(VOV) - Wealthy people of the Raglai group possess Ma La flat gongs, but poor Raglai people have the Chapi, a simple musical instrument that imitates the sound of the Ma La. 

A number of activities and workshops will be held to honour the great poet Nguyen Du and his world-famous masterpiece ‘The Tale of Kieu’. 

(VOV) - Young Vietnamese pianist Luu Hong Quang recently took second place at the 3rd Annual International Piano Competition, Euregio Piano Award 2015.

(VOV) - A Vietnamese short film titled The Scent of Fish Sauce was screened on July 16-26 at the 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan 2015) in the Republic of Korea.

The fourth Viet Pride for the lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender (LGBT) community in Hanoi will be held from July 30 to August 2.

(VOV) - The first-ever Peruvian food and gastronomic festival kicked off in Hanoi on July 27 at the Vietnam Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel with a press conference by Charge d’affaires Luis Tsuboyama of the Embassy of Peru in Vietnam.

Five members of the Vietnam Harmonica Orchestra will set off for the Seoul International Harmonica Festival in the Republic of Korea (RoK) on July 29. 

(VOV) -The DEZEEN architecture and design magazine has chosen the House for Trees designed by Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia in Ho Chi Minh City as top 10 world’s most beautiful houses.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, the only child of late singer Whitney Houston, died on July 26 at the age of 22, some six months after suffering irreversible brain damage in an incident at her suburban Atlanta home, her family said in a statement.

(VOV) - Hoi Ky ancient village in Hai Chanh commune, Hai Lang district, Quang Tri province is located by the O Lau river. The village is more than 500 years old. 

Vietnamese art, fashion and music will be introduced at Vietnamese Cultural Days in Washington DC and New York City from August 8 to 12 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. 

Three members of the legendary band landed at Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport on July 25 afternoon on a flight of Vietnam Airlines. They were welcomed by many Vietnamese fans.

VinSpace Art Studio in Ho Chi Minh City is offering its new programs in August, including Canvas & Wine night and Summer Camp, to enable people of all ages to learn and create their own artworks.

(VOV) - Women of the Co Tu, Ve and Ta Rieng ethnic minority groups in the Central Highlands are famous for their beautiful brocade products. A competition has been organized to allow them to show off their skills in brocade weaving. 

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced it shall return the façade of Ha Noi's Opera House to its original colour.

(VOV) - At least a 1,000 kite enthusiasts from Vietnam and abroad are expected to partake in the first kite festival at Yen So Park – Hanoi Kite Festival 2015 – on July 26 and show off their kite flying skills.

Son La province commenced construction of a Buddhist administrative and cultural centre on July 25 which is expected to be the largest of its kind in the northwest of Vietnam. 

The Asian Culture House of an overseas Vietnamese has been inaugurated in Buenos Aires, aiming at promoting exchanges of culture, trade, and education between Asian communities and Argentina. 

A series of cultural and art activities were arranged during “Busan Day 2015” in Ho Chi Minh City on July 24 as part of events to mark 20 years of friendship and cooperation between Busan city of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and HCM City. 

About 50 representatives from ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretariat and Japan gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 24 to discuss preparations for the 2015 ASEAN-Japan TV Festival in September this year. 

Two contests on writing and photography have been launched in the Mekong Delta this week. 

The 2015 ASEAN traditional music festival, which will take place in the central province of Thanh Hoa from August 1-6, will feature ten art troupes from ASEAN state members and the Republic of Korea.

(VOV) - The Saigon Chamber Music Festival’s second fall series this coming August 1-9 will be led by the Conservatory of Ho Chi Minh City and span a vast array of instrumental music and composers ranging from the familiar to the obscure.

(VOV) -The Hungarian folk dance band ‘4 for Dance’ will perform in Vietnam in September to mark the 65 years of Hungarian-Vietnamese diplomatic relations.

(VOV) - The International Festival of Light 2015 is set to get underway for the first time in central Da Nang City on September 4-6.

A documentary film on the Vietnam War with English subtitles will begin airing on Vietnam Television this week.

Vietnam’s Cinematography Department and the Italian Embassy in the country jointly held a workshop in Hanoi on July 22 to share experience in using film festivals to develop the film industry and promote cinematic achievements.

(VOV) -The Cuban Journalism Association hosted a photo exhibition marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Cuba in Havana.

The consulate general of Japan in HCMC, in conjunction with the HCMC University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH) and Van nghe TPHCM (HCMC art) newspaper, is holding the 5th Haiku poem contest in Vietnamese for people of all ages nationwide.  

Young overseas Vietnamese will return to Vietnam to compete in the Sao Mai Television Singing Competition from July 26 to August 15.