The Miss Vietnam 2008 title went to 18-year-old Tran Thi Thuy Dung in a ceremony that took place on a floating stage on the Hoai River in the ancient town of Hoi An in central Quang Nam province on August 31.

The national ethnic cultural festival will be held in Hanoi from October 6-9, as part of activities to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of the capital city.

A photo contest to promote Vietnam’s tourism was launched in central Khanh Hoa province on August 29 by the Du lich (Tourism) Newspaper.

Vietnamese artist Vuong Van Thao’s installation work, made of polymer composite and oil paint, entitled Hoa Thach Song (Living Fossils) made the Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation Signature Art Prize top-ten list, the most prestigious art award in the region.

The Vietnamese Museum of Ethnology will host an international seminar in Hanoi from November 17-20 to discuss the role of museums in promoting sustainable urban development.

Organizers of the Vietnamese festival in Japan met at the National Museum in Tokyo on August 29. The meeting drew more than 200 senior representatives from both countries.

Emily Nguyen, a secondary school student in Garden Grove City has won the Miss Outstanding Teen Scholarship Pageant.

The first national festival for scooter-lovers will take place in Vuon Xoai eco-tourist area, southern Dong Nai province on August 30-31.

The World Cup FIAP 2008, the highest award of the 29th black and white photo contest of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), was presented to the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA) at the 29th FIAP Congress held in Slovakia from August 22-26.

The Vietnamese edition of the Encyclopedia for Children by the French Larousse Publishing House will make its debut in Hanoi on August 28.

A book on the friendship between Vietnam and Russia as well as the former Soviet Union was published to mark the 50th anniversary of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association (ORVD).

An exhibition of posters by two painters Duong Anh and Minh Phuong opened on August 25 to mark the 63rd anniversary of Vietnam’s August Revolution and National Day (September 2).

A South African film festival opened in Hanoi on August 25.

Thai painter, Somboon Phoungdorkmai, has been impressed with the stillness of Hoan Kiem Lake, bustling atmosphere of Dong Xuan night market and quiet mossy bricks at “O Quan Chuong” (Quan Chuong Gate).

The Vietnam Artistic Photographers Association (VAPA) announced the winners of the 25th National Photographic Exhibition in Hanoi last week.

The Vietnamese version of the book “Granny Knits” written by world-famous Israeli writer Uri Orlev has been published in Vietnam by the Kim Dong publishing house.

The Fuji Maru cruise ship with nearly 500 Japanese students on board arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on August 24 on the 35th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties.

Jazz lovers will get the chance to wallow in classic tunes as French jazz singer Nadia Cambours is back in town, hitting the Sofitel Metropole hotel on the night of August 22.

A classical concert will be performed by American and Vietnamese musicians at the Goethe Institute in Hanoi on the night of August 22.

A torch procession entitled “Vietnam’s torch following Uncle Ho’s footsteps” arrived in central Da Nang city on August 20.

Vietnamese people will be able to learn more about what their neighbours are eating in Malaysia, said the Malaysian embassy in Hanoi on August 21.

Thirty beauties selected to take part in the final round of Miss Vietnam 2008 arrived in the ancient town of Hoi An on the morning of August 20 to join the Miss Photogenic contest.

As many as 99 excellent students who passed university graduation exams in Hanoi were honoured at a ceremony in Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam (The Temple of Literature) on August 19.

The Nghinh Ong Festival, also known as the Guan Kung Greeting Celebration, opened in Phan Thiet city of southern Binh Thuan province on August 19.

As many as 99 outstanding students who have achieved the highest results in the 2008 academic year attended a seminar in Hanoi on August 18 under the theme “Young Hanoians gearing up for the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The first music festival for pupils and students across the country will take place in two rounds of competition from September 2008 to March 2009.

The remains of an ancient wooden boat, believed to be of big archaeological significance, have been retrieved from the Da Rang River bed in the south-central province of Phu Yen.

Artists from Japan, the Republic of Korea, China and Vietnam will take part in the second Asian 16-chord zither concert to be held at the Labour and Cultural Palace and Ho Chi Minh City Conservatoire on September 1-4.

Vietnam will host an awards ceremony of the Mitsubishi Asian Children’s Enikki Festa 2008-2009 in Hanoi on July 29, 2009.

The sixth Vietnam-Japan Cultural Exchange Festival opened in ancient Hoi An City, central Quang Nam province, on August 15 as part of activities to mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.