Vietnam Culture Days in US to promote bilateral relations

Vietnam Cultural Days in the US, to take place in Washington D.C and New York from August 8 to 12, is expected to contribute to promoting cultural exchanges and bilateral relations between the two countries.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vuong Duy Bien made the statement on July 21 at a press conference in Hanoi.

The Vietnam Cultural Days in the US will offer special programmes at the New York Historical Society Museum and Library and on the stages of the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C, considered a leading centre in performing arts in the US.

An art programme entitled ‘Essence of Vietnam’, introducing Vietnam’s unique cultural features will open Vietnam Cultural Days in the US on August 8 at the Terrace Theatre in the Kennedy Centre. The programme will be directed by artist Tran Binh and performed by artists from the Vietnam Contemporary Art Theater and the Vietnam National Academy of Music.

“Coming to Vietnam Cultural Days in the US, the audience will have an opportunity to enjoy not only art programmes but also a fashion show by Vietnamese designers, and a Vietnamese cultural space”, according to Deputy Minister Bien.

With the fashion show ‘Miraculous Transformation’, the designers hope that the audience, especially Americans and overseas Vietnamese in US, will see the ‘miraculous transformation’ of Vietnam over 20 past years through fashion, said Vietnam’s leading designer Minh Hanh, who will present her collection at the event.

Along with Designer Minh Hanh, designers Lan Huong, Quang Nhat and Chula will also introduce their collections at the Vietnam Cultural Days in the US. The collection is combination of materials, including jean - a popular material in the US - and silk and brocade - traditionally Vietnamese materials.

Additionally, a Vietnamese cultural space themed ‘Colours of Vietnam’, held at the New York Historical Society Museum and Library on August 12, will showcase Vietnam’s traditional costumes and musical instruments.

As part of activities to mark the 20th anniversary of the normalisation of Vietnam-US diplomatic ties, the event is being organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism of Vietnam, the Embassy of Vietnam in the US, the Permanent Mission of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the US, and Embassy of the US in Vietnam.

“Action for Wildlife” through National Artwork Competition

Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) and its supporting partners, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Freeland, hosted an awards ceremony today for the winners of the Action for Wildlife National Artwork Competition.

A panel of judges included representatives from the Department of Nature Conservation (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), the U.S Embassy in Hanoi, Freeland, Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Arts and ENV chose 14 winners out of the 155,000 entries.

During the ceremony, representatives of the U.S. Embassy, the National Environmental Police, Lao Dong newspaper, singer My Linh and comedian Xuan Bac presented awards to fourteen individuals who had produced outstanding pieces of artwork, as well as to three schools that mobilized many of their students to get involved in the competition.  

“The huge number of entries is a demonstration of public support, inspiring all members of society to take action to save Vietnam’s wildlife,” said Environment Unit Chief at the U.S. Embassy, Douglas O’Neill.

“The war against the illegal wildlife trade cannot be won without the strong support and active involvement of the public. The U.S. Government is taking far-reaching measures to combat the global wildlife trade in partnership with the Vietnamese government and NGOs,” he said.

Vietnam’s biodiversity is under serious threat from the illegal hunting and trade of wildlife, driven by consumer demand for wildlife products. The country’s last Javan rhino was killed for its horn in 2010, and with the current rate of hunting and trade, tigers are likely to be the next victims to vanish. According to conservationists, there may be as few as 30 tigers left in the wild in Vietnam.

ENV launched the “Action for Wildlife” competition in November 2014. Participants focused on encouraging the public not to consume wildlife products, including rhino horn, tiger bone medicine, pangolin scales or bear bile, and to take action to stop the illegal wildlife trade. In the space of three months, ENV received more than 155,000 entries from 58 provinces and 1,983 schools and art clubs across the country.

“The screening and selection process was very challenging but rewarding,” said Ninh Thi Phuong Thao, head of ENV’s Demand Reduction Campaign. “Although only 14 entries won prizes, ENV will use many of the other outstanding pieces of artwork at public events and in printed and viral communications during the coming months and years, urging the public not to consume endangered wildlife.”  

The Vietnamese public has taken an increasingly active role in stopping the illegal wildlife trade. Since 2005, ENV has documented nearly 8,500 cases of wildlife crime, many of these cases were reported by the public through the ENV Wildlife Crime hotline 1-800-1522.

The art competition was part of the USAID-funded Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking Program, an alliance of non-governmental organizations and other agencies, including ENV and Freeland, working together across Southeast Asia and China to stop wildlife trafficking.

Story contest calls on Mekong writers

Two contests on writing and photography have been launched by provincial associations this week.

Professional and amateur writers living in the Mekong River Delta region are encouraged to participate in a short story writing contest to be held by the An Giang Province's Literature and Arts Association.

The contest's theme is "The Mekong Delta region and its people in war and peace", and it focuses on the lives of the people in the delta and their dreams and challenges to develop their land.

Stories on the region's traditional culture and lifestyle are also encouraged.

Submissions should be a minimum of 5,000 words, and the best ones will be published.

People interested in participating should send their works before July 31 to the organising board at 43 Nguyen Van Cung Street, Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province.

The 30th Mekong Delta Photography Festival was launched by the Can Tho City Association of Literature and Arts, in co-operation with its partner, the Viet Nam Photography Association.

Participants will send their works on the Mekong Delta and its history and people to the website before September 10.

They will compete for 20 prizes in two categories of black-and-white and colour photos.

A special prize for the best photo featuring Can Tho City and its people will be presented.

Northern folk duets now echo in the Central Highlands

Though she lives far from her homeland, Nguyen Thi Thu Hong can still delve into nostalgia with folk songs she has enjoyed since childhood.

Many others do the same in Krong Nang district in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak. They come from the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Bac Giang, the cradle of quan ho (love duets).

It's a famous type of folk music often performed during spring festivals in the northern region.

Alternating groups of female and male singers issue musical challenges and responses to each other. Most of the songs in the repertoire deal with young adult love and romance.

They spread their love for quan ho through clubs and performances, slowly transforming Krong Nang district into the musical performance's second homeland.

"Singing quan ho helps us show our pride for our cultural heritage," said Hong.

"We also want to show it to our children, and tell them about our origins."

When Tan Hiep village, where Hong resides, received the title of Cultural Village in 2006, the people organised a celebration.

Hong and her fellow countrymen decided to perform quan ho songs. But they couldn't find non quai thao (flat palm hats with fringes) and ao tu than (four-panel traditional robes), which quan ho singers traditionally wear while performing.

So they made the hats from the flat winnowing basket used to raise silkworms and sewed the dresses themselves.

"At the beginning, we felt shy because we hadn't performed in front of many people," said Hong. "On the other hand, we knew that our costumes looked very weird."

The performance got a warm welcome from the audience, which applauded heartily. Since then, they've sung regularly and brought more people in to join them.

Nguyen Kim Truong, a member of the first love duets club in Tan Hiep village, said the club has been granted many prizes at competitions and festivals in the province.

"We work on the pepper and coffee plantation in the morning and practise singing in the afternoon," said Truong. "It takes a lot of practise for us to perform well. We listen to the songs on CDs, write down the lyrics and learn them by heart."

Truong said the singing lives in their hearts. Though they work hard in the fields, they still practise quan ho whenever they can. They perform at festivals, weddings, birthdays, and celebrations for new houses and new crops.

"Thanks to singing, we are happy and excited. We feel the joy of living and stay healthy," said Tran Van Vu, head of Quyet Tien village's quan ho club.

"Some people as old as 70 still love singing, even when they feel tired after several songs."

Truong Quang Huy of the district office of culture and information said singing quan ho has become a beautiful tradition for local people.

"Many people from the northern region migrated to the Central Highlands to reclaim lands and earn a living, starting in 1998," he said.

"They have built up a fine lifestyle in their new homeland. They volunteer to join the clubs, practise and buy costumes and sound systems with their own money. We highly appreciate their willingness.

Cultural show to celebrate August Revolution, Independence Day

About 500 performers from 10 Ha Noi-based troupes will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945) and the Independence Day of Viet Nam (September 2, 1945).

They will perform in an art show entitled Viet Nam – Thoi Dai Ho Chi Minh (Viet Nam – Ho Chi Minh Era), which will be staged in the form of an epic, with songs, dances and music, combined with screenings of documentary excerpts and the art of lighting and sound.

The show will present milestones in the nation's history in a chronological order.

It will be aired live on Vietnam Television at 8pm on September 2.

Meanwhile, the annual Autumn Melodies symphony concert will be held at My Dinh Stadium in August to celebrate Independence Day. The Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra will host the show.

ASEAN Be Our Rock & Pop Soul Competition comes to City

The ASEAN "Be Our Rock&Pop Soul" Music Competition 2015, will be held in Viet Nam for the first time in early September.

Presented by Viet Nam Music and Arts Education (VMA), in association with Trinity College, London, and Boom Box Entertainment, the musical event is aimed at youth under the age of 30 from six countries: Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Viet Nam.

The eligible contestants (soloists or bands) have to register and submit their video entries, which will then be reviewed and selected by the judges for the semi-final round on September 6.

The contest's four judges are Senior Vice-President of Trinity College, London, Asia Tyler Smith, CEO of record label BMBX Entertainment Kelly Chew, artist manager of Thai singer Tata Young Myke Brown, and Vietnamese singer Thanh Bui, a judge of Viet Nam Idol 2015.

The winner of the music competition will receive prizes worth up to US$25,000 and other prizes from Trinity College and BMBX Entertainment. The final round will take place on September 7 at the Opera House in HCM City.

Thanh Bui was in the top eight of the Australian Idol 2008 contest. He is now the principal of Soul Music Academy in HCM City.