The 2011 Da Nang Summer Destination Festival officially kicked off at the Bien Dong (East Sea) Park in the central city of Da Nang on June 25.

The Vietnamese embassy in Tokyo and Japan’s NHK Broadcasting Corporation hosted an exchange to introduce Vietnam and its people to over 150 guests on June 24.

“Arms and Sleepers”, an American music band consisting of two members Max Lewis and Mirza Ramic, will perform in Hanoi on June 25 as part of their Southeast Asia tour.

The Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Bosengkham Vongdara, has praised Vietnam’s assistance to the development of circus arts in Laos.

Luxembourg classical and modern jazz pianist, Francesco Tristano, will perform in Hanoi on June 23 to celebrate the birthday of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and the country's National Day. 

The second runner-up of American Idol 2008, David Archuleta, will perform at the 2011 Idol Music Event in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi on July 22 and 24.

Beyond the well-known and colourful markets of Sapa, Bac Ha and Can Cau, is the bewitching northwest mountainous area of Vietnam with the remote town and market of Sin Ho, the roof of Lai Chau province.

The Vietnamese embassy in the UK on June 20 opened a painting exhibition called “Land of Hidden Charms”.

A jubilant ceremony was held on June 19 to inaugurate a Rong house in Kon Klor village in Kon Tum city, one of the biggest traditional communal houses of ethnic minority people in the Central Highlands.

The Vietnam Youth and Student Association (VYSA) actively participated in activities during the 6th ASEAN Festival, which was held in Tokyo , Japan on June 19.

A charity and art programme entitled “Journalists – Events and Witnesses” took place in Hanoi on June 20 to celebrate the 86th Vietnamese Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925-2011).

American Japanese violin talent, Goto Ryu, will perform in a Paganini concert at the Hanoi Opera House on June 24-25.

More than 500 students from Vietnam and other countries participated in “Vietnamese Day 2011” in Tokyo, Japan on June 18.

The HCM City Ballet and Symphony Orchestra (HBSO) will grace the stage on June 19 with a music and ballet performance by young and veteran performers.

Vietnam has been elected as a member of the inter-governmental committee of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions of the UNESCO.

Over 100,000 foreign and domestic visitors flocked to the fifth Sea Festival 2011 themed “Nha Trang – The Sea Rendezvous”, which wrapped up on June 15 in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa. 

Dao women in the northern moutainous province of Lao Cai are proud to preserve the value of their traditional craft.

The festival is the epitome of various rituals like the whale worshipping ceremony often held by fishermen living in coastal areas.

Following the success of many professional arts programs, an “H-Artistry” musical concert will be performed at Hanoi’s Quan Ngua Gymnasium on June 16.

An ancient costume movie festival will be held during the 2012 Hue Festival by Viet Charm Company, which is engaged in a project to train actors and actresses for ancient costume movies.

KBS TV of the Republic of Korea will launch its reality TV Shootdori in Vietnam in the name of Football Kids in August.

Whether it is a boy making paper birds in a park to pray for peace or a Vietnamese language speaking practice session between a father and daughter, Trung Nghia seeks to present every moment he captures with emotional clarity.

More than 400 artisans from the J’rai and Bahnar ethnic minorities gathered at a gong festival in Kbang district in the central highland province of Gia Lai on June 13-14.

The Government has approved the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s plan to register Tram Chim National Park in the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance.

An exhibition of sand sculptures opened on June 12 on Nha Trang city beach, in the coastal province of Khanh Hoa, as part of celebrations to mark Sea Festival 2011.

The beauty pageant to crown “Miss Vietnam in Europe 2011” will take place in Germany from July 9 to August 6.

The Nha Trang Sea Festival 2011, which opened in the coastal city of Nha Trang on the evening of June 11, will include over 60 cultural, arts and sports events as well as many big conferences on developing Vietnam’s marine-based economy.

A Vietnamese culture night under the theme of Lotus was held in Brussels by the Vietnamese embassy in Belgium on June 9.  

 “Ca Tru (ceremonial singing) preservation - A Vietnamese music quintessence” is the major theme of a ceremony organised by the Ca Tru Club in Hang Bac ward, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi, on June 9 night. 

A ceremony was held in Hanoi on June 8 to launch a national photography competition to mark Vietnam Journalism Day (June 21).