CEO Exchange, a unique series of TV conversations with the most dynamic and visionary chief executive officers (CEO), debuted on HCM City Television on November 12.

The Vietnamese-Belgian singer Pham Quynh Anh, who touched many with her song Bonjour Vietnam (Hello Vietnam), will visit her ancestral land for the first time to give a performance in HCM City on November 14.

Vietnamese-born writer Nam Le won the 60,000-pound (US$95,000) Dylan Thomas Prize on November 10 for his debut collection of short stories, The Boat.

Two German documentary film producers, Julia Albrecht and Busso von Müller, will display large-size photos and short interviews broadcast via loudspeakers at an installation exhibition in the Goethe Institute, 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc street, on November 14.

Japan has so far provided a total of US$236 million in development aid for central Thua Thien-Hue province to implement a series of projects on public services and social issues, said a provincial official on November 11.

A culture and sports festival organised by ethnic groups in the southeastern region began in Dong Nai province on November 11.

The final round of Vietnam Idol 2008 will take place at the Hoa Binh theatre, Ho Chi Minh City from November 12, 2008 until January 14, 2009.

A performance, highlighting the unique culture of ethnic minority groups in the Chinese province of Yunnan, will be staged for audiences in Vietnam’s capital on November 15-16.

Nguyen Pham Bao Quynh, a 19-year-old student of International Relations from Hungary, became Miss Vietnam 2008 in Europe in the final round in London, the United Kingdom on the night of November 9.

Young fashion designer Nguyen Hoang Tan from the southern province of Tien Giang won the Aquafina Pure Fashion 2008 contest held in HCM City on November 9 for his collection called Su Thang Hoa Cua Nuoc (Water’s Sublimation).

A film on the use of Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin by the US Army during the Vietnam War will be screened at the 26th international environmental film festival to be held in Paris from November 19-25.

An Australian film show will start on November 14 with nine of the latest Australian movies to be screened free of charge at seven venues across the country.

The second-time voting for the most online favourite beauty at Miss International 2008 closed at 10pm (local time) on November 5 and the winner was Miss Vietnam Cao Thuy Duong.

Pianist Julia Andrews from the US will perform at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatoire on November 7 evening as part of the city’s Contemporary Music Festival.

A photo exhibition on three ethnic minorities (including Cơ Tu, Tà Ôi and Pa Kô) in central Thua Thien-Hue province taken by French photographer Sebastien Laval will be held at the French Cultural Centre in Hanoi on November 6-22.

Austria’s famous Vienna Operetta Orchestra will take part in a sole performance at the Hanoi Opera House on November 12 to raise money for leprosy patients in northern Tuyen Quang and Dien Bien provinces.

A photo exhibition opened in Hanoi on November 4 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the visit to Vietnam by late President Kim Il-sung of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the first anniversary of the DPRK visit by Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh.

Vietnamese opera singer, Bich Thuy, gained two awards-the best performer of a Chinese song and a Diploma certificate for the most excellent performance, at the International Vocal Competition held in Ningbo, China.

A Vietnamese poet, Da Thao Phuong, has set off her journey to United Kingdom with 4 other leading writers from the South East Asian region to take part in a poetry-reading programme in the foggy country.

Italian opera singers are warming up their vocal chords for a performance at the Hanoi Opera House on the evening of November 4.

An exhibition themed Vietnam Culture Space at the Beijing Library, China from October 31 to November 7 is drawing crowds of Chinese visitors.

The central Thua Thien-Hue province has designed a series of activities in November to mark the 15th anniversary of UNESCO’s recognition of Hue imperial city as a world heritage site.

A national photo exhibition entitled “The Beauty of Vietnamese people and landscapes” opened in Ho Chi Minh City on October 31.

The Fideco Group and US Stellar Management opened an Education, Training and International Conference Centre (FideS) on October 29.

The World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition 2008 was held in Bucheon, Republic of Korea (RoK) on October 10-30, drawing participants from Vietnam, China, Japan, Indonesia, Mongolia, Turkey, Russia and Tandania.

Artists from the Turin Vocal Institute will perform a classical concert entitled “Bel Canto Italyno” at the Hanoi Opera House on November 4, according to the Performing Art Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The Quang Nam provincial People’s Committee has approved a project on overall investment in preserving and upholding the cultural values of the ancient city of Hoi An in combination with developing tourism at a total cost of about VND1,100 billion.

Vietnamese TV series Chay An (Buying Justice) has been honoured with the Tokyo Drama Award at the city’s 2008 International Drama Festival.

The Ministry of Education and Training and the Kumho Asiana –Vietnam Scholarship and Cultural Foundation granted scholarships worth more than VND230 million to 140 Vietnamese students in Hanoi on October 28.

The 35th Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Programme (SSEAYP) '08 has started its voyage in Japan, carrying 40 Japanese and 290 other young people from ASEAN countries on board.