* Ten top ten events:

1.       The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism was established under the resolution No 1/2007/QH12 dated July 31, 2007 by the 12^th National Assembly.

A conference to honour outstanding cultural families was held in Hanoi.

3- Cultural activities held in 2007 including the Smithsonian Festival with the theme “Mekong River: Connecting Cultures”. Vietnam Cultural Weeks in Laos and the Republic of Korea introducing Vietnam’s cultural characteristics and the promotion of the country’s image and position in the international arena.

The successful organisation of numerous cultural festivals including festivals of the Chinese community in HCM City, minority people of Yen Bai province and Muong people of Hoa Binh and the second national festival celebrating traditional then singing and tinh instruments the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang. The festivals were aimed at honouring and preserving the cultural values of ethnic minorities and consolidating national great unity.

The 15^th Vietnam Film Festival was successfully organised in the northern province of Nam Dinh with the participation of several private film production companies.

Vietnam’s sporting delegation finishing third at the SEA Games 24.

Vietnam welcoming 4.2 million international visitors this year, ranking fifth for attracting foreign tourists in the region.

                                                      
9- 

1-  Continued preservation problems at historic relics including the theft of historical artifacts and despoiling of natural landscapes have still taken place at some localities.

Vietnam’s male football team failing at the SEA Games 24 in Thailand, leaving football fans disappointed.