Vietnam culture day opens
in Copenhagen

A “Vietnam Culture Day” programme took place in Copenhagen, Denmark,
on March 19.

It aimed
at increasing understanding on Vietnam’s land and people and promoting
cooperation.
Apart from a display of coloured photos and banners with
images of Vietnam, the programme exhibited traditional musical instruments,
embroideries, handicraft items, books, publications and screened videos
featuring the country’s tourism and cuisine, land and culture.
Addressing
a workshop on Vietnam, held within the framework of the programme Vietnamese
Ambassador to Denmark Vu Van Luu highlighted Vietnam’s achievements on
socio-economic development and external affairs in 2010, and the success of the
11th National Party Congress in January.

Worship festival re-enacted in Hue city

An exclusively royal ritual conducted
through hundreds of years during the feudal regime was resurrected for the
fourth time in the former capital of Hue on March 20.
The ritual, Le Te
Xa Tac (Worshipping the Genies of Earth and Crop), is one of the most important
rituals performed by kings under successive feudal dynasties to pray for peace
and good harvest.
Performed on the Xa Tac Worship Platform, the event
included all worship rituals such as a royal procession of elephants and horses,
and a worship ceremony which attracted the participation of 550 artists.

Phung Phu, Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, said that
the restoration of the worship rituals aimed to honour the traditional cultural
values of the nation, the performance space of royal music forms such as Nha
Nhac (royal court music) and royal dancing, as well as the beauty of the ritual
culture and traditional costumes of the Hue imperial palace.
The Xa Tac
Worship Platform was built in 1806 under the reign of King Gia Long (the first
king of the Nguyen dynasty). At present, the restoration of the platform has
been implemented.

A guitar players
record

1,000 young people will play guitar in Hoang Van Thu park, Tan Binh
district, Ho Chi Minh City on March 26.

As part of
activities to celebrate the founding anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist
Youth Union (HCYU), the performance of three famous songs written by Luu Huu
Phuoc, Hoang Hoa and Trinh Cong Son, will set a new record in Guinness
Vietnam.

Foreign Cultural
Affairs Department honoured

The Ministry of Foreign
Affairs’ Department of Foreign Cultural Relations and UNESCO Affairs has been
awarded the Labour Order, second class, by President Nguyen Minh
Triet.

The department was recognised
for its great contributions to compiling documentation needed to achieve UNESCO
recognition for much of Viet Nam’s cultural heritage, as well as for organising
Vietnamese culture weeks overseas that have contributed to promoting the image
of the nation to its international friends.

Ancient
Vietnamese’s relics found

Artefacts of Vietnamese people
who lived at least 7000 years ago in the northern province of Thai Nguyen have
been unearthed by Vietnamese archaeologists.

The team from the Thai Nguyen
Museum and Viet Nam Institute of Archaeology discovered more than 300 stone
artefacts, such as knives and hoes, in a 100sq.m cave in Vo Nhai
District.

Snail shells and animal bones,
believed to be cooking remains from the same era, were also found in the cave along
with ceramic pieces of the metal era dating back 3,000 years.

Oc Cave is in Binh Long
Commune.

Ancient Vietnamese
relics found in northern cave

Artefacts of Vietnamese people
who lived at least 7,000 years ago in the northern province of Thai Nguyen have
been unearthed by Vietnamese archaeologists.

The team from the Thai Nguyen
Museum and the Viet Nam Institute of Archaeology discovered more than 300 stone
artefacts, such as knives and hoes, in a 100sq m cave in Vo Nhai
District.

Snail shells and animal bones,
believed to be food remains from the same era, were also found in the cave along
with ceramic pieces of the metal era dating back 3,000 years.

Oc Cave is in Binh Long
Commune.

Capital hosts gala
concert in conjunction with UK foundation

The first ever UK-Viet Nam
Gala Concert, featuring the Viet Nam National Opera and Ballet and young artists
from the UK’s Concordia Foundation, will take place tonight, March
22.

The Ha Noi Opera House’s
concert, organised by the British Council Viet Nam, is in honour of the official
visit by Alderman Michael Bear, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, who is
currently in the country until Thursday.

The concert is the first
international event in a unique collaboration between the Lord Mayor and the
Concordia Foundation, with concerts also planned in China and Kenya.

The aim of the concert, which
forms part of the Concordia Foundation global projects, is to build bridges
through music and the arts, and to provide much-needed concert platforms for
emerging young artists. Concordia has been active in Viet Nam for the past 10
years. Supported by the British Council, a workshop will be organised with the
Viet Nam Stage and Drama Academy on Sound Recording and Amplifying Classical
Music, led by Tim Brice – a member of the Concordia Foundation.

The Concordia Foundation will
provide start-up funding for a Viet Nam performing arts foundation to offer
performing opportunities, as well as vocal and technical training for young
Vietnamese artists.

VVNN/VOV/VNS