Voting for seven natural wonders of the world launched in August, 2007 will be closed this year, according to website www.new7wonders.com.

The 9th National Poem Day 2011, this year entitled “National Spring”, was held on February 17 at the Temple of Literature, Hanoi, to celebrate the Lunar New Year and the success of the 11th National Congress Party.

Authorities of the central city of Da Nang have made final preparations for the annual International Fireworks Competition 2011 (DIEC), scheduled for April 29-30.

More than 500 performers will parade through Ho Chi Minh City's District 5 on the night of February 17 to celebrate the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

A book on the life and revolutionary cause of Vietnam’s late President Ho Chi Minh has been published in Cuba.

Armand Colin Publishing House published a 188-page historical novel in February on the Dien Bien Phu victory.

More than 1.2 million people have been awarded the title “Good people and Good deeds”, and 16 million households have received the title “cultural family” since the “Entire people unite to build a cultural lifestyle in residential areas” movement launched ten years ago.

Many people are expected to attend two big ceremonies in Nam Dinh and Ha Nam provinces on the night of Feb. 15 and early morning of Feb. 16.

Ha Long Tourism Festival Week 2011 will be held from April 28 to May 2.

Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province, a UNESCO recognised world heritage site, is doing its utmost to accumulate 60 million votes to become one of the new seven wonders of the world.

DPRK Ambassador to Vietnam Kim Chang II and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho Anh Tuan cut the ribbon to open an exhibition on Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) books and fine arts in Hanoi on February 15.

Ten journalists from six ASEAN countries, including Nguyen Thanh Tung from Vietnam Investment Review, have been honoured at the Siemens Green Technology Journalism Award ceremony in Singapore.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Norway, Ta Van Thong, has presented 54 Vietnamese books and many CDs with music and films provided by Vietnam Television to Deichmanske Library in Oslo City, Norway.    

Spanish embassy in Vietnam held a press conference in Hanoi on February 14 on the occasion of the Spanish-Vietnamese married couple, Guim Teruel and Nguyen Thuy Anh, beginning their journey around the world on bicycles to promote clean energy.

Russian journalist Boris Vinogradov has extolled Vietnam’s effective use of traditional medicine in curing illnesses.

The fourth Traditional Craft Villages Festival 2011, themed “Vietnamese kitchen in Hue’s garden”, will be held from April 30 - May 3 to highlight the culinary and beverage culture, and bonsai.

More than 400 rare antique items dating back to the Tay Son dynasty (1778-1802) are being displayed at an exhibition in HCM City.

Thousands of Vietnamese and foreign visitors gathered at the traditional Lim cultural festival taking place in Tien Du district, northern Bac Ninh province on February 13-14.  

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan beat the drum, opening the Yen Tu Pagoda Spring Festival in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh on February 12, the tenth day of the first lunar month.

An arts programme with the theme “Going to the Land of Folk Love Duets” will be held in the northern province of Bac Ninh on February 13. 

The annual Poetry Day will take place on February 17 in Ha Noi, Nghe An and HCM City.

A “Vietnam’s lifestyle” photograph exhibition has been held in Virginia, USA.

Thousands of locals and tourists have attended a culture-tourism festival in Vung Tau city of the southern coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, which began on the evening of February 10.

The first ever International Choir Competition will be held in the central city of Hoi An from March 15-18, according to Le Van Giang, Chairman of the city’s People’s Committee.

The central city of Da Nang calls on its people to together continue to build a “peace bird garden” in the East Sea Park on Pham Van Dong street.

Photos feature different perspectives on the war in Vietnam.

A computer graphics exhibition will open at the Korean Cultural Centre in Hanoi on February 12.

Amateur and professional photographers will display their best images in a competition entitled Vietnamese World Heritage to be held in July.

The largest painting of Uncle Ho’s testament, written on palm leaf made by artisan Vo Van Tang from Nui Sap town, Thoai Son district in the southern province of An Giang, has entered the Vietnam Guinness Book of Records (Vietbooks).

The first Vietnam international choir festival and competition (VICC1) will be held in Hoi An city in the central province of Quang Nam from March 16-19.