The organising board of the campaign to vote for new seven world wonders (New7Wonders) on January 7 announced a list of 261 candidates entering the second round of voting, including Ha Long Bay and the Mekong River.

Vietnam’s Army song and dance troupe held a performance at the Lao National Culture Hall on January 6 to entertain soldiers and civilians alike in Vientiane, Laos.

Vietnam’s first television film fair kicked off in the coastal resort city of Nha Trang on January 7 within the framework of the 28th national telefilm festival.

A book on the lives of 45 children who are affected by the Vietnam-War era herbicide Agent Orange/Dioxin (AO) is going to be released by Canadian writer Marilyn M. Tycer this January.

Students attending an advanced training programme at the National Economics University and the Hanoi Foreign Trade University exchanged views with a group of economic students from the US Marshall University on Jan. 6.

The Vietnam-Fifth Season photo exhibition opened in Hanoi on January 5.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on January 3 organised a prize-giving ceremony of the ‘Vietnam-Fifth Season’ photo competition on tourism as part of activities to welcome the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) '09 to be held in Vietnam from January 5-12.

Miss World 2008, Ksenia Shukhinova, and Miss World 2007, Zhang Zhi Li, will fly to Vietnam on January 7 to take part in a month long charity campaign in the country.

Many Vietnamese people have chosen Singapore as a favourite destination for their holiday during the upcoming traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet).

Vietnamese-Australian guitar virtuoso Le Hoang Minh, the first-prize winner of the 50th Tokyo International Guitar Competition, will perform with local musicians in HCM City and Hanoi beginning next week.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Dec. 31 approved a project on preserving the ruins of the ancient Cham capital at My Son in the central province of Quang Nam.

Thirty new Vietnamese Guinness records in various fields ranging from culture to science will be introduced to the public at Ho Chi Minh City’s Dam Sen Park on January 4.

The music concert, as part of a programme named “A million hearts-one rhythm” was held at Phan Dinh Phung Competition House in Ho Chi Minh City on December 30.

A photo exhibition entitled “Cuba - 50 years of struggle and victory” opened in Hanoi on December 30 to mark the 50th anniversary of Cuba’s National Day and the victory of the Cuban Revolution (January 1).

The first-ever ethnic street festival will countdown the New Year in Quang Nam’s ancient town of Hoi An on New Year’s Eve.

Photos of stunning landscapes from ASEAN countries went on display on December 29 as a prelude to Vietnam’s first ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF).

The country’s five most popular rock bands will perform in the White Rock rock show at Giang Vo exhibition centre on New Year’s Eve on Wednesday at 7:30pm.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has allowed the central highland province of Gia Lai to host an International Gong Festival in Pleiku City in the third quarter of 2009.

Emerging singer, Ho Ngoc Ha, has been awarded the accolade of Most Trendsetting Artist of the year by Mot (Mode) magazine. The magazine praised the former top model for her good look, and her on-and off-stage dress sense.

Emerging singer, Ho Ngoc Ha, has been awarded the accolade of Most Trendsetting Artist of the year by Mot (Mode) magazine. The magazine praised the former top model for her good look, and her on-and off-stage dress sense.

Hotel Yasaka - Sai Gon - Nha Trang has announced that it will set a new record by making a sticky rice cake roll 34m long to welcome the traditional New Year Festival.

Nearly 100 dog-owners from all over the nation showed-off more than 200 dogs of their favourite pets in a contest to select the most beautiful dog in Dam Sen Park, HCM City on December 27.

France’s cultural attaché and L’Espace Hanoi director Hubert Olie was honoured for his important contribution to promoting cultural cooperation between Vietnam and France on December 26.

Vietnam fashion week’s Spring & Summer 2009 opened in Hanoi on December 26 to draw emerging designers to the bi-annual national fashion event.

A video clip contest on the themes of Vietnam’s cultural heritage, historical monuments and landscapes, friendly schools, and active students is scheduled to be held from Jan. 1 to June 30 next year.

Vietnam lovers in Italy held a ceremony in Genoa port city on December 20 to introduce a book on the Vietnam war on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced the selection of the best ten events in 2008.

The well-known ‘La Boheme’ opera by Italian composer, Giacomo Puccini, will be performed on January 13-14, 2009 at the Hanoi Opera House, drawing the participation of Swedish director Marten Forslund, British conductor Graham Sutcliffe and other singers from the Vietnamese Opera Ballet Theatre.

A Vietnamese-Russian evening of music was held on December 23 at Hanoi Opera House, attracting Vietnamese scientists, business people and students who have studied and worked in Russia.

A Vietnam-Republic of Korea Friendship Night kicked off in Hanoi on Dec. 23 in presence of over 150 senior Vietnamese government officials and RoK students.