National arts and crafts exhibition opens in Ha Noi; US consulate announces climate change video contest; Germans help restore gate of King Tu Duc’s tomb

Hieu’s silver fan-shaped box was made using Vietnamese traditional handicraft skills. It is also one of the six artworks from ASEAN countries to win a prize at the ASEAN Handicraft Festival 2008 in Ha Noi.

The exhibition will showcase 472 artworks by 238 artists from 20 provinces and cities throughout the country.

The exhibits were selected from artworks and graphics applications made in the 2005-09 period for the national exhibition this year.

The craft pieces are made a variety of synthetic and natural materials and include woven fabrics, rattan, ceramics, lacquerware, jewellery, carvings and industrial designs.

A total of 32 prizes will be awarded in two categories to artists and craftsmen. Each category will include one gold, two silver, three bronze medals and 10 commendations.

The exhibition is held every five years for artists, craftsmen and enterprises to meet and exchange experiences.

The exhibition runs until December 7 at the Viet Nam Culture and Art Exhibition Centre, 2 Hoa Lu Street, Ha Noi.

US consulate announces climate change video contest

The US consul general in HCM City, Kenneth Fairfax, yesterday launched the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ second annual interactive video contest Change Your Climate, Change Our World at the city’s University of Natural Sciences.

People all over the world aged at least 14 can submit videos of no more than two minutes in length containing any form of artistic expression.

They will be judged on originality, creativity, effectiveness, and production quality.

Four winners (one each in the 14-17 years and 18+ years categories from the US and outside) will receive the Grand Prize of an all-expenses paid, two-week cultural exchange trip. For non-US winners, this will be a trip to the US while for those from that country, the destination is yet to be determined.

The contest will close on January 12 next year. The winners will be announced in March.

Germans help restore gate of King Tu Duc’s tomb

Work to restore the tomb of King Tu Duc with funding and technical assistance from Germany began in the central city of Hue city on Friday.

The tomb’s gate, called Buu Thanh Mon, and a decorative wall just inside are being conserved under a project by the German Conservation, Restoration and Education Projects and the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre which is also seeking to train Vietnamese experts in conservation work.

The US$189,500 project, which is also being funded by the Vietnamese Government, is expected to be completed next June.

Tu Duc’s tomb, built between 1864 and 1867, is one of the most beautiful monuments built by the Nguyen dynasty, which presided over the end of feudal rule in Viet Nam in 1945.

The tomb is located amidst a pine forest near Luu Khiem Lake.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News