Ministry names top 10 activities of 2010

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism together with 120 journalists have compiled a list of the 10 outstanding achievements of 2010.

1. Major events included the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Viet Nam; the anniversary of the Hung Kings on the 10th day of the third lunar month; the 35th anniversary of the liberation of the South and the unification of the country; the 120th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday; the 65th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2, and the 80th anniversary of the Viet Nam National United Front.

2. Major cultural, sports and tourism activities to celebrate 1,000 years of the founding of Ha Noi included a parade in Ba Dinh Square on October 10; the official opening of the Cultural Village of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups; the Festival on Traditional Arts and Crafts, and Vietnamese Films Days.

3. UNESCO recognised as Intangible Heritage of Humanity the Hoang Thanh-Thang Long Citadel, the Giong Festival in Phu Dong and Soc temples in Ha Noi, together with 82 stone steles of the Le-Mac dynasties at Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) in Ha Noi.

4. Cultural activities abroad to popularising Vietnamese land and people included the Shanghai EXPO 2010 and Vietnamese culture weeks in Cuba, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, Cambodia, Japan, South Korea, Russia, China, and India.

5. Ha Noi also held an international photo arts exhibition, an international film festival, an international piano contest, the Miss Earth Pageant in the central province of Khanh Hoa's Vinpearl Land, and the International Football Cup.

6. Director and People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh was honoured by the US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his great contribution to Vietnamese cinematography.

7. The sixth National Festival for Sports was held in the central province of Da Nang attracting thousands of athletes.

8. At the 16th ASIAD in China the Vietnamese delegation won 33 medals, while at ASIAN Para Games 1, Vietnamese disabled athletes won 17 medals, which helped the team finish 11th out of 42 delegations.

9. The Viet Nam tourism sector welcomed the five millionth international tourist.

10. The Tourism Promotion Programme 2010 entitled "Viet Nam – Your Destination" helped generate a turnover of VND100,000 billion (US$4.76 billion). — VNS

Related Articles

• Nadal installed as top seed for US Open
• Hanoi model wins Miss Vietnam 2010
• Tea exports earn $194 million in 2010
• President Triet on official visit to Laos
• Gov't ups education budget, support for ethnic minorities

Thousands throng downtown for 2011 countdown

Thousands of youngsters sing and dance to celebrate New Year at the round stage in the center of Nguyen Hue Street

Photo: Tuoi Tre

Tens of thousands gathered in downtown Ho Chi Minh City’s Nguyen Hue and Le Loi Streets on the New Year Eve last night to celebrate and took part in a massive Heineken Countdown Party starting 9 pm.

Revelers jamming together to wave in New Year in downtown city

 

Thousands of youths are counting down to the New Year in downtown city

Countdown Party kicks off, 10, 9, 8…

Thousands looking at the countdown clock, eager for a new year

A foreign tourist dancing and singing with locals

Thousands of youths raise their hands to support the singers performing in public

Dong Khoi Street dazzled by lights

The park in front of HCMC People’s Committee covered in colorful neon lights

Singer Ha Anh Tuan shakes hands with fans on Nguyen Hue Street

Youths count down from 20…

Fireworks light up city skies immediately after New Year

International tourists and Vietnamese youngsters in celebration

Related Articles

• Vietnam cuts cocoa area target a third due to slow planting
• Blue seas and unspoiled beaches
• Chau Doc’s curried fish vermicelli: Bun nuoc ken
• City promotes prepaid bus cards
• No milk price hike: Finance Ministry

Music bashes to celebrate New Year in Hanoi, HCMC

Several music performances are being readied in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to entertain the locals and usher in the New Year on January 1.

The Springtime Rendezvous will take place at the outdoor stage at 19:30 on January 1 at 23/9 Park, District 1’s Pham Ngu Lao Street, with performances of pop stars like Quang Linh, Thanh Thao, Quang Ha, Khanh Ngoc, Quang Vinh, and Bao Thy.

Rock lovers will have a chance to immerse themselves in electrifying performances of various rock bands, including UK rock band The Lost Souls Club and two local rock bands Unlimited and Microwave.

The event takes place at Tiger Translate 2011–Metropolis at 20:00 on January 7, District 1’s Nguyen Du Stadium, promising to rock up the city.

Also in the pipeline is Charming Vietnam Gala organized by Thanh Nien Daily Newspaper, at 20:00 on January 8-9 in Tuy Hoa City of Phu Yen Central province to raise money for the Nguyen Thai Binh Fund for poor students and the Vietnamese Talent Fund.

The event will feature famous singers, beauties, and models from across the country and the two emerging stars of Vietnam Idol 2010, Lan Nha and Uyen Linh.

The 23rd gala will witness the return of Bolero music which is expected to be a special cultural and art event in the South Central Coastal National Tourism Year 2011.

“A day of wind & haven” is also a good choice for music lovers. The event will feature French artists (Pierre Diaz, Trio Zéphyr), French performers of Vietnamese origin (singer Huong Thanh and artist Alex Tran), and Vietnamese violinist Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy. They will perform at Idecaf at 20:00 on January 12.

In the northern hub, Hanoi Cultural Friendship Palace will present the “Wise wife teaches foolish husband” drama directed by Meritorious Artist Xuan Huyen and scripted by People’s Artist Doan Hoang Giang, with the participation of a group of artists from HCMC like Hong Van, Duc Hai, Minh Hoang, Trinh Kim Chi, and Van Anh.

In other news, well-known musician Le Minh Son’s evening performance, themed “Guitar for me”, will take place on January 1 at Hanoi Opera House, in collaboration with famous local artists in the north like Tung Duong, Thanh Lam, and Ha Linh.

The capital city will also feature a children’s music show from 15:00 to 20:00 the following day at Hanoi Opera House, and “Prosperous Spring”, a music program, on 20:00 on January 4 at the Hanoi Cultural Friendship Palace, with the appearance of famous local artists Hoai Linh, Hong Van, Thanh Bach, Quang Dung, Thanh Thao, Anh Tho, Thanh Thanh Hien.

Related Articles

• Vietnam’s tra fish export to Egypt still down
• Tiger Woods and wife divorce after sex scandal
• USDA forecasts strong corn import from Vietnam
• Delayed floods disappoint farmers
• Mothers share sorrow of war

Bosch, STF grant scholarships to students

Vo Quang Hue (L) managing director of Robert Bosch Vietnam Co., Ltd., hands scholarships to students at the HCMC University of Technology - Photo: Tuong Vi

The Saigon Times Foundation ( STF) in association with Robert Bosch Vietnam Co., Ltd. granted 10 scholarships on Thursday to poor studious students at the HCMC University of Technology. These students will receive VND17.5 million during three and a half academic years.

In the last six years, STF has awarded short-term scholarships worth a total of VND4 billion for students in cities and provinces of the Mekong Delta, HCMC, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Danang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Tri, Thua Thien- Hue, Kontum, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh and Ninh Thuan.

STF has also cooperated with local enterprises and individuals to donate long-term scholarships to 226 students in HCMC, Binh Duong, An Giang, Can Tho, Lam Dong, Danang, and Quang Ngai worth over VND2 billion in total.

At the award ceremony, students met with leaders from local technical companies to learn about recruitment policies for interns.

Related Articles

• Millenium English contest enters finals
• Australia wants stronger cooperation to vocational education
• Intel to fund high-tech computer lab at RMIT
• Music bashes to celebrate New Year in Hanoi, HCMC
• Saigon-Hanoi charity caravan heads north

Vietnam dance group to host hi-hop contest

Vietnam’s leading hip-hop dance group Big Toe

A hip-hop contest will be monthly organized for nationwide dancers in preparation for a final round at the end of next year, says Nguyen Viet Thanh, head of the Southeast Asia hip hop champion crew 2010, Big Toe.

Thanh said that the move was aimed at offering opportunities for hip hop lovers nationwide to practice, compete and enhance their dancing skills and develop the Vietnamese hip hop movement.

The first monthly contest was held on December 26 in Hanoi, attracting 66 dancers throughout the country, competing directly in a knock-out format. The judges included members of Hanoi-based Big Toe namely Nguyen Anh Duc, Bui Manh Thang and Nguyen Manh Nam .

Thanh added he hoped to invite foreign dancers to join the judges for the final round.

"We want to develop hip hop as a healthy way for Vietnamese youths to express their characters," he said. "The final winners will represent Vietnam to compete at an international competition."

Big Toe won the Battle of the Year (BOTY) Southeast Asia in Singapore in October to earn the 10-member dance team tickets to France for the BOTY International Final 2010 competition in November.

Founded in 1992 when hip hop first arrived in Vietnam with just seven members, the crew has grown to 60, and won national and international acclaim.

BOTY is an international competition for break-dancers. Each region or country will have one representative at the BOTY International Final in France.

Related Articles

• Millenium English contest enters finals
• Vietnam Air accepts web check-in for int’l flights
• PM launches news channel
• Top 10 economic events in Vietnam 2010
• VNPT wins over Viettel in ‘$5.1 bln revenue race’

Top ten culture, sports and tourism events in 2010

Vietnamese film director Dang Nhat Minh (R) was honored in Los Angeles, US by the US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Photo: Tran Hoang Anh

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Thursday announced ten outstanding cultural, sports and tourism activities in 2010 for Vietnam including president Ho Chi Minh’s 120th birthday and the Hanoi millennium anniversary.

Following are top ten events in 2010:

1. The US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored Dang Nhat Minh, renowned Vietnamese director of “Don’t Burn” in Los Angeles November 10

2. Cultural and fine art activities to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, late president Ho Chi Minh’s 120th birthday, the 65th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2 and the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam National United Front

3. Cultural, sports, and tourism activities marking the grand celebration of the Thang Long-Hanoi millennium anniversary including the biggest-ever parade held at Ba Dinh Square on October 10

4. The Saint Giong Festival and Soc Temple in Hanoi recognized by UNESCO as humankind’s intangible cultural heritage

5. Vietnam hosted some international cultural and sport events for the first time including International Fine Art Photo Exhibition, International Film Festival, International Piano Contest, Miss Earth 2010, and the Thang Long-Hanoi International Football Cup

6. The sixth national sports festival

7. The Vietnamese sport delegation bagged 33 medals including at five Olympics sport events for the first time at the 16th Asian Games, Guangzhou, China

8. Vietnamese disabled athletes secured 17 medals, ranking 11th out of 42 delegations at the first Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China

9. Vietnam warmly welcomed the 5 millionth international tourist - Chinese auditor Zhou Zhing who was presented with gifts, a medal, a return ticket for the trip, and a Hue-Da Nang tour for two

10. Vietnam launched the tourism promotion campaign “Vietnam – Your Destination”, aiming at attracting foreign tourists to Vietnam and promoting domestic tourism. The country’s tourism industry has received more than 5 million visitors from abroad and is estimated to earn more than VND100 trillion (US$5 billion)

Related Articles

• Top 10 economic events in Vietnam 2010
• Nadal installed as top seed for US Open
• Hanoi model wins Miss Vietnam 2010
• VNPT wins over Viettel in ‘$5.1 bln revenue race’
• Prime Minister discusses relations, co-operation with Lao counterpart

Airline magazine published in Japanese

HA NOI — Heritage, the Vietnam Airlines inflight magazine, began publishing a Japanese edition on Wednesday to serve passengers on flights between Viet Nam and Japan.

The magazine, in its 10th year of publication, is considered a bridge to introduce Vietnamese culture and fashion to international friends.

Mister Viet Nam pageant final begins

HA NOI — The final round of the Mister Viet Nam 2010 pageant will take place in the southern city of Vung Tau tomorrow and will be broadcast live on VTV9 and VTV4.

Thirty contestants are competing in such categories as Mister Gentlemen, Mister Sports, Mister Talent, Mister Environment, and Mister Knowledge.

Viet Nam Television and the Bac Dau Entertainment Co have co-organised the pageant with an aim to find a winner who represents Vietnamese men who are confident, fashionable, strong and elegant.

The winner will receive a cash prize of VND750 million (US$38,500) and represent Viet Nam in the Mister International 2011 competition to be held in the Philippines.

Researchers digitise Thai ethnic script

THANH HOA — A project to compile fonts for the ancient script of the Thai ethnic group has been approved by the central province of Thanh Hoa.

The project will be carried out by the Thanh Hoa Informatics and Media Centre with the aim to popularise the use of the Thai language.

The specialists will also research the differences between the scripts of the Thai in the province and elsewhere in the northwestern region of the country. — VNS

Related Articles

• Vietnam Air accepts web check-in for int’l flights
• Hanoi model wins Miss Vietnam 2010
• Local tour operators honored in Thailand
• Tiger Woods and wife divorce after sex scandal