Flying dragons raise $61,000 for charity

HA NOI — Two pure bronze dragon statues, the first and last of a limited edition cast to honour Ha Noi's 1,000th anniversary, sold for VND1.2 billion (US$61,000) at a charity auction on Sunday.

The sculptures, No 1 and No 1,000, were bought by the Cienco 5 Real Estate Development Joint Stock Company's general director, Phan Van Manh.

The money will go to the Viet Nam Association of Agent Orange Victims.

The flying dragons are modelled on those of the Ly dynasty (1010-1225) .

Their casting started in March and each carries a number and comes with a certificate stating its origin.

Live television broadcast to celebrate resistance wars

HA NOI — A show celebrating the wars of resistance against the French and US will be broadcast live on TV as part of the capital city's 1,000th anniversary early next month.

Titled Thang Long – Ha Noi and the Time of Ho Chi Minh, the show will be held at Hang Day Stadium in Ha Noi and broadcast on VTV3 at 8pm on October 3.

Starring more than 1,000 performers, including local war veterans and members of the city's many arts troupes, the free show is one of three major events during the festivities, including the opening and closing ceremonies on October 1 and 10.

The show's scriptwriter, Nguyen Khac Phuc, says audiences will be taken back in time to the days when Ha Noi was devastated by war.

"The opening and closing ceremonies explore the history and development of the city and honours people who have made outstanding contributions to its development, while this show will focus on the remarkable events during the resistance wars against French colonialists and American imperialists," said Phuc.

"The show will examine the city's recent history, since the beginning of the 20th century." — VNS

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CIE seeks MBA applicants for int’l studies

Students and their parents attended a program launch for MBA studies in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand held by Center for International Education (CIE) last week at the Kim Do Hotel in HCMC’s District 1.

At the ceremony, participants were given an overview about the academic programs, scholarship opportunities and student life at three universities including the University of Houston-Clear Lake in the U.S., La Trobe University in Australia and AUT University in New Zealand presented by CIE’s representatives and alumnis. All attendees also received vouchers for free TOEFL iBT tests and free vouchers for application fees.

Once enrolled in the program, students will study one year in Vietnam with school fees at US$4,050 and one to one and a half year in the U.S., Australia or New Zealand with total tuition and living expenses from US$20,000 to US$26,000. Students could choose to study from various majors such as finance, accounting, management information systems, environment, heathcare, human resource management, marketing and commercial law.

CIE is now enrolling for its 20th course. The deadline is October 15 for any student who meets the requirements of university graduation with minimum university grade point average (GPA) of 6.5 and TOEFL score over 500, iBT over 61 or IELTS more than 5.5.

For further information, contact Mr. Ngoc Tuan - head of the marketing department on 3911 8311, email: tuannguyen@cie.edu.vn or access the website www.cie.edu.vn

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New taste of seafood at nydc

The nydc (New York dessert café) a favorite rendezvous for youth has launched its new seafood menu featuring salmon, shrimp and squid accompanied with special sauces.

The new menu has three dishes including a fresh salmon steak sandwich with beetroot sauce, a special sauce that neutralizes the fishy smell and stimulates the appetite for VND149,000; “Surf and turf”, a new combination of shrimp and beef for VND299,000 and assorted seafood fritters with crispy potatoes and tartar sauce for VND129,000. A highlight of the menu is the “Surf and turf” featuring delicious grilled shrimps served with thermidor sauce and grilled Australian beef.

Spend some time this weekend to try the new taste of seafood with friends and families in a fresh friendly environment at nydc.

nydc is at the Metropolitan, 235 Dong Khoi Street, District 1; the Vincom Center at 72 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1; the NowZone at 235 Nguyen Van Cu Street District 5 ; the Crescent at 107 Ton Dat Tien Street, District 7; and the Parkson Flemington at 184 Le Dai Hanh Street, District 1.

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New taste of seafood at nydc

The nydc (New York dessert café) a favorite rendezvous for youth has launched its new seafood menu featuring salmon, shrimp and squid accompanied with special sauces.

The new menu has three dishes including a fresh salmon steak sandwich with beetroot sauce, a special sauce that neutralizes the fishy smell and stimulates the appetite for VND149,000; “Surf and turf”, a new combination of shrimp and beef for VND299,000 and assorted seafood fritters with crispy potatoes and tartar sauce for VND129,000. A highlight of the menu is the “Surf and turf” featuring delicious grilled shrimps served with thermidor sauce and grilled Australian beef.

Spend some time this weekend to try the new taste of seafood with friends and families in a fresh friendly environment at nydc.

nydc is at the Metropolitan, 235 Dong Khoi Street, District 1; the Vincom Center at 72 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1; the NowZone at 235 Nguyen Van Cu Street District 5 ; the Crescent at 107 Ton Dat Tien Street, District 7; and the Parkson Flemington at 184 Le Dai Hanh Street, District 1.

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Hanoi wine waiter wins national contest

Tran Trong Hai Ha from Green Tangerine Restaurant in Hanoi – winner of The Best Vietnamese Sommelier Competition of French Wines 2010 – identifies different wines in the finals - Photo: Trung Chau

A wine waiter from the Green Tangerine Restaurant in Hanoi won the national French wine waiter championships at Sheraton Saigon Hotel and Towers on Friday.

The winner, Tran Trong Hai Ha from Hanoi, will join second place-getter, Mai Tran Hanh, from The Deck Restaurant in HCMC to represent Vietnam in the Southeast Asia sommelier competition for French wines in Thailand in November. Ha also won a trip to tour the vineyards of France.

The contest was organized by Sopexa, which is the French food and wines PR and communications agency, with Saigontourist Hospitality College and Saigon Bartender Sommelier Guild (SBSG).

Ha and Hanh beat five others in the national finals which had sections including - identifying names and characters of French wines; serving champagne and wines for a five-person table; and consulting suitable menus for diners. Some members of the judging board were from international bartender and sommelier clubs.

Vo Tan Si, chairman of SBSG, said the competition in its second year is organized annually for Vietnamese wine waiters to improve their skills and experience.

Si said the contest would also aid the development of Vietnam’s hospitality industry and food and beverages sector as more foreign players enter the industry

“In the near future when we have built on our experience, we will add some Vietnamese wines to the competition,” he said. “This is the best way to promote both our wines and sommeliers to the world.”

According to To Viet – a wine expert, the job as sommelier that is popular in Europe only recently developed in Vietnam when restaurants and hotels began to recognize the important role that wine waiters play. He added that it is necessary to have a long-term strategy to develop the job in Vietnam besides the competition.

The winners of the South East Asia finals in November will go through to the Asian contest in Japan.

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Coca-Cola rallies volunteers to clean Vung Tau beach

Souleymane Hamed (L) of Coca-Cola and volunteers collect garbage on Thuy Van Beach in Vung Tau on Saturday - Photo: Mong Binh

More than 150 volunteers from Coca-Cola Vietnam and Vung Tau City collected garbage along the beach in Vung Tau on Saturday morning as part of the International Coastal Cleanup campaign.

Marketing manager of Coca-Cola Indochina, Souleymane Hamed joined the volunteers as they collected non-biodegradable trash and plastic bags and bottles along a three kilometer stretch of beach in the coastal resort town near HCMC.

Hamed said he was excited about the response to the campaign held by Coca-Cola Vietnam in association with the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Youth Culture House.

“A lot of volunteers have come to collect the garbage. It’s great to see the youth’s commitment to the environment and their enthusiasm for making our life better,” Hamed told the Daily while the volunteers filled up big bags with garbage they had collected.

Hamed said it was crucial for the youth to take care of the environment, and this point was echoed by Tran Anh Nam, a fourth-year student from the University of Mining and Geology.

“The environment is very important to our life. Our life is healthy if we have a clean environment,” Nam said, adding the youth have a very important role to play to stop people littering Vietnam’s beaches.

Nam said he expected the action he and other volunteers took last Saturday would encourage more people to put garbage into the public dustbins.

Less garbage thrown into the environment meant less direct impact on the daily life of locals creating a better image of Vietnam for international visitors, Hamed said after he announced Coca-Cola Vietnam’s donation of 15 benches to Vung Tau City.

Coca-Cola Vietnam said over 300 volunteers joined the 2010 International Coastal Cleanup campaign in three beach cities in the country to improve the marine debris issue and raise public awareness of environmental protection.

On September 19, more than 150 volunteers cleaned Do Son Beach in Haiphong City and Son Tra Beach in Danang City as part of the International Coastal Cleanup in Vietnam this year.

The cleanup also aims to collect data of the specific types of litter and marine debris that was collected to provide information on marine pollution that can be used in public education campaigns.

Globally run by the Ocean Conservancy since 1986, the International Coastal Cleanup usually takes place in mid-September. In 2010 which is the 15th year of the partnership of Coca-Cola and the environmental education organization, the leading beverage company expected to mobilize 50,000 volunteers across 40 countries and territories for the beach cleanup event.

“Every year, we are inspired by this event, and encouraged to continue to improve our sustainable packaging strategy so that we can help protect the environment,” said Martin Gil, general manager of Coca-Cola Indochina. He added this would bring together global communities to keep the ocean clean.

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Coca-Cola rallies volunteers to clean Vung Tau beach

Souleymane Hamed (L) of Coca-Cola and volunteers collect garbage on Thuy Van Beach in Vung Tau on Saturday - Photo: Mong Binh

More than 150 volunteers from Coca-Cola Vietnam and Vung Tau City collected garbage along the beach in Vung Tau on Saturday morning as part of the International Coastal Cleanup campaign.

Marketing manager of Coca-Cola Indochina, Souleymane Hamed joined the volunteers as they collected non-biodegradable trash and plastic bags and bottles along a three kilometer stretch of beach in the coastal resort town near HCMC.

Hamed said he was excited about the response to the campaign held by Coca-Cola Vietnam in association with the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Youth Culture House.

“A lot of volunteers have come to collect the garbage. It’s great to see the youth’s commitment to the environment and their enthusiasm for making our life better,” Hamed told the Daily while the volunteers filled up big bags with garbage they had collected.

Hamed said it was crucial for the youth to take care of the environment, and this point was echoed by Tran Anh Nam, a fourth-year student from the University of Mining and Geology.

“The environment is very important to our life. Our life is healthy if we have a clean environment,” Nam said, adding the youth have a very important role to play to stop people littering Vietnam’s beaches.

Nam said he expected the action he and other volunteers took last Saturday would encourage more people to put garbage into the public dustbins.

Less garbage thrown into the environment meant less direct impact on the daily life of locals creating a better image of Vietnam for international visitors, Hamed said after he announced Coca-Cola Vietnam’s donation of 15 benches to Vung Tau City.

Coca-Cola Vietnam said over 300 volunteers joined the 2010 International Coastal Cleanup campaign in three beach cities in the country to improve the marine debris issue and raise public awareness of environmental protection.

On September 19, more than 150 volunteers cleaned Do Son Beach in Haiphong City and Son Tra Beach in Danang City as part of the International Coastal Cleanup in Vietnam this year.

The cleanup also aims to collect data of the specific types of litter and marine debris that was collected to provide information on marine pollution that can be used in public education campaigns.

Globally run by the Ocean Conservancy since 1986, the International Coastal Cleanup usually takes place in mid-September. In 2010 which is the 15th year of the partnership of Coca-Cola and the environmental education organization, the leading beverage company expected to mobilize 50,000 volunteers across 40 countries and territories for the beach cleanup event.

“Every year, we are inspired by this event, and encouraged to continue to improve our sustainable packaging strategy so that we can help protect the environment,” said Martin Gil, general manager of Coca-Cola Indochina. He added this would bring together global communities to keep the ocean clean.

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