Hue Festival 2014, let's go

Hue Festival 2014 to welcome 100,000 int’l visitors

Hue Festival 2014 to welcome 100,000 int’l visitors

Hue Festival 2014's organization board expects to be received around 100,000 international visitors, up 20 percent over 2012.

So far 45 art troupes from 35 countries and five territories from around the world have registered to participate in the biennial Hue Festival in Hue City of Thua Thien-Hue Province scheduled to take place from April 12-20.

The event will also see agreements concerning development and co-operation of culture and tourism in the ASEAN +3 Ministerial Meeting on Culture and Fine Arts from April 16-21.

The provincial authorities will upgrade transportation infrastructure by air, land and sea; control sudden increase in price during the festival; offer promotion programs and new tourist products and tours to traditional handcraft and new tourism complexes to attract more visitors.

The numbers of tourists to Thua Thien-Hue have constantly increased. The province received 2.6 million holiday makers in 2013 and is expected to welcome 2.8-3 million tourists, including 1.2-1.3 million foreign visitors in 2014.

Indonesian travel agencies explore central region

Representatives from Indonesian travel agencies and media from Solo, Jogyakarta, Semarang, and Makasar will begin familiarisation trips to Hue, Hoi An, My Son and Da Nang on January 10.

The trips, which are organised by Singapore's SilkAir and Hue-based Asiana Travel Mate, seek to connect world heritages sites, including My Son Sanctuary, the Hoi An ancient town and Hue, with Indonesian sites.

SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, opened direct flights from Da Nang to new destinations in Solo, Jogyakarta, Semarang and Makasar last year, with four flights weekly to each destination.

These are the first familiarisation trips to be held in the central region to boost tourism between the region and new destinations in Indonesia.

Fiditour caters to 110,000 MICE tourists in 2013

The number of MICE (meeting, incentive, conference and exhibition) tourists Fiditour served last year totaled around 110,000, up 28% from the previous year.

Tran Thi Bao Thu, marketing and communications manager at Fiditour, said that the firm welcomed many MICE groups of up to 300-5,000 tourists last year. Tourists often chose well-established destinations like Hanoi, Halong, Danang, Nha Trang, Mui Ne, HCMC and Vung Tau.

In the outbound segment, groups traveling overseas were smaller with 55-100 people each and traveled to Bali, Berlin and Singapore normally to attend international conferences and exhibitions.

Last year Fiditour also recorded good growth in MICE tours from foreign countries with many groups of 100-300 tourists each from Australia, Japan, Singapore, Poland, the Netherlands and France.

“Late last year, we had a MICE group of over 600 people traveling to Danang. The number of MICE tourists is growing well and currently accounts for over 60% of the firm’s total number of tourists,” Thu said.

In related news, a group of 240 people of different nationalities who are mainly doctors and medical experts will be in HCMC on January 8-10 to attend the fourth international conference on intervention in congenial heart diseases, according to Saigontourist Travel Service Company.

Saigontourist is in charge of arranging programs for groups coming to HCMC to attend the conference such as conducting meetings with big hospitals in the city.

Saigontourist launches new tour to Vung Chua

Saigontourist Travel Service Company has just opened new four day tour program from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Chua-Yen Island in Quang Binh province. Tour was started

from January 7.

Accordingly, Saigontourist will welcome visitors departing from Ho Chi Minh City to Quang Binh province every Sunday morning.

Taking this tour, visitors will travel to five tourist destinations such as Vung Chua, Phong Nha, Quang Tri, Hue and Da Nang.

Besides, the visitors will have an opportunity to visit several famous tourist spots such as Phong Nha cave, Hoi An ancient town, Hien Luong Bridge, Ben Hai River, Quang

Tri citadel, La Vang Church, Thien Mu Pagoda, Tu Duc Mausoleum and highest statue of Buddha in Vietnam.

The organizers also hold solemn ceremonies in order to commemorate General Vo Nguyen Giap in Vung Chua-Yen Island, where late General laid for rest , including visiting General’s grave and offering incense.

Four day tour costs from VND 4.16 million per a person. 

Hanoi plans to attract 3 million foreign visitors in 2014

The capital city of Hanoi plans to welcome 3 million foreign tourists this year with a hospitable and safe environment for both visitors and enterprises.

At a talk on the capital’s tourism development in Hanoi on January 8, Director of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism To Van Dong vowed all possible changes to make Hanoi live up to its reputation as an attractive destination.

Specifically, the Ba Vi – Suoi Hai area will be transformed into a national tourism park while projects redeveloping the popular Giong festival space and increasing community-based tourism to Ba Vi will be completed.

Areas around Ngoc Son temple, Sword Lake, Hoa Lo Prison and the Temple of Literature will have better infrastructure and tourist services.

The department is asking for 50 hectares of land near Nhat Tan – Noi Bai highway to build a display space for Hanoi traditional craft products.

The sector will also work and spend hard to popularise images of the city. A tourism promotion unit will be run by the municipal People’s Committee, instead of the department.

The cost to promote tourism in Hanoi stands at a modest 1 USD each person, while in Ho Chi Minh City, the figure is 2.5 USD. That compares to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia which boast respective spending of 10, 16 and 20 USD per person.

Nguyen Bich Dung, Sunway Hotel Director of Business and Marketing suggested the sector team up with global airliners to launch direct flights to Hanoi.

In the recent past, Hanoi has launched a hotline to deal with complaints by tourists and kept a close watch over tour guides and transport.

Last year, the city greeted 2.58 million foreign arrivals, up 22.9 percent year-on-year, generating 38.5 trillion VND (1.83 billion USD) in revenue – or 14-15 percent of its gross domestic product.

Phu Yen launches website to draw Russian tourists

The central Phu Yen provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has launched a Russian language tourism website at phuyentourism.gov.vn.

The website, established on the foundation of the Vietnamese version, includes main columns introducing tours, hotel services, news, destinations in Phu Yen, information about Phu Yen tourism and a photograph library.

Over the past two years, Phu Yen has seen increasing numbers of Russian tourists coming to the province. The provincial tourism sector defined Russia as a strategic market because the demands and tastes of Russian tourists are well suited with the existing infrastructure condition and tourism products.

The launching of the website is expected to contribute to promoting the potential, strengths and landscapes of Phu Yen to attract more Russian tourists.

The province is endowed with bountiful natural resources, which underpin the development of tourism - a key sector set to spearhead the provincial growth plans. Local tourism potential is based on its natural and cultural resources.

Phu Yen boasts a diverse landscape of mountains, rivers, lagoons and fertile plains with nearly 200 kilometres of shoreline along Vietnam's curving south-central coast.

The province’s system of islets, islands, rock fields, lagoons and bays is unique, with the most famous ones being Xuan Dai bay, O Loan lagoon, Ganh Da Dia (Da Dia Cliff), Hon Chua and Hon Lao Mai Nha.

Phu Yen is also home to several hundred relics, including 18 nationally recognised historical, cultural, art, archeological and architectural sites and natural charms. Local feasts, villages and authentic foods are also valuable to tourism development.

Provincial capital city Tuy Hoa offers a good base for exploring the beaches, bays and offshore islands up and down the coast, with an ancient tower to see and a large seated Buddha on a hilltop just north of the city. The nearby Vung Ro Bay features a deep-sea port and a forest reserve in its surrounding hills home to a number of rare and exotic plants and animals.

The province’s overall social-economic development plan to 2020 set a target to turn Phu Yen into a big tourism and services hub in the region and the country as a whole.-

VNA/VNS/Nhandan/SGGP/SGT

Hue receives 30,000 vistors for Tet

Hue receives 30,000 visitors for Tet

Posted: 13 Feb 2013 09:54 PM PST

As many as 30,000 tourists visited imperial Hue’s relics in the central province of Thua Thien–Hue during the first three days of the Year of the Snake.

Tomb of Khai Dinh Emperor in Hue Photo: VNA

The tourists included 8,000 foreign visitors, mainly from France, Australia and the US.
Besides discovering more about Vietnam’s Tet festival, the visitors had a large choice of traditional Vietnamese dishes to enjoy, adding to the festive atmosphere in Vietnam’s ancient capital.
The tourists had an opportunity to join the Lunar New Year’s Eve party, receive gifts and enjoy Tet feasts.
The Huyen Tran Centre of Culture in the southwest of the city received thousands of travellers visiting pagodas and mausoleums during the festival. They paid tribute to the late Princess Huyen Tran and King Tran Nhan Tong.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, 2,100 tourists aboard the Celebrity Millennium Ship from the US visited the city.
Thua Thien-Hue expects to cater for between 2.5 and 3 million tourists this year.

Vietnam vists to UNESCO site

Some of the guided walks throughout Vietnam can include visits to sites recognized by UNESCO. The word UNESCO is short for United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. It has many roles but one of them is to identify and promote World Heritage Sites - sites that are of specific interest either culturally or educationally to the world at large.

When walking in Vietnam you can see some of these sites for yourself. While it is possible to explore them on your own it is far better to book a specialized tour with an expert company. Walking in Vietnam is much more enjoyable when you have a knowledgeable tour leader to tell you what makes each UNESCO World Heritage Site so memorable.

Here are some of the unforgettable sites to visit.

Ha Long Bay

A captivating, haunting and truly beautiful sight, Ha Long Bay is one of the natural additions to UNESCO's list. It is a very popular place to head to on holiday, one of the reasons being the collection of limestone formations that rise out of the bay in various places. This spectacle has taken millions of years to form, and it is quite ghostlike in appearance. Many tiny boats bob around in the waters here, looking almost out of place in an area that has been gradually formed over millennium.

Complex of the Hue Monuments

Hue is a city probably best known for its monuments. These too have been recognized formally by UNESCO as the Complex of Hue Monuments. The main attraction here is the Citadel, from which the Nguyen emperors reigned in times gone by. History says that trespassers into this area were once executed, but today as a World Heritage Site it is available for all to see and enjoy.

My Son Sanctuary

There is a village called Duy Phu in the central region of Vietnam and it is here that My Son can be found. The sanctuary is a collection of Hindu temples and although they are ruined to some extent, enough remain to present an impressive look into the past while on a holiday walking in Vietnam. Built largely in the 4th century AD, this collection of temples stands testament to times gone by.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

This is another natural entry into UNESCO's list. While walking in Vietnam you should definitely head for this national park. The park is famous for its hundreds of grotto and caves and you can enjoy a boat trip along to visit the best-known of them. Eco based tourism trips are also a good bet to enjoy.

As you can see this is only the beginning of your exploration of this area. There are four sensational UNESCO sites included here, but these are not the only ones. How many will you discover?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7186641

Free wireless Internet for Hue city | Look At Vietnam

Free wireless Internet for Hue city

June 20, 2012

LookAtVietnam – The authorities of the central province of Thua Thien – Hue has approved the plan to supply free wireless Internet service in the entire Hue city.

The plan will be implemented based on experience, learning from the similar plan that was successfully carried out in the ancient town of Hoi An.
In 2011, 22 broken phone boxes in Hue city were restored into free phone boxes where locals and tourists can make free urgent phone calls.
Early this year, Hoi An drew public attention when it became the first city in Vietnam and in Southeast Asia to offer free wireless internet in the whole city.
According to the local government, by the end of 2012, equipment would be installed completely in Hoi An and Cu Lao Cham Islet. At present, 50 out of the total 350 free wireless internet spots have been installed in central Hoi An.
With the free service, tourists can surf the web and check mail everywhere in the ancient town. If they want to use high speed Internet to listen to music and watch movies, they have to use internet cards supplied by the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT).
After the first phase, VDC 3 will implement the second phase of the project to bring wireless internet to the remaining area in Hoi An and the surrounding area.
Mai Lan

4 Vietnamese Photographers 'meet' at A glance on Paris

Four Vietnamese photographers ‘meet’ at A glance on Paris

June 19, 2012

LookAtVietnam – Hoang The Nhiem, Nguyen Phuong, Pham Le Quan and Le Quang Bien introduce a charming Paris through their lens, at a photo exhibition entitled ‘Mot thoang Paris’ (A glance on Paris) at Idecaf, 31 Thai Van Lung Street from June 14 to June 22.

Photographer Nguyen Phuong (left) and Hoang The Nhiem.

The four Vietnamese photographers share with viewers their passion for the city of love as they focus on buildings, people, interesting activities and daily life. They also present their admiration and excitement for beauty and also point out the city’s dark side.
Nhiem become a photographer in 1992 and majors in landscapes. He has displayed his works in Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi and in the U.S., France, Belgium and the U.K. His works prove a meticulous working process and quality techniques.
As a retired mechanical engineer, Phuong discovered his passion of photography late in life but has joined many exhibitions in Italy and France from 2010 to 2012.
Quan and Bien are photographic journalists who have delivered exhibitions in France, Hong Kong and Hanoi.
Photos by Le Bien

Police officers on the street.

The city of light

The victory gate at night

The Eiffel tower

The La Concorde square.

Photos by Le Quan:

Luxembourg park

Luxembourg park

Eiffel tower

Sein River at night

Élysées avenue

Photos by Hoang The Nhiem

Street music

Panthéon palace

“The church on Montmartre hill.

Sacr̩ РCoeur Church.

Eiffel tower

Paris at night.

Love locks.

The autumn.

Emmanuel bell

Photos by Nguyen Phuong

A green house.

Sein River

La Défense square

Paris library.

“La Sein”.

Paris subway.

Champs-Élysées evenue.

Thanh Van

Cultural activities mark ‘National Tourism Year 2012’ | Look At Vietnam

Cultural activities mark ‘National Tourism Year 2012’

June 12, 2012

The
organisers of ‘National Tourism Year 2012’ and authorities of Thua Thien-Hue
province have announced that a number of cultural activities will take place
during the months of June, July and August.

All the cultural activities aim to promote tourism in the country and lure domestic and international tourists.

- 13th
ASEAN International Open Chess Tournament will take place in the
central province of Thua Thien-Hue from June 10 to 19. Participants will
be divided into different age groups ranging from 8 to 20, and over 50,
to compete for 78 sets of medals in accordance with the Swiss system.
- ‘Central
Coastal Food Festival 2012’ will be organised by the Vietnam National
Administration of Tourism, Vietnam Hotel Association, and departments of
Culture, Sports and Tourism of   Thua Thien-Hue Province and the
northern coastal provinces at Hue Sports Centre from June 28-July 1.
- Lang
Co Festival- World’s Most Beautiful Bay will open on June 16-17 in Phu
Loc District. Lang Co was declared the ‘World’s Most Beautiful Bay’ in
2009, becoming Vietnam’s third bay to be so named after Ha Long Bay and
Nha Trang Bay. Lang Co beach, 30 kilometres north of Hue City, is a
peaceful fishing village famous for its spectacular natural landscapes,
surrounded by mountains and the boundless blue sea with waves playing on
its fine sand beaches. Between the mountains and the sea lies the
mysterious Lap An lagoon, home to flocks of white storks that return to
their nests every evening.
- 39th National Long-Course Swimming Competition will be organised at the Tu Tuong Park from June 18-30.
- 300
artists from 19 art troupes will participate in the National Drama
Stage Festival at Hue City Cultural Centre from July 14-28.
- U17
National Football Champion 2012 will kick off in Tu Do Stadium from
July 11-20. Matches will be broadcast live by Vietnam Television.
- U18 Tennis Championships will take place in An Cuu New Urban from June 18-26.
- Traditional Martial Arts Competition will be held at Hue Sports Centre from August 23-September 1.

SGGP

ART & ENTERTAINMENT NEWS IN BRIEF | Look At Vietnam

ART & ENTERTAINMENT NEWS IN BRIEF

June 10, 2012

Former leader to release memoir

A memoir by former vice president Nguyen Thi Binh will be released nationwide on June 12.
Entitled Gia Dinh, Ban Be Va Dat Nuoc (Family, Friends and Country), the 400-page book consists of 14 chapters about her childhood and career as a revolutionary intellectual, a diplomat and State leader.
The book expresses her thoughts about the country’s struggle for independence and other historical events.
Binh was appointed foreign affairs minister and head of the delegation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam in Paris from 1968-73. She held the title Vice President of the unified Vietnam from 1992-2002.
After her retirement in 2002, she became the President of the Vietnam Children Support Fund. In 2003, she founded and presided over the Fund of Vietnam Peace and Development.
She also worked as President of the Association of Agent Orange Victims. The former leader on June 11 will meet with readers at L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi.
Demark royals don Vietnam’s ao dai at WWF event
At an event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the World Wildlife Fund Denmark at the Fredensborg Palace late last month, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark wore the Vietnamese traditional ao dai.
The two dresses are two among others in the collection tilted “The Royal” designed by Vietnamese fashion designer Si Hoang, who said he’s so proud seeing the traditional costume showcased at a royal event.
“This is so meaningful. It shows how beautiful our ao dai is,” he expressed.
According to him, the Queen and the Princess ordered the two ao dai on the occasion of their visit to Vietnam in 2009. After seeing some ao dai displayed at Reunification Palace, the Queen spent more than 2 hours choosing the colors and materials for 6 ao dai garments for her and Princess Mary.
The designer said Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II also commented that ao dai is a sophisticated costume which expresses the modern and traditional aspects of Asian women.
First Vietnamese chef joins prestigious cooking contest
Chef Do Chi Cong from a Ha Noi restaurant will be the first-ever Vietnamese chef to compete at the prestigious cooking contest Bocuse d’Or Asia in Shanghai this month.
The 39-year-old chef will join competitors from nine other Asian countries, including Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Singapore and India to showcase his exceptional cooking skills during the three-day contest starting on June 12.
Chefs at the contest will be required to prepare a meat dish with three garnishes of their choice. The main principle ingredients for the main dish include beef tenderloin, oysters and beef cheeks, an exotic but very tough and lean cut of meat that is most often used for braising or slow cooking to produce a tender result.
Cong revealed that com (young sticky rice) and mac khen (a kind of wild herb often used in cuisine from Vietnam ’s north-western region) are among the ’secret’ spices that he will use for his presentation in Shanghai .
Four Asian finalists will join the international final in Lyon , France in January 2013.
Last June, Cong beat 11 other chefs from elite restaurants, hotels and resorts across the country to win the Bocuse d’Or Vietnam . His creations – rolled sturgeon fillets with shrimps in fragrant herbs, young rice crust and stuffed chicken with prawns, pumpkin, and a light curry – wowed the jury, including French master chef Marc Foucher. The judges made evaluations based on taste, level of perfection in presentation, technical skill, cooking sophistication, creativity and visual beauty.
Bocuse d’Or Asia is a part of the biennial Bocuse d’Or World Cuisine Contest which is created in 1987 by French Chef Paul Bocuse, aiming to broaden the public’s understanding of the extraordinary dedication, hard work, practice and precision required to execute the very finest cuisine.
As one of the world’s most prestigious cooking competitions, the contest selects 24 competitors from 24 countries to compete each year, and each country’s team is comprised of one chef and one assistant.
Entertainment industry unaffected by Euro season
Though the “Euro” storm has officially swept over the world since last night, the local entertainment industry seems to remain calm and unaffected by one of the world’s biggest football events.
Despite the worry that Euro will pull audiences away from the stage, owners of theaters keep normal operation.
Outstanding Artist My Uyen, vice director of 5B Theater said the place will have normal shows even when all tickets are not sold out. “We are ready to suffer losses to keep audiences who are not so in love with football,” she said.
Agreeing with My Uyen, director Ai Nhu of Hoang Thai Thanh Theater informed that tickets for the theater’s shows are on sale as normal and shows will be kept going even when there are just tens of tickets sold.
For his part, actor Van Long from Nu Cuoi Moi Theater said his place has not seen any sign that it’s affected by the Euro season while actor Manh Trang from Sai Gon Theater said more tickets are being sold compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, actress Hong Van, owner of Phu Nhuan and Superbowl theaters and director Ngoc Hung from the The Gioi Tre Theater said they do not worry about Euro since theaters have their own audiences who are not affected by the football storm.
Some theater owners expressed that they worry about the rainy season more than Euro since football matches mainly take place at 11pm, the time when their shows are finished.
As for cinemas, a series of Hollywood blockbusters including Madagascar 3, Ice age 4, The Amazing Spider-man, Prometheus, John Carter, Red Tails suffer no change in show time.
However, some entertainment venues have employed flexible changes to adapt with the football event.
Besides inviting famous singers, owners of music lounges around the city have also equipped their places with widescreen TVs to serve football lovers during the season.
A flash of Paris in Vietnam
The free exhibition, called “A flash on the city of lights,” focuses a lens on locals, landmarks, and all that makes the French capital usual and unusual.
The photographs force viewers to reconsider, from new angles, many of the images they thought they knew of Paris. The range of emotion – admiration, amusement, criticism, melancholy – presents a Paris that is at once different yet familiar, and reflects the photographers’ diverse backgrounds.
Now renowned in his field, Hoang The Nhiem swapped his information engineer job for photography in 1992. Nhiem found quick recognition for his meticulous and highly technical landscapes, showcased in Hoi An, Hue, and Hanoi, as well as in the United States, France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom between 2007 and 2010.
A retired mechanical engineer, Nguyen Phuong discovered a late passion for photography but has participated in expositions in Italy and France for two years. His photographs inject aesthetics into daily life.
Pham Le Quan and Le Quang Bien both chose to exhibit photographs from their time as journalists. Quan is now an industrialist, while Bien represents UNESCO in Hanoi.
“A flash on the city of lights” was organized by the French General Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, the French Institute in Vietnam, and the Lotus gallery. It opens with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. June 14, running through June 22. Visitors can see the photographs from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Idecaf, 31 Thai Van Lung, District 1.
Modeling show puts prostitution at center stage
On an episode of “Vietnam Super Model” this week, contestants had to prove their moral grit in a role-playing exercise in temptation. Actor Dai Nghia played the part of a wealthy solicitor of sex, offering US$2,000 to US$5,000 to hopeful models who had to demonstrate how they would respond.
“Actually, it’s hard to protect yourself from temptation once you’ve step into this career,” model Ngoc Quy said.
She had received similar offers in real life, “but always refused because I’m afraid it could destroy my whole life. I’ve seen many mirrors of it.”
The recent scandal, a celebrity prostitution ring that has incited public outrage, reminded Ngoc to take extra caution, she said.
Another competitor Thanh An said the industry is not all glamour. She said she modeled in Hanoi for four years but moved to Ho Chi Minh City, where she earns extra money at a yoga center and a sugarcane juice cart. But her focus is on modeling.
“I came to the competition to satisfy my dream of modeling,” she said. “The catwalk career in particular and jobs related to art have temptations, but it depends on you to not fall.”
Ngoc, too, said she is staying disciplined.
“My parents also worry about me, but I don’t think all models do bad things,” she said. “I’m still determined to do modeling.”


Vietnam strives to protect intangible cultural heritage
Vietnam along with 142 other member countries attended the fourth session of the UNESCO General Council Convention on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Paris on June 4-8.
The convention was signed by UNESCO member countries in 2003. This meeting took place under the special circumstances of UNESCO facing financial difficulties.
Participants at the meeting reviewed the last ten years of implementing the convention and discussed ways to mobilize resources for the continued implementation in the future.
Duong Van Quang, ambassador and head of Vietnam’s mission to UNESCO, said Vietnam is an active member of the organization and has been recognized by UNESCO for having a large number of intangible cultural heritages.
Nguyen Doan Khanh, Secretary of the Phu Tho provincial Party Committee, also joined the Vietnamese delegation to introduce the Hung Kings worship ritual and seek its recognition as a UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Hue relic conservation work reviewed
A ceremony marking 30 years in operation of the Hue Relic Conservation Centre (1982-2012) was held on June 9 in the central Thua Thien-Hue province.
Speaking at the ceremony, UNESCO’s representative in Vietnam Katherine Muller-Marin applauded the achievements that the centre has gained in preserving the relic system of the ancient capital of Hue which was once seriously damaged by wars and natural disasters.
She spoke highly of the centre’s development of local human resources for preservation work.
Katherine Muller-Marin also called on organisations inside and outside the country to continue supporting the centre in the cause of protecting the world cultural heritage site.
Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Hue Relic Conservation Centre said the centre has cooperated with many international organisations in all over the world including the UNESCO and various agencies from Japan , Canada , France , England , the US , Germany , Thailand , Belgium , the RoK and Holland in restoring, preserving the site as well as training personnel for the centre.
The Hue Relic System was recognised by the UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site in 1993. The “Nha nhac cung dinh Hue ” (Hue Royal Court Music) was also recognised as intangible cultural heritage of human kind in 2003.
Along with the preservation of the relics, traditional arts and handicrafts have been revived, assisting the tourism sector and making it a key economic sector of the province.
Total earnings from tourism and services of the province between 1996 and 2011 reached 724.5 billion VND, a major part of which was re-invested in the restoring and preserving activities.-
HCMC exhibit to highlight exquisite pencil drawings  
A solo art exhibition entitled “Gan” (near) by Mac Hoang Thuong will run from June 7-21 at Cactus Contemporary Art in Ho Chi Minh City.
According to a press release from Cactus, Thuong’s first solo exhibition consists of 22 pencil drawings on white canvas.
Mac Hoang Thuong has recognized that lead is forte of his art, it said.
“The interwoven of pencil marks which create realistic artworks full of humanity as well as surrealist artworks which hide of human’s philosophies.
“The condensed portraits are enlarged on a white canvas background to create fascinating artworks intended to overwhelm.”
Cactus Contemporary Art is located on 17/12 Nguyen Huy Tuong Street, Ward 6, Binh Thanh District, HCMC.
Hanoi artist to present lacquer techniques
“Get Lacquered! Art Show and Talk,” a seminar on lacquer, will be conducted by artist Tran Huy Chien at 6 p.m. on June 9 in Hanoi.
According to a press release from the artist this week, Chien will show a selection of his lacquer paintings and make a visual presentation on the history, styles and techniques of lacquer-based art.
The artist will demonstrate the lacquer process from start to finish, including harvesting the resin and working with silver and gold.
Recently returned from ten years in Adelaide, Australia, Chien graduated from the Hanoi University of Fine Arts (1996).
He has participated in both solo and group exhibitions in Vietnam, Australia and China.
Chien’s original lacquer paintings will be available for purchase at this event.
The two-hour talk will take place at 51, Lane 50, Dang Thai Mai Street, Tay Ho District, Hanoi.

New urban areas suffer from summer heat | Look At Vietnam

New urban areas suffer from summer heat

May 6, 2012

LookAtVietnam – The summer heat has suffocated new urban areas, where
there are only reinforced concrete high rise buildings and a little bit of
verdure.

Thu Hue, an office worker, who lives in Trung Hoa Nhan Chinh new urban area,
said that she did not go out in the last May holiday. Hue and other members of
the family stayed in a small room to avoid the sun and enjoy the fresh air from
the air conditioner.
Hue has foreseen that she would have to pay much more for the electricity bill
this month, but she still has to keep the air conditioner on, because no one can
stand the heat at 40oC. Though Hue’s apartment is located on the top, she cannot
enjoy the fresh wind because of the surrounded buildings which stop winds.
The multi-storey buildings and a little space for verdure are the biggest
problems of many new urban areas in Hanoi. In the biggest new urban area
developed by Vinaconex, the only playing field for children is a concrete ground
in front of the 34-storey building. However, no parent lets their children play
on the ground these days, while old people do not go downstairs to practice
physical exercises.
Thousands of the local residents in the new urban area still cannot see a park
with green trees and a swimming pool which they were promised.
Dao Tuan, a resident of the An Sinh residential quarter in Tu Liem district,
complained that despite the green trees on the two sides of the road, he still
suffers from the electricity cuts which are made regularly once or twice a week.
“I have received a notice about the electricity cut tomorrow, from 8 am to 6 pm.
Luckily, I bring the child to the nursery school, or he would catch disease
because of the terrible heat,” Tuan complained, adding that he is going to buy
an electric rechargeable fan.
Meanwhile, Ngoc Hang, the owner of an apartment in Van Khe residential quarter
in Ha Dong district, complained about the quality of water. She said that the
building management board has to allow local residents to use the water from the
fire-plug.
In fact, the residents of the quarter have never used clean water since they
moved here. As a result, they have to buy bottled water for cooking, while the
water provided here just can be used for having a wash.
Minh Hong, who lives in Dinh Cong residential quarter, feels satisfactory about
the living environment here with fresh air and verdure, good services and
infrastructure items. However, these facilities still cannot please her, who
always gets stuck in the traffic jam.
Hong said that she cannot drive car to the office, though it is the best
solution for the hot days, because of the traffic jam. She has to drive
motorbike to the office, while it takes her 30 minutes to travel a short
distance of 5 kilometers. As a result, she has to leave the house either before
7.30 am or after 8.30 am.
The dream about a green urban area
Nguyen Tan Van, Chair of the Vietnamese Architect Association, former Deputy
Minister of Construction, said green urban areas and green architecture is a
growing tendency in the world.
If one cannot prove that his construction work can save 30 percent of energy or
more, he would not be able to implement the work. The principle was set up in
1925 in the US. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, scientists and management agencies are
just encouraging green construction works.
Van said that Vietnamese people need to strive to a smart way of living, so that
they can live in a harmonized and money saving environment which allows saving
land, electricity and water.

Buddhism art exhibition in Hue city

May 4, 2012

LookAtVietnam – To welcome Buddha’s birthday, a Buddhism art exhibition has opened in Hue city, entitled “Early Summer Lotus.”
The exhibition displays 50 artworks, mainly paintings and statues by Buddhists. Most of the works focus on lotus and are related to Buddhism stories.
The event is part of the Buddha’s Birthday weeks in Hue city. The exhibition will last until May 7 at the Lieu Quan Buddhism Culture Center.
Some artworks showcased at the exhibition: