UNESCO has announced that it will

put the Ho dynasty’s Citadel and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park on the list to
be considered as World Heritage sites next month.

These two heritage sites, located
in the central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Quang Binh, respectively, are among 42
natural and cultural heritage sites of 40 countries to be considered this year
by the United Nations cultural agency.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
were recognised as World Natural Heritage sites by UNESCO in 2003 based on its
geology and geomorphology.

The park is expected to get UNESCO
recognition for the second time as World Natural Heritage, based on new criteria
of diverse biology.

Australian-Vietnamese concert marks State visit

Australia’s Sunwrae string quintet
will join Vietnamese artists in a special concert at HCM City’s Opera House on
Thursday on the occasion of the official visit to the country by Australian
Governor-General Quentin Bryce.

Artists Dinh Linh, Tuyet Mai and
The Dung will play traditional instruments, including the flute, dan bau
(monochord zither), dan tranh (16-chord zither), dan nguyet (two-chord guitar)
and dan da (lithophones), among others.

Melbourne’s Sunwrae String Quintet
is composed of pianist Rae Howell, violinists Rachael Kim and Zachary Johnston,
cellist Tim Blake and viola player Phoebe Green.

The quintet plays music that
crosses the boundaries of classical, jazz and world music. They often perform
original music composed by pianist Rae Howell, who is also director of the
group.

Viet Nam, South Korea unite
at festival

Viet Nam and South Korea united in
a festival titled Chao Seoul 2011 (Greeting Seoul 2011) with different
performances by artists from the two countries.

During the six-day festival, which
will be wrapped up tomorrow, Vietnamese artists showed off their traditional
dresses and palm-leaf conical hats on Seoul streets and performed quan ho (love
duets) and Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) dances.

Viet Nam cooking stands introduced
traditional culinary foods such as nem ran (fried spring roll) and pho (noodle
soup) and, along with the arts and crafts stands, attracted mass visitors, said
Nguyen Thi Thai Thong, charge d’ affairs of the Vietnamese Embassy in South
Korea.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News