Ancient Asian artefacts on display in Hanoi

Around 100 ancient items from 10 Asian countries will be exhibited at the National History Museum in Hanoi from October 8, 2013 to the end of January 2014.

Ten countries, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam will showcase their items made from bronze, ceramics, stone, wood, terra-cotta and gemstone.

Most of the items belong to a collection entitled “Asia-cultural colour”, featuring spiritual life and the diverse daily life of Asian people, ranging from cuisine, costumes, housing, fine arts, sculpture, handwriting, festivals, customs, and art performances.

Prominent pieces on display include Japan’s Buddhist sculpture works, Edo ceramics and traditional lacquer products, China’s ceramic, gemstone and bronze products and Vietnam’s bronze items from the late 19th century.

The exhibition aims to welcome the fourth Conference of the Asian National Museum Association which will be held in Hanoi in October.

Mekong Delta celebrates Nguyen Trung Truc Festival

On September 30, the Nguyen Trung Truc Festival was organized across the Mekong Delta Provinces of Kien Giang and Can Tho to mark the 145th death anniversary of national hero Nguyen Trung Truc.

This is an annual festival organized solemnly in many provinces of the Mekong Delta and this year opened at Lac Hong Park in Rach Gia City of Kien Giang Province. Many unique art programs were performed by Cai Luong Group from Kien Giang Province and by HCMC artists.

During the three days from September 30 to October 2, many traditional activities are marked to take place at the festival, which is expected to attract more than one million visitors.

According to the organizers, the festival has been funded by many benefactors and philanthropists. Besides, the festival also received much support from more than 4,500 persons who served free vegetarian meals during the festival.

On the same day, Binh Thuy Ancient Communal House located in Binh Thuy District of Can Tho City received a bronze bust of national hero Nguyen Trung Truc from Trinh Quang Tien’s family (Hong Phat Construction Investment Corporation). The statue weighs 100 kilograms and is 0.7 meters high.

Nguyen Trung Truc (1839-1868) was the leader of the anti-French colonial uprising in South Vietnam and is remembered for his famous quote, ‘Only when all the grass in Vietnam has been pulled out then will there be no Vietnamese to fight the aggressors.’ 

Book on President Ho Chi Minh debuts in Canada

Dr. Nguyen Dai Trang, a Vietnamese lecturer at Canada’s Centennial College, has launched her second book on President Ho Chi Minh, bringing an insight into his humanism.

With many valuable documents and photos featuring his life and career, the 200-page book in English and Vietnamese is expected to provide both Vietnamese and foreign readers with a sound understanding of the late President and his position in Vietnam’s history, as well as his humane aspects which are little known in the West.

Trang said she wants to delve into issues that President Ho had paid much attention to, including the human being, the social-economic development and environment protection.

Trang’s first book, “Ho Chi Minh – Heart and Talent of a Patriot”, was released in May 2010. She is the first Overseas Vietnamese to write and publish books on the late President Ho Chi Minh abroad, and one of few scholars studying him from his humane aspects.

Vietnam attends 192nd Session of UNESCO Executive Board

Vietnam continues to support reform efforts by Irina Bokova, General Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to help the organisation through a difficult time and gradually improve its performance efficiency.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Thanh Son affirmed this at the 192nd session of the UNESCO Executive Board in Paris, France on September 30.

Son said Vietnam appreciates UNESCO’s support for “Education for All” (EFA) and “Education for Sustainable Development” (ESD) goals.

Vietnam has obtained significant achievements in implementing EFA and ESD goals and is willing to share experience in this field with international friends, Son said.

An “education initiative for sustainable development” project funded by Samsung and implemented by UNESCO and the Ministry of Education and Training has paid off well, contributing to raising students and pupils’ awareness of environment protection.

Son emphasised that UNESCO’s recognition of Vietnam’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage has helped raise public awareness of the need to preserve and promote such values.

As part of activities marking the 10th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (Convention 2003), Vietnam held the Quang Nam Heritage Festival in June 2013 with the participation of art troupes from ASEAN countries, showing the country’s determination to implement and bring the convention to every locality, he noted.

Son furhter said the first Vietnam-ASEAN UNESCO Heritage Festival will be held in Lam Dong this December to promote the tangible and intangible heritage values of ASEAN countries.

Vietnam fully appreciates UNESCO’s programs and initiatives, such as The Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, Memory of the World and the Global Network of National Geoparks, he added.

Before the session, Son was received by UNESCO General Director Irina Bokova who spoke highly of Vietnam’s active participation in UNESCO activities in recent years.

Vietnam deserves to be one of pillars in ASEAN, Bokova said. She expressed her hope that the country will continue to promote its role in preserving and promoting the natural, tangible and intangible heritage values.

Photo exhibition marks Vietnam-UK ties

A photography exhibition themed “Vietnam-UK relations: From the past to the future” was held at the Exhibition Centre of Fine Arts and Photography on 29 Hang Bai street in Hanoi on September 30.

On display are 100 photographs showcasing the cooperation between Vietnam and the UK in the fields of politics, economy, culture, education and training, and science and technology.     

At the opening ceremony, Lord Puttnam, the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Vietnam, appreciated the exhibition as an activity to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-UK diplomatic relations.

He recalled that he joined hundreds of other British people in street demonstrations against the Vietnam War in the 1960s, demonstrating his support for Vietnam.

Lord Puttnam hoped that the UK and Vietnam will continue to cooperate and build on the existing friendship foundations in the future.

The exhibition, co-organised by the British Embassy in Hanoi and the Vietnam News Agency, will last through to October 6.

Ancient tower complex in Binh Thuan to be excavated

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of central Binh Thuan province plans to work with the Southern Institute of Social Sciences to carry out excavation at an ancient tower complex of the Cham ethnic group in the province.

According to the department, the excavation area at Po Tam tower complex will cover 706 sq.m at the foot of Ong Xiem Mountain in Phu Lac commune, Tuy Phong district, 100 km to the northeast of Phan Thiet city.

The complex, recognized as a national as a national art architecture relic in 1996, consists of 6 towers which date back to the latter half of the 8th century and the early 9th century.

Currently, only three towers remain fairly intact while three others have collapsed. The towers’ architectural style is similar to that of the Poshanua tower complex in Phan Thiet city.

The planned excavation is prompted by the discovery of two ancient walls underneath the complex in 2012, when construction workers were building a wall surrounding the tower complex. Initial survey by the provincial museum staff showed there were two brick walls which are 190cm-high and 65cm-thick. Many neat layers of bricks were also found between the walls, allegedly the remains of a staircase to a collapsed tower.

The discovery of the walls brings archaeologists new knowledge about the Po Tam tower as well as about ancient Cham architecture in general.

The oldest of the Cham towers in the central region, the Po Tam tower is known as a place to worship the kings of Cham people.

Philippine choir to perform in Vietnam

The Santo Tomas University’s choir, under the Philippines’ National Commission for Culture and the Arts will make a performance tour in Hanoi and the northern port city of Hai Phong from October 2-7.

The Philippine artists will perform at the Opera House in Hanoi on October 3 and the City Theatre in Hai Phong on October 5, as part of the Philippine Cultural Days in Vietnam.

The choir, consisting of 21 artists, will bring famous works of international composers and Philippine traditional music to Vietnamese audiences.

Tickets to the concerts will be distributed free of charge.

Northwest party committee office named national historic site

The headquarters of the Northwest Regional Party Committee located in Van Chan district of Yen Bai province, has been recognised as a national historic site.

The Van Chan authorities held a ceremony to receive the status on September 30.

In the coming time, Yen Bai province will increase the popularisation of the relic site to the public, thus raising awareness of protecting heritages, while organising tours to and cultural activities at the site.

It will also gradually perfect the planning of the site so that it is always a “red address” where young people learn about the revolutionary tradition of the nation.

From 1952-1954, under the direction of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President Ho Chi Minh, the regional party committee led the army and people of Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Son La and Lai Chau provinces to fortify the revolutionary government and liberated the whole northwest region.

Cham Kate festival to come to life next month

The annual Kate festival of the Brahmin Cham ethnic groups in the central province of Ninh Thuan will take place from October 4-6 with an array of cultural and sporting events.

The festival will feature traditional music performances at major temples and towers, captivating visitors with a display of traditional costumes and accessories at the Centre for Cham Culture Studies.

As one of the biggest festivals in the locality, the event is an occasion for the Cham people to pay their respect to national heroes. They consider God, the maker of the universe, as one of their idols and hence the festival is also a chance to pay homage to the Supreme Being.

Ninh Thuan is now home to nearly 74,000 Cham ethnic people, or 11.74 percent of the local population. Over 43,000 of them, scattered across 12 communes in seven districts, follow the Brahmin religion.

UK film festival opens in Da Nang

The 2013 UK Film Festival opened in the central city of Da Nang on September 30 as part of activities to mark the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-UK diplomatic ties.

Five classic comedies by famous British film-makers are being introduced at the festival, namely Local Hero, produced in 1983, A Private Function from 1984, The Witches from 1990, Four Weddings and A Funeral from 1994, and 2004’s Shaun of the Dead.

One of these, Bill Forsyth’s Local Hero, won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award for Best Director.

The films are being screened at the Megastar Cinema, and also for the first time, there will be free outdoor screenings in Hoa Vang district.

The festival is expected to help viewers understand more about British cultural characteristics.

Similar events are also taking place in the capital city Hanoi, the northern port city of Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City and the southern city of Can Tho from now until October 4.

Tre Publishing House joins international book forum

HCM City-based Tre (Youth) Publishing House will introduce books by some famous Vietnamese authors at the 8th Paju Bookcity Forum which kicked off today in Paju Bookcity, Gyeonggi Province in South Korea.

With the theme: "Asia, Beyond the Boundary: Network with Books", the forum this year gathers publishing representatives from Japan, mainland China, Chinese Taiwan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, South Korea and India.

Nguyen Minh Nhut, director of Tre Publishing House will be among seven participants speaking about the current situation of Vietnamese publishing houses and the strength of Tre Publishing House.

He will mention favourite authors in Viet Nam like Bao Ninh, Nguyen Huy Thiep, Ho Anh Thai, Nguyen Nhat Anh and Nguyen Ngoc Tu.

Located in Gyoha-eup (Paju, Gyeonggi-do), Paju Book City is a giant cultural complex belonging to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. It is home to 250 publishers and over 10,000 workers. It covers the entire process of publishing from planning to printing and distribution.

Paju Bookcity Forum is among the most influential annual forums for South Korea's publishing houses.

Singer goes from rags to riches

Born in a poor farming family in An Giang Province, Nguyen Thi Luan faced hard times for years before winning a gold medal at the Vong Co (Nostalgic Tunes) Golden Bell Contest last week.

Beating four other finalists in the annual event organised by HCM City Television, Luan displayed a sweet voice and stage performance that is expected to encourage youth to learn vong co, an art form part of cai luong theatre.

The 24-year-old performer sang extracts from famous dramas, and was chosen for the final round for their epic quality and theme of patriotism.

Luan gave up school when she was 15 years old. To support her poor parents, she worked part-time in a garment factory.

She began singing cai luong (reformed opera) when she moved to find opportunities in HCM City in 2010, but she could not afford her music lessons.

Her teachers at the HCM City College of Culture and Art and Tran Huu Trang Theatre offered to train her after recognising her potential.

"The Vong Co Golden Bell competition first organised in 2006 has supported young talents like Luan so they can revive cai luong," said Le Duy Hanh, chairman of the city's Theatre Association, after the contest.

Vietnam Star Model contest kicks off

A contest titled Vietnam Star Model 2013, a new version of Future Star 2012, was launched last week by Mega Entertainment Company.

Open to single Vietnamese females aged 18 to 25 without children, from 1.65m tall, the contest will choose 100 people from the north and 100 from the sough. Its website is www.ngoisaonguoimau.vn

Forty contestants will be chosen for the semifinal after casting round on October 11-20. 24 winners will then be selected based on catwalk, swimsuit and evening dress performances, as well as photos and interviews, on November 18-22.

They will compete on the final round on December 1 in Da Nang City during the final event to choose one champion, one silver and one bronze prizes.

In Future Star 2012, Phan Hoang Thu from Ha Noi won over 500 contestants. She took part in the Asia Super Model Contest held last July in China and was among the top eight.

Amateur singers release debut CD

A CD featuring the voices of the three finalists of this year's Tieng Hat Mai Xanh (Evergreen Voice) contest for amateurs aged 35 and above was issued on Sunday.

Ba Chang Trai Vang (Three Golden Men), including winner Nguyen Duy Dung and the two runners-up Tran Ngoc Hoa and Mai Van Dang, includes nine songs expressing love of family, country and spouses.

The 45-year-old Dung sings Cong Me Di Choi (Carry Mom on My Back and Have Fun) by Tran Que Son to show his deep love for his deceased mother.

The native of Hoi An won over hundreds of contestants in the May competition.

On the CD, Hoa, a 53-year-old construction engineer in HCM City, sings Ngo Thuy Mien's Dau Tinh Sau (Imprint of a Sorrowful Love) that wowed the contest's judges and audiences.

The eldest singer Dang, 71, from Binh Duong Province sings Pham Dinh Chuong's romantic song Xom Dem (Night in the Hamlet) which earned him the title of most emotional performer.

Exhibition celebrates past and future of trams in Hanoi

During their century-long operation, trams were seen by Hanoians as part of the capital’s cultural identity, harkening back to days when the city was not as crowded, the people were not as busy and life moved at a slower pace.

This Hanoian mainstay has been revived at an exhibition entitled ‘Hanoi’s Trams – Past and Future’, which opened on September 30 at the Exhibition Hall at 45 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi.

The exhibition features 3D images to introduce Bo Ho tram station and the typical electric trams which were used as the main means of public transport, connecting the countryside to the capital city from 1900 to 1991.

Relief maps and video clips also present the modern public transport system that is currently under construction in Hanoi.

The exhibition was designed by young architects from the Hanoi Digitalisation Group. 6D interactive technology gives visitors the experience of sitting in a real tram station.

According to Deputy Director Nguyen Khac Loi of the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the 6D technology, brings the past glory of Hanoi’s trams back to life.

The tramcar system was first put into operation in Hanoi in 1900 with the launch of the Bo Ho – Thuy Khue route. In subsequent decades, new lines were established, linking the central station near Hoan Kiem lake with Yen Phu, Buoi market, Cau Giay, Ha Dong, Mo market and Vong. The vehicle served as the main means of transportation connecting central Hanoi and its suburban areas.

Each tramcar had two or three carriages, divided into first- and second-class cars, with two rows of seating each. The tramcars operated from early in the morning until 10 pm, becoming a symbol of Hanoi on the order of popular tourist attractions like Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature and the Flag Tower.

“I was born in Hanoi, and I had a lot of memories about tramcars during my childhood. I’m happy to hear that the exhibition is an effort of young people who just know about old tramcars through pictures and books, which proves that younger generation still remembers the past and knows how to apply it in their creation”, said Nguyen Thai Tri, a visitor to the exhibition.

Though the long-forgotten images had fallen into oblivion, the exhibition is an opportunity not only for the elderly to reminiscence about the old days, but also for the youth to learn more about their capital’s history.

The exhibition, held to celebrate 59th anniversary of the capital's Liberation Day (October 10, 1954-2013), runs until October 5.