Documents assert Vietnam’s East Sea sovereignty

An exhibition providing indisputable documentary evidence of Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes opened at Dak Lak Museum on January 6.

On display are documents, items, publications and nearly 150 maps collected by domestic and international researchers and scholars.

The exhibits demonstrate that Vietnamese States, from feudal to current socialist regimes, have exercised sovereignty over the two groups of islands in the East Sea.

As well as Vietnamese, Chinese and French documents dating from the 17th to the early 20th centuries, the exhibition displays 20 copies of the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), featuring the Vietnamese State’s exploitation, management and implementation of the sovereign rights at Hoang Sa and Truong Sa.

It also includes documents and publications published by Western countries from the 18th to 19th centuries related to Vietnam’s sovereignty over the two groups of islands and versions of administrative documents of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam issued from 1975 to present day..

Visitors have the opportunity to see four atlas’ and 30 historical maps published by China showing that China are not associated with Hoang Sa and Truong Sa.

The exhibition helps raise the awareness of Vietnamese people, both at home and abroad, of their role in protecting the two archipelagos.

The event will run until January 21 and then travel to other localities in the Central Highland region.

This is the fifth exhibition of its kind, following similar ones held in Ha Tinh, Thai Nguyen, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi.

Ethnic community to celebrate New Year in capital

Representatives from nine ethnic groups across the country will join in a cultural festival in the capital city during the first days of the lunar New Year.

In the spotlight will be a horse race traditionally held by the H’Mong group during Tet celebrations.

The activity is expected to attract the participation of 30-40 racers with 10-15 horses.

It will last from February 15-17 at the National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Son Tay town

In France, water puppets bring Andersen tales to life

Artists from the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre have performed in France three dramas based on the popular stories by Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen (1805-75), debuting their water puppet performances of the Andersen tales in Europe. Report by Nhan Dan Online.

Vietnamese puppeteers wowed French audiences with interpretations of classic fairytales told with the traditional art form of Vietnamese water puppetry during their tour to the European country lasting from December 17-31.

Three tales of the famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen were adapted by the artists: "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Little Mermaid".

The tour, which was among activities to mark the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-France diplomatic relations, was a joint project of the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre (VPT) and France’s Interart Riviera SA organisation.

Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Tien Dung, head of the delegation, said that it is the first time Vietnamese water puppetry performances have been inspired by foreign literary works and it is the beginning of an effort to breathe life into the traditional art form.

He said that the 10 shows won much acclaim and that in total they performed to over 4,000 viewers, many of them were children, who had a chance to discover popular bedtime stories though inanimate marionettes.

The tour not only helps in promoting Vietnamese culture and arts to the French people but also opens doors for Vietnamese artists looking to perform in Europe in the coming time, he said.

Recounting his memories of the tour, artist Quy Quoc said: "Our shows took place at the Claude Levi-Strauss theatre at the Quai Branly Museum, right by the charming Seine river and just 100 metres from the famous Eiffel tower."

He also revealed that the major difficulty facing the artists was that they had to work in a 0.5-m-deep pool when they are supposed to work with a depth of 1 metre, meaning the puppeteers had to balance on their knees to control the marionettes for a whole hour.

"Nine members of the troupe had to take the job often carried out by nearly 20 artists. Working in such conditions required a high level of focus so that we could harmoniously control every move of the marionette," Quoc said.

According to Director of the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre Ngo Thanh Thuy, over the past year, the theatre’s artists have made six tours abroad including to Thailand, China, Chile and France.

These trips are good opportunity for Vietnamese puppeteers to exchange experiences with their foreign colleagues and popularise the image of Vietnam to international friends.

Tet pole restoration expected to excite Hoi An locals

The ancient city of Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam is preparing to restore the tradition of planting “Cay neu” (Tet pole) – a folk ritual during the lunar New Year holiday, said the city People’s Committee.

More than 50 pagodas, temples, churches along with offices and enterprises have registered to take part.

The pole, often made of a bamboo with a ring and a red scroll on its top planted on courtyards, is believed to help ward off devils during the longest and most important annual festival of Vietnam.

The ceremony is scheduled to start from January 29 th and end on February 6.

Locals also have a chance to participate in a lantern decoration contest during the cerebrations.

Festival promotes Thai Nguyen tea products

Dai Tu district in the northern mountainous province of Thai Nguyen on January 6 opened its second tea festival in order to promote the local specialty.

Apart from the tea making art, visitors to the three-day festival will have a chance to enjoy Then singing – a traditional oratorio of the Tay ethnic people and witness the “le cap sac” (age-coming) ceremony of the Dao ethnic group.

Within the framework of the event, there will be a fair introducing tea products and technologies used in tea processing by businesses, cooperatives, trade villages and households.

Blessed with favourable soil and climate, Dai Tu has the largest area of tea trees in Thai Nguyen with over 6,200 hectares which yield more than 57,000 tonnes of tender tea leaves each year, making up one third of the province’s total tea output.

With popular brand names such as La Bang, Khuon Ga, Phu Lac, Tan Linh and Quan Chu, Dai Tu has made progress in poverty reduction and seen farmers’ incomes increase thanks to tea trees.

Last November, Thai Nguyen hosted the second International Tea Festival, a biennial event co-organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Thai Nguyen provincial People’s Committee. It also aimed to publicise tea products, farms and the drinking culture of Thai Nguyen and Vietnam in general.

Thai Nguyen tea products are very popular in Vietnam and also exported to foreign markets. The province’s tea export value accounts for one third of the country’s total exports.-

Drawing contest on traffic safety launched

Toyota Vietnam Fund and the Department of Primary Education January 6 launched a drawing contest for primary pupils themed “Desired car”.

The third contest is annual activity and is within the framework of the program “Toyota and I learn traffic” which has been implemented annually since school year 2005-2006.

With the message of “Draw the car of the future … Let your imagination ride far, the contest organizers wished to create a useful playground to educate primary pupils.

For the first round, the national contest, there will be five first prizes, five second prizes, 20 third prizes and 70 encouragement prizes.

Nine most excellent drawings of the contest will take part in Toyota’s 8th international contest  in Japan.

In addition to capturing prizes, winners will have opportunity to make a sightseeing tour in Japan in August to attend the prize giving ceremony.

In the international contest of Toyota in 2012-2013, among thousand selected pictures of children from 70 countries and territories all over the world, Vietnam was honored to have pictures in the top 30 with one silver prize and an encouragement prizes for children below 10 years old.