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The exhibition themed “David Thomas and Friends” displays selected graphic works from the series of C. David Thomas during his struggle with Parkinson’s syndrome over recent years, one of the consequences of his exposure to Agent Orange during the war. On display are also the works by 21 Vietnamese artists who have been invited to participate in art and culture exchange programmes and activities organised by the Indochina Arts Partnership (a.k.a IAP) over a period of 30 years since 1989 to 2019. The relationship with David Thomas and IAP goes far beyond the artistic professional exchange, but is instead about sharing common sentiments and spiritual values, including the beauty of arts, healing and building emotions through aesthetics, companionship in life, as well as sympathies for the past and the bright vision of the future. David Thomas, 77, is a US war veteran and was the first foreigner to be awarded a “For the Culture Cause” medal in recognition of his contribution to Vi

OVs visit the Hung Kings Temple relic site. Photo: Pham Ly They offered incense to the Hung Kings at their temples on April 25, and planted trees at the Den Gieng (Gieng Temple). They prayed for a prosperous Vietnam with an increasing position in the international arena and solidarity among the Vietnamese communities abroad. The OVs offer incense to the Hung Kings. Photo: Pham Ly Hieu said the incense-offering program is held annually by the COVA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with the provincial People’s Committee, noting it has received a warm response from Vietnamese abroad. It is intended to raise their pride of national traditions, pay tribute to the nation, and strengthen the great national unity bloc. Also on April 25, the delegation had a meeting with representatives of the provincial People’s Committee. They also commemorated the legendary ancestors of Vietnam, Father Lac Long Quan, and Mother Au Co. The OVs plant trees

Governor of Santa Fe Omar Ángel Perotti (2nd from R) awards the title of Honorary Guest to National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. Photo: VNA The Argentina visit by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue drew great attention from the South American country’s media with many positive assessments, VNA reported Thursday. Argentine national news agency Telam has ran an article highlighting the sound relations between Vietnam and Argentina. It noted that during their meeting, NA Chairman Hue and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez reaffirmed the determination to strengthen bilateral trade and investment partnership. The article said the two leaders underlined the great potential in diversifying goods for exchange and agreed to promote partnership in investment, science and technology. It said that after her meeting with the Vietnamese NA leader, Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez shared on her Twitter a photo with Hue, showing her special sentiments towards

Participants at the event will discuss the current situation and various solutions for the sustainable development of conical hats in the locality. The event will therefore provide a chance for craftsmen to meet and exchange information about the craft of conical hat making. Advertising Hue conical hats and seeking measures aimed at improving vocational training for local practitioners are set to be hot topics during the conference. The international conference is jointly organised by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Vietnam and the Hue Conical Hat Association, and is expected to attract plenty of domestic and foreign intellectuals and craftsmen. The craft of conical hat making has been practiced in Thua Thien-Hue for centuries. It is still well preserved today in Tay Ho village of Phu Ho commune, My Lam village of Phu My commune, and the villages of Phu Cam, Phuoc Vinh, Doc So, Trieu Tay, and Huong So in Hue. Craftsmen residing in the village sell millions

School students compete in a writing and painting contest to promote Japan-Vietnam friendship , celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries in the central city from March 30 to May 30. The contest is titled ‘Da Nang school students joining hands in strengthening the Japan-Vietnam friendship’. Children join an outdoor reading session at the Japanese-styled Sakura Kindergarten in Da Nang. Photo: VNA It will feature around 10,000 students from primary, secondary and high school who will send their paintings and essays to Japan for selection on June 5-30. As part of a series of activities to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of the Viet Nam – Japan diplomatic ties (September 21), the contest aims to contribute to enhancing understanding, friendship and cooperation between Da Nang and Japanese people, thereby facilitating local pupils, especially senior high school pupils, to learn about the 50-year history of establishing diplomatic

Visitors need to register in advance with the municipal Department of Tourism between April 22 and 26 for the tours from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on April 29 and 30. They will spend 35 minutes in the building, learning about its history, architectural highlights, and function of each room during the one-hour tour, which also features a walk around the President Ho Chi Minh Monument Park, located just in front of the hall. A part of the painting on the ceiling inside the office building of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City in District 1. Photo: N. Binh / Tuoi Tre This is part of the city’s efforts to showcase national monuments to foreign tourists to promote its image as a friendly and open city. The building, located at 86 Le Thanh Ton Street in District 1, was designed by French architect Femand Gardes. Its construction started in 1889 and finished in 1909. In 2020, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized it as a national

Addressing the event, Saudi Arabian Ambassador Mohammed Ismaeil A. Dahlwy said the festival, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, shares similarities with Vietnam’s traditional New Year festival or Tet. The celebration in Hanoi is a good opportunity for Saudi Arabia to introduce the images of itself and of other Arab and Muslim countries to Vietnamese friends. In the holiday’s spirit of tolerance, the diplomat called on the countries of the world, including Arab ones, to resolve their differences by peaceful means and through dialogues and together bring prosperity and peace to the people. The ambassadors of Algeria, Egypt, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Iran among others, took the occasion to talk about the culture and customs of their respective countries on Eid Al-Fitr. The event also featured culinary delights of participating Arab and Muslim nations, the henna art, and circus acts. The post Saudi Arabian Embassy, embassies of Muslim countries in Vietnam celebrate E

In the meeting with the Vietnamese guest, Minister of Culture Alpidio Alonso Grau expressed his joy at the success of the special cultural and artistic programme jointly staged by the two sides at Jose Marti Theatre in Havana on April 20 to celebrate several major anniversaries of historic milestones in Vietnam-Cuba relations. The two ministries agreed that the two sides have coordinated to organize successful cultural exchange programmes on the occasion of visits of high-ranking leaders of the two countries. The Cuban minister informed Minister Hung that Cuba will host a forum of culture ministers of the G-77 plus China from May 3-5, aiming to adopt a joint statement affirming the role and contribution of culture to sustainable development. He invited the Vietnamese minister to attend the event and contribute to the compilation of the joint statement, considering Vietnam’s achievements in conserving and promoting cultural values. Minister Hung spoke highly of Cuba’s Presidency of

1. Cau Pagoda (Chua Cau) The first one on the list of Hoi An’s heritage pagodas is Cau Pagoda (Chua Cau). It was created for commuting. There are two parts of this relic site, “the bridge” and “the pagoda”. They are built more than half a century apart but blended seamlessly with each other to create a symbolic landmark of Hoi An. According to researchers, the architecture alone with the two subjects “Pagoda” and “Bridge” linked together into a unified whole is unique in the architectural treasure of Viet Nam (Photo:HS) The temple worships a local god named Bac De Tran Vu, a spiritual figure of peace and stability in the terrain and weather of Hoi An. According to the epitaph at Cau Pagoda and other sources, this relic was built in the late 16th – early 17th centuries, restored and repaired 7 times. The latest repair took place in 1986. Cau Pagoda also worships a pair of dogs and a pair of monkeys, representing Japanese symbols of worship landmarks. On the door of the C

Lung Cung Peak belongs to Lung Cung Village, Nam Co Commune, Mu Cang Chai District, Yen Bai Province. It is one of the highest mountain peaks in Vietnam. The peak is the boundary dividing Mu Cang Chai District and Van Ban District of Lao Cai Province. The peak is named after a village located deep in Nam Co Commune. At 2,913 meters above sea level, the peak is covered by clouds all year round and has a cool climate. The trekking route has majestic scenery with many terrains and rich vegetation, such as green grass hills, vast primeval forests, bamboo forests, immense mountain valleys and terraced rice fields. The closer tourists get to the top, the more spectacular the view. There is a wide flat surface at the top of Lung Cung, with panoramic views of Lung Cung Valley, Che Cu Nha Commune (Yen Bai Province), the communes of Van Ban District (Lao Cao Province), etc. In each season, Lung Cung offers a different beauty. Depending on the time of year, tourists can pass through fore

Despite being born in India, Buddhism found fertile ground in Southeast Asia, where it took root and flourished for centuries, shaping the region’s socio- economic, political, cultural, religious and philosophical structures. This connection between Buddhism in South East Asia and India is a testament to the religion’s resilience and adaptability in the face of fast changing world under challenging circumstances over two millennia. The Buddhism in Southeast Asia from India underscores a complex interaction between different history, culture and identity. Such a complex interaction involved multiple factors, including the influence of Indian merchants and traders, the patronage of Southeast Asian kings and rulers, and the work of Buddhist missionaries. The arrival of Indian merchants and traders to Southeast Asia through sea routes from the 1st century CE onwards was a pivotal moment in the spread of Buddhism throughout the region. These travellers brought with them not only

The biggest takeaway of the Mekong Paddle Adventure is the “surprises” for a man who spent almost his whole life going on adventures.  Adventurer, author, and speaker Dave Ellingson ready for the Mekong Paddle Adventure in March 2023. In many ways, the 600-mile kayak journey Mekong Paddle Adventure became the Mekong River Adventure as we, a group of four American kayakers, gained broader and deeper experience from the month-long journey through Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam that ended in late March 2023. In the Mekong River, we soon learned that the weather was much hotter than we expected. The thermometer usually read between 95- and 100-degrees Fahrenheit (35-37 degrees Celsius). We didn’t expect the hazy skies from smoke caused by farmers burning their rice paddies during the dry season. Our inflatable kayaks didn’t move as fast as we expected, and our aging bodies didn’t have as much stamina as we hoped. I thought a fitting description of our adventure was Lingering

The South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism financed the public library renovation project at Hanoi Library. The project was aimed at improving the quality of amenities at Hanoi Library, moving toward building a reading-culture space. The renovated public library will advance cultural discussions and exchange, spread knowledge, and enhance the mental health of Hanoi readers. The first phase of the project, from November to December last year, focused on designing and decorating the space of the library’s first floor. The second and third floors of the library had their reading space decorated and refurbished from December 2022 to April this year. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the refurbished library, vice-chairwoman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Thu Ha said that the public library renovation project backed by South Korea is one of many cultural activities helping solidify the Vietnam-South Korea friendship. The activity also beefed up the two nation

Delegates at the event. Photo: toquoc.vn Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue and President of the National Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández attended a special music show in Santiago de Cuba city on April 22 (local time), which marked the 60th founding anniversary of the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam and the 50th anniversary of Fidel Castro Ruz’s visit to Vietnam and the newly liberated zone in Quang Tri province, VNA reported. Fidel was the first and the only foreign leader to visit the newly-liberated area in the south of Vietnam during the anti-US resistance war. He also took the initiative in the international movement to support Vietnam’s struggle for national independence and reunification, along with its process of national development and defence. The park named after him in Quang Tri was inaugurated in 2018 on the occasion of the 45 years since the Cuban leader’s visit to the liberated region i

Nguyen Thuy Linh meticulously selects silk fabric scraps in complementary colors to complete her landscape collage. If painters paint with brushes, she paints with silk pieces, scissors and glue. The collage comes to life under her skilled hands”. Linh was a disabled and depressed woman before working at Vun Art, a cooperative for people with disabilities. Scraps revived While working as a kindergarten teacher, she suffered a bone ailment that rendered her unable to walk. Her marriage also ended at the same time. Becoming a disabled person and unable to continue with her old job, she felt bored. Her life was almost deadlocked as she had to raise a child alone while her parents were old and frail. She had locked herself at home for four years.  Members of Vun Art are people with disabilities.  Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times Linh learned about Vun Art while watching  Viec tu te (Good work) program on the VTV3 channel. Vun Art Cooperative was founded in 2018 by Le Vi

Toronto conference spotlights Vietnam growth after 48 years of reunification. Photo: VNA About 45 Canadian scholars and experts gathered at an online conference in Toronto on April 24 to discuss the development of the Vietnamese nation and people after 48 years of national reunification. Philip Fernandez from the Canada-Vietnam Friendship Society (CVFS) said that the historical milestone of the victory on April 30, 1975 was a start of Vietnam’s success in various fields, especially economy, diplomacy and human development towards the UN targets. Vietnamese Consul General in Vancouver Nguyen Quang Trung recalled the difficulties that Vietnam burdened after the national reunification and affirmed its achievements in economy and external relations that have been recognised by the international community. The results show extraordinary efforts of Vietnamese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, he stated. The diplomat noted that Vietnam has posted