite artists from areas with conflicts like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Israel to join a special drawing session with artists from the rest of the world like the US, Japan, China, Viet Nam and the Philippines.

"People have used remote-control techniques to destroy enemies in wars," he said, "But here, in my project, people use the same technique to create art."

Phan Minh Tuan (known as Ben Liar)'s installation features an upgraded sugarcane-pressing machine transported from Viet Nam. While displaying graffiti paintings, the artist presses sugarcane and serves the juice to the audience.

Truong Cong Tung has contributed a video installation and a work on canvas made by termites and titled Blind Map.

"It's a large painting made from the process of the termites eating a large roll of canvas," Tung said. "The inspiration comes from my personal experience. As a student from the countryside coming to HCM City to study and work, I always had to move from one place to another to get cheap rent. Most of the places I lived had termites."

To make Blind Map, Tung put a black canvas roll into a corner of his rented apartment.

"After one year, the termites ate the entire canvas roll and accidentally created sophisticated patterns that were as delicate as lace but also represented traces, like a path or a map," he said.

The exhibition aims to situate Yokohama as a cultural hub in Asia. An international symposium on contemporary art, history and current issues in Asia will gather curators from Viet Nam, Thailand, Taiwan, Chinese mainland, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Nguyen Nhu Huy, curator of Zero Station gallery in HCM City, will contribute a speech at the symposium. The event also includes a theatre programme and local food events.

Contemporary dance performance showcases talented artists

A performance of contemporary dance themed Con Tao Xoay (The Spinning Creator) will be organized at Ben Thanh Theater in Ho Chi Minh City on August 10  by the Association of Vietnamese Enterprises’ Cultural Department in association with Discovery Ballet Company.

The show which is part of the “For the popularity of Contemporary dance works” project will bring the art of dance closer to audiences in the country as well as rise and keep abreast with international fellows.

This play tells the changes of people’s lives through stages. People are absorbed in the industrial apparatus which turns them into emotionless machine due to; the struggle between the matter and the spirit of each person in different positions. And eventually they realize the meaning of being alive in this world.

The dancing show will be also held at the Cultural Friendship Palace in Hanoi on August 21.

Sea-themed toys popular for Mid-Autumn Festival

Toys related to the sea and islands have proven popular to Vietnamese consumers in the run up to the Mid-Autumn Festival, which will fall next month.

In recent days, Hang Ma which is famous for selling toys and paper, especially votive offerings, has taken on a more festive atmosphere with the approach of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the 15th day of the seventh month on the lunar calendar.

This year, customers are not spending millions of VND on expensive votive offerings, such as big houses, cars and phones for their ancestors, but choosing to buy cheaper alternatives, such as clothes, shoes and hats, all made of paper, and destined for the fire.

Children's toys, in particular, have been popular this season, especially colourful lanterns with messages reinforcing Vietnamese sovereignty over the historical islands and waters of Vietnam. The image of navy men and the message, "I love Vietnamese sailors!" have been selling very well.

National Cinema Centre accused of indecent ads

The National Cinema Centre was recently asked to account for an advertisement campaign that has been called indecent by its overseeing agency.

The American film, "A Million Ways to Die in the West", has recently come under fire for its Vietnamese ad campaign, which includes language deemed to be vulgar by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Because the centre runs under the auspices of the ministry, they are held accountable for the film release as well as its advertisements.

Concern grew after the ministry was informed that leaflets promoting the movie were being handed out to children. The campaign, handled by a South Korean PR firm, included questionable illustrations and captions such as, "Death during sex is sudden" and "Show your tool and ejaculate".

There are questionable illustrations and captions in the back of the leaflet.

Despite attempts made to contact the advertisement agency, reporters have yet to get any response from the company.

According to Phan Dinh Tan, spokesman for the ministry, these illustrations and captions clearly violate Vietnamese regulations. "We will ask the National Cinema Centre to cease the current ad campaign and to send an official explanation as to why this incident was allowed to occur. After receiving the reply, we will consider punishments for responsible individuals," he added.

The film has attained a considerable amount of success in the West, and features well-known celebrities such as Liam Neeson, Seth MacFarlane and Charlize Therone. The controversy over the film in Vietnam seems to be over the campaign rather than the plot.

Trinh Cong Son copyright controversy

All through the run up to overseas Vietnamese singer Khanh Ly’s show in Danang City on August 8, there were arguments about copyright issues.

Despite the fact that the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism tried to quell the problem, the argument between Vietnam Centre for Protection of Music Copyright (VCPMC) and show promoters continued until 9pm, at which point the promoters walked out of the meeting and asked security to escort VCPMC off the premises.

Musician and VCPMC representative, Pho Duc Phuong, commented, “Our hand was forced in this case, in which we had to come to Khanh Ly’s live shows in Hanoi and Danang to make a complaint of copyright infringement. We had already reached an settlement of VND170 million (USD8,003) for use rights, but the organisers have yet to pay."

According to Phuong, one of the organisers, the argument centered around a request for a document with the signatures of five members of the family of the late, famous musician, Trinh Cong Son. The document provided by VCPMC only had three, as the other two were living abroad. The dispute occurred even though the other family members were willing to give their permission over the phone.

Van Thi Thu Bich, chief representative of the copyright protection centre in Danang said, “We’ve sent a letter to the municipal government and Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism requesting that the organisers, including the Vietnam Theatre of Contemporary Art and Dong Dao Limited Company, pay fees for usage of copyrighted material.”

Bich said that authorities in Danang have made requests to the organisers to pay the fees, but without result.

Nguyen Ngoc Son, a representative of the organisers, said, “It is our standing policy to comply with all rules and regulations concerning copyrighted material. Regarding the fees requested for use of Trinh Cong Son’s songs, there is a stipulation for the signatures of five family members. To date we have only received one, and so cannot pay.”

Son said that the organising group intends to pay all necessary fees as soon as the paperwork is in order. They have already obtained a license to legally use Trinh Cong Son's music during live shows.

Ancient Bodhi Tree in Phu Yen recognised as Vietnam Heritage Tree

The Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and the Environment (VACNE) has recognised a Bodhi growing at Hoa Tri commune, Phu Hoa district, Phu Yen province as a Heritage Tree.

The Bodhi tree, which was planted at Luong Van Chanh temple, Long Phung small village, Hoa Tri commune nearly 200 years ago, is 21m high and 3.8m in diameter. The scientific name of the tree is ficus religiosa.

The tree is the second in Phu Yen province to have received such recognition.

Earlier, twenty ancient mango trees over 220 years old, located on the campus of a Buddhist temple named Tu Quang or Da Trang in Can Luong village, An Dan commune, Tuy An district, were recognised as Vietnam Heritage Trees.

According to official documents, the mango trees were planted by a Buddhist monk named Phap Chuyen in 1793. The mangos produced by the trees were delicious and were offered to the kings.

The recognition of these trees aims to raise awareness about the value of protecting nature in the local community.

So far, over 600 trees of 45 different species in 35 cities and provinces across the country have been recognised as Vietnam Heritage Trees.

Hanoi to attach boards to historic revolutionary relics

On the 69th anniversary of the August Revolution (September 2) and the 60th anniversary of Hanoi Liberation Day (October 10), the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will begin attaching boards of historical and revolutionary significance from the period 1946-1954 to 15 relics.

The relics record the victories of the army and the people during the nine-year uprising resistant war against French colonialism.

Hanoi has also repaired and improved eight other revolutionary relics for this occasion.

The city will manage, protect, repair and preserve the relics while communicating and promoting their values. Districts and towns will organise tours to the relics for students to study the significant historical events and to enrich their pride and patriotism.

Book on primates introduced to Vietnamese readers

The second volume of the “Primates in Fragments” book was introduced to Vietnamese readers on August 10, on the occasion of the country’s hosting of the 25th Congress of the International Primatological Society from August 11-16.

The volume is contributed by 104 authors from 23 countries, and comprises seven sections with 34 chapters. New to this volume are the long-term and regional studies, and sections on endemic, endangered and nocturnal species.

Associate Professor, Doctor Le Xuan Canh from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, one among the authors, said that in the last 10 years, many researchers have conducted studies on primates in disturbed habitats, through which they affirm the fragmentation of landscapes is the main reason for the extinction of primates.

Canh described the book as a valuable document contributing to conserving this species.

The biennial International Primatological Society Congress, held in Vietnam this year, is expected to help increase the position of the country in the conservation of the nature in general and primates in particular, as well as offer a chance for the country to promote the image of its land and people.-

Vietnam designers to show up at Asian Fashion Week

The Asian Fashion Week, slated for August 13 to 18 in Surabay, Indonesia, will feature designers from Vietnam, Russia, Australia, Cameroon, India, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Nepal, Bangladesh, Dubai, Indonesia, and some Latin American countries. Five designers from each country are invited to attend, according to a Thanh Nien news report.

Five participating Vietnamese designers are Van Thanh Cong, Le Thanh Phuong, Tuan Cuong Le, Hoai Sang and Quynh Nhi (Nhi DQ Clarke).

International catwalk models will present these designers’ fashion collections on the evening of August 18. One remarkable collection called Dau An Vang Son (The Goden Imprint) and designed by Van Thanh Cong features images of Vietnam.

Dau An Vang Son collection was inspired by the image of Hai Ba Trung, phoenix and patterns on the traditional Dong Son and Ngoc Lu bronze drums.

The Echo of Nature – vow of artists to nature

The Echo of Nature is a second exhibition featuring 43 artworks by eight artists at Vietnam Fine Arts Museum from August 11 to 15.

This is the outcome of a 2012-2014 project by Le The Anh, Duy Tung, Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, Dang Hiep, Duy Hoa, Le Thuy, Dang Huu and Trinh Lien to draw with nature.

At the epoch of the dramatic social and political changes, of rapid information technology development, the participating artists want to portray nature based on the spirit of nature to establish a profound connection between nature and human souls.

The declaration of the eight members of this mobile artists group about their further plans is to develop techniques, enrich feelings and expressions, and find the individual ways in art to achieve perfection in capturing their favorite subject – nature. That is also the result of their studies, reflections and experiments.

This show is not only an overall result of a group artistic practice but also a modest step of young enthusiasts on their way towards creative discoveries. Inspired by the majesty and mystique of nature, the artists show the public their ideas and sentiment in the hopes that they will also the echo of nature.