HOI AN (VNS) — The ancient city will host the annual Hoi An-Japan Cultural Festival with a series of activities from August 28 to 30, Hoi An’s culture centre said yesterday. This is the 13th time the city has held the event, with the participation of local residents, the Japanese community in Hoi An and Da Nang, and tourists visiting the city. Japanese residents living in Hoi An and artists from Japan will introduce traditional dances like yasakoi, yakakoi; paper cutting (Kirigami); bonsai and photo exhibitions for the 12th anniversary of co-operation and culture exchange between Hoi An and Japan; a Haiku calligraphy exhibition; and folk performances. The event will…
ベトナムホイアン市で観光者向けの音楽祭が開催される
The authorities of Hoi An City are organizing more music performances to promote tourism and help preserve cultural values of the central city. The band “Tieng duong cam-Cung dan tuoi tho” (Piano sound-Childhood melody) will perform at 78 Le Loi Street on the first and third Fridays of every month. Held by the Center for Culture and Sports Center and Department of Education and Training in Hoi An, the program features performances of second to seventh graders in Hoi An. The music program aims to woo visitors to the ancient town and create a playground for local children to show off their talents and promote the genre of classic music.…
VTC, Japan firm launch new TV channel
Vietnam Television Corporation (VTC) in HCMC and View Media Joint Stock Company have launched a new TV channel called View TV, an information and entertainment channel for young Vietnamese families with members aged between 18 and 45, in cooperation with Japanese firm Enter Asia. The TV channel, which will be broadcast on the same frequency with VTC8 channel, will feature programs such as news, reportage and TV shows, along with six programs produced in coordination with Enter Asia to cover stories about social and economic activities, activities for families, entertainment and fashion. Masahiko Aoki, chair of Enter Asia, said: “Vietnam and Japan have certain cultural similarities. Vietnam is on the…
Bonsai festival delights tree lovers
The fifth Asia-Pacific Bonsai Festival kicked off yesterday at Rin Rin Park, a Japanese cultural site, in HCM City featuring 500 bonsai from 17 countries and territories. The four-day festival includes ancient, classical and contemporary styles, bonsai with flowers and fruits, among others. Besides bonsai, the festival also includes Penjing and Suiseki (miniature scenes made of carved stone and wood), bonsai demonstrations, ornamental creature auctions and music performances. Local and international artisans will also perform bonsai-making techniques and engage with bonsai experts from around the world. The biennial festival is held rotationally among the Asia-Pacific Bonsai Friendship Federation’s eight members — Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, Chinese Taiwan, Viet Nam,…
Honda Vietnam to sponsor national football teams
Honda Vietnam and the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) on May 20 signed a deal to acknowledge Honda as the official sponsor of national male, female and U-23 football teams. This was the third consecutive year Honda Vietnam has sponsored local football. The value of this sponsorship is unknown. At the event, Honda Vietnam said they would grant a Honda motorbike to each footballer if the U-23 team wins at SEA Games 28 in Singapore in June. The motorcycle producer will give sport devices and facilities to 11 schools nationwide to help improve strength for local kids to become future footballers of the nation. (http://english.thesaigontimes.vn/41016/Honda-Vietnam-to-sponsor-national-football-teams-.html)
UK funds technology innovation
British Ambassador to Vietnam Giles Lever and Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan on June 3 signed a government-level memorandum of understanding (MOU) on assisting Vietnam in technological and scientific research and innovation under the Newton Program Vietnam. As part of the program, the UK will provide up to 10 million pounds to support Vietnam-UK research collaboration and innovation partnership until 2019. Researchers, fellows, management officials in science and businesses with creativity will be the beneficiaries of the program. The Newton Program Vietnam will focus on scholarships for researchers, research projects on challenges related to development and cooperation plans to commercialize research. Priorities will be given to innovation…
Technology incentives introduced to Da Nang firms
Representatives from over 70 businesses in the central city of Da Nang were informed of incentives to the use of modern technologies during a local seminar on June 2. A number of them mentioned difficulties in adopting technological advances, including high costs, lack of marketing skills and limited resources to monitor competition and the latest technology trends. They shared that Vietnamese companies predominantly process and export raw materials using outdated technologies, resulting in low added value. According to them, domestic firms also find it hard to access financial subsidies when they plan for technology adoption, partly owing to cumbersome procedures. The Ministry of Science and Technology reported that 76 percent…