Category: Entertainment

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Phan Van Mai received Takebe Tsutomu, Special Advisor to the Japan – Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, on February 23 to discuss the organisation of the eighth Vietnam – Japan Festival.

The host appreciated his guest’s efforts and enthusiasm in coordinating with the city to prepare for the coming festival, scheduled to open on February 25, and said he believes the event will be successful to become a demonstration of bilateral friendship and help promote cultural exchanges between the two countries.

In particular, via a meeting with Japanese enterprises at the festival, leaders of HCM City hope to learn about the firms’ investment and cooperation intentions and update them with local development orientations so that the two sides can fully tap into cooperation potential and opportunities, Mai went on.

For his part, Takebe Tsutomu said thanks to thorough preparations, the festival will help spread the countries’ culture of peace and friendship to the world and strengthen bilateral cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and assistance.

He highlighted the importance of locality-to-locality and people-to-people ties to the Vietnam – Japan relations, noting that he hopes each people will bring into play their role so as to contribute to the development of the two countries, ASEAN, and the world at large.

The eighth Vietnam – Japan Festival is the first cultural exchange in 2023 and part of the activities in celebration of the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, continuing to affirm the countries’ extensive strategic partnership and promote bilateral trade, investment, tourism, friendship, and mutual understanding, according to the HCM City Department of External Relations.

The festival will feature a large number of cultural activities and 150 booths of trade, cuisine, and tourism exhibition. The opening ceremony will be held on February 25 morning./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi will organise a tourism festival at the pedestrian area around Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of the capital city from March 24-26, under the theme of heritage connectivity for tourism development.

It aims at promoting cultural exchanges, honouring cultural heritage, and stepping up tourism promotion.

The festival will design different areas to showcase local tourism products and those it connects with other localities nationwide; display products of the city’s trade villages such as Bat Trang, Van Phuc and Duong Lam; popularise Hanoi typical dishes; and introduce products of travel agents and airlines.

Hanoi tourism festival to connect heritage for development hinh anh 2

Bat Trang trade village attracts a lot of visitors (Photo: VNA)

Foreign tourism agencies are also expected to showcase their countries’ destinations there.

A conference on developing heritage tourism products and new ones, and a photo exhibition will be organised within the framework of the festival./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

With their love for the circus, tireless efforts, and unceasing creativity, artists of Vietnam have made their names known around the world.

In early February, Giang Quoc Co and his younger brother Giang Quoc Nghiep set a new world record by performing a head-to-head balancing act blindfolded in Milan, Italy.

They walked a 40cm-wide and 10m-long surface and climbed up and down 10 steps in 1 minute and 55 seconds. That has made the duo the only in Vietnam to hold four world records.

Earlier, the two had been assisted by the Ho Chi Minh City circus troupe, now the Phuong Nam Arts Theatre, to take part in many international competitions in such countries as China, Italy, and Cuba and continually won prizes, according to the Tuoi tre (Youth) newspaper.

They said those events were wonderful chances for them to learn experience from international artists, realise their weaknesses to improve their skills, and impress major circus troupes in the world.

As a result, the brothers have been invited to perform in many countries like the US, Spain, and Germany.

Nghiep said that to grab global attention, it is necessary to make a difference and create uniqueness. To do that, the first factor is talent with unique acts that are like no other, and another is to bring into play traditional culture as seen in their specially designed “ao dai” – a traditional costume of Vietnam.

Meritorious Artist Bich Lien, Deputy Director of the Phuong Nam Arts Theatre, said Co and Nghiep have made enormous efforts to shine, adding that they have been working industriously, passionately, and creatively while popularising their images well to leave impression in Vietnam and the world.

Aside from the pair, other artists have also been applying themselves to the circus and gained achievements.

Late last year, the Vietnam Circus Federation won two awards at competitions in Russia. Chu Hong Thuy and Pham Thi Huong won a gold prize for their “Du Son” (Red Swing) performance at the Circus Princess festival, which attracted more than 100 female artists from 10 countries.

Notably, there were only two gold prizes at the contest, and the other belonged to a Russian artist.

Meanwhile, Chu Khanh Huyen reaped a bronze award at the “Without Borders” international circus festival. The event drew the participation of more than 120 artists from 15 countries and featured two gold prizes, three silvers, and four bronzes.

Tong Toan Thang, Director of the Vietnam Circus Federation, said artists have kept training even amid the COVID-19 pandemic to sustain their performance.

He held that Vietnamese artists can gain more international prizes if they receive more investment, expressing his hope for stronger assistance from state agencies so that artists can take part in international festivals and competitions./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Mother Goddess Pagoda Festival-Urban Sea Port was honored as National Intangible Cultural Heritage at a ceremony on Sunday in Tuy Phuoc district, Binh Dinh province.

This is the fourth national intangible cultural heritage of Binh Dinh to be inscribed, following traditional martial arts, Boi singing, and Bai choi art combining music, poetry, acting, painting and literature.

Lam Hai Giang, Vice Chairman of Binh Dinh Provincial People’s Committee, pledged to preserve local heritage. “Tuy Phuoc district together with the Department of Culture and Sports of Binh Dinh province and the people of Phuoc Quang commune with our great efforts and responsibility will make the Mother Goddess Pagoda Festival-Urban Sea Port to last forever. It will spread in the cultural flow of the nation, realising the goal of constantly improving the people’s cultural and spiritual life,” Giang said.

The festival takes place from February 19 to 21 this year featuring typical rituals of the ancient port area: offering sacrifices to the gods who have blessed seafarers and protected locals. The rituals are followed by folk games, Boi singing, the performance of Bai choi, and traditional martial arts shows.

In 1610, the Sea Port town entered a prosperous period, as the Vietnamese from other regions of the country came to resettle their lives here and built the Mother Goddess Pagoda.

Source: VOV5

Localities should change their mindset in new rural building in association with “Ecological agriculture, modern rural areas, and civilized farmers”, said the New Rural Building Coordination Office at a national conference in Hai Phong city on Friday.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan told the conference that new rural building should be based on cultural values and uniqueness of each locality and community.

“Each locality has resources and indigenous knowledge that can be used to tell its own story. It’s necessary to make the local people know that they are respected for their history, culture, and differences. We activate the new countryside, emphasizing on knowledge, happiness, community solidarity and cooperation, and people’s mastery,” said Mr. Hoan.

By February, 2023 Vietnam has 255 district-level units (accounting for about 39.6%) meeting new rural standards and 18 provinces and cities having 100% of communes meeting new rural standards.

5 provinces, including Nam Dinh, Dong Nai, Ha Nam, Hung Yen, and Hai Duong have been recognized by the Prime Minister as completing building new rural areas.

This year, the whole country targets to have at least 270 district-level units recognized as meeting new rural standards, and 7 to 8 provinces and cities will be recognized as completing building new rural areas.

Source: VOV5

Vietnamese action film “578: Phat Dan Cua Ke Dien”, also known as “578 Magnum” officially shot on to film screens throughout Europe in Italy, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and Germany, Denmark.

This is the first action film of its kind to make inroads into the European film market.

The film was also screened internationally in India, Brazil and Canada in early 2023.

As planned, by June 30, the movie, which is being released through issuers in the UK and Germany, will be introduced in 50 countries and territories.

It is expected to be available in 62 countries worldwide in 2023 and earn 2.63 million USD.

The Vietnamese movie was first introduced to film distributors globally at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 16.

Previously, 578 Magnum made its debut to international audiences in November 2022, at the 26th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (POFF) held in Estonia.

Directed by Luong Dinh Dung, said 578 Magnum tells the story of a father, a container truck driver, who is driven to hunt down a gang of underground criminals that have kidnapped his daughter.

The cast is led by Alexandre Nguyen and features the likes of Hoang Phuc, model Jessica Minh Anh, and Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 H’Hen Nie./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Art performance programmes titled “Mélodie du Vietnam” (Vietnam melody) held recently in Rabat and Casablanca cities of Morocco, which spotlighted Vietnamese music, culture, and people, left a great impression in the hearts of local audiences, contributing to further tightening the friendship between the two countries.

Hosted by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, the event attracted crowds of local audiences, foreign diplomats in Morocco, and overseas Vietnamese living and working in the African nation.

Addressing the opening ceremonies, Vietnamese Ambassador to Morocco Dang Thi Thu Ha briefed on Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements and the fruitful development of the bilateral relations. “Vietnam Gate” at Douar Sfari – the Vietnamese village in the outskirts of Kénitra city is not only a work imbued with Vietnamese culture to remind future generations of Vietnam and Morocco of their origins, but also a symbol of the friendship between the two countries over the past six decades, she said.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese Embassy in Morocco in cooperation with the Morocco – Asia Friendship Association organised programmes to exhibit Vietnamese products, screen videos about Vietnam’s traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, and introduce Vietnamese traditional dishes for Tet.

Local media have run many articles, highlighting the events. The Moroccan Ministry of Culture invited Vietnam to send art troupes to join the African country’s traditional music festival in July this year./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Vietnam National Drama Theatre (VNDT) on February 15 began production on the play “Ngu?i di dép cao su” (The Man in the Rubber Sandals) by Algerian playwright Kateb Yacine.

With the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Department of International Cooperation, Algerian Ambassador to Vietnam Mohamed Berrah visited and held a working session with the VNDT in April 2021, during which he presented the poetic drama “The Man in the Rubber Sandals” to the VNDT. He said he wished for collaboration to produce the play celebrating the 60th anniversary of Vietnam-Algeria diplomatic ties.

Yacine arrived in Vietnam in 1967 and what he saw and heard about President Ho Chi Minh and the struggle for national liberation prompted him to learn about the history, people, and beloved leader of the country. His love and respect for the Vietnamese people and Ho Chi Minh inspired his creativity. From that, the poetic play “The Man in the Rubber Sandals ” was born. The play was successfully staged and performed around the world in the early 1970s but has never been staged in Vietnam.

The work consists of eight parts with about 150 characters with lines, spanning the chronological order of Vietnam’s history, from the Hai Ba Trung Uprising (40 – 43 AD) through various periods of national protection struggle and President Ho Chi Minh’s death in 1969. Interwoven into this main thread are dramatic events taking place in countries such as France, the US, China, and many others around the world.

VNDT Director, Meritorious Artist Xuan Bac, who directs the work, said the play is not only a poetic piece that praises the image of President Ho Chi Minh. It stands as an epic offering that vividly depicts the country and people of Vietnam throughout different historical periods. It extols the spirit of resolute and heroic struggle to protect and maintain independence in the past, at present and in the future./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency