As usual, on every traditional lunar New Year Festival (Tet), Vietnamese nationals living in the State of Victoria, Australia are eager to prepare new clothes and meet with their friends to go shopping for Tet.

Hundreds of Vietnamese students studying at 10 universities in Russia gathered in Moscow on February 2 for a cultural programme entitled “Welcome Spring 2008”.

Three students, who have won a national essay contest, will work as cultural ambassadors for Vietnam during a ten-day tour of the US, according to the organizers of the contest.

A spring flower festival opened at the Tao Dan cultural park in Ho Chi Minh City on February 1 to welcome the lunar New Year Festival (the Year of the Rat).

A collection of 197 Vietnamese bronze antiques has been on display at the Beijing Museum in China.

An exhibition entitled “Uncle Ho with overseas Vietnamese” opened in Ho Chi Minh City on January 31 to mark the 78th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3) and the 39th anniversary of late President Ho Chi Minh sending his last letter to overseas Vietnamese (January 27).

A live television link entitled “Reunion Spring” between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nghe An and China’s Nanning province will be launched by VTC at 6 pm on January 6 on the eve of the Lunar New Year Festival.

Two big artistic performances took place in Ho Chi Minh City and the former imperial city of Hue on January 30 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the General Offensive and Uprising of Mau Than Spring in 1968.

HCM City’s three parks, September 23, Gia Dinh and Le Van Tam, showcased many colourful flowers and ornamental flora on January 30.

The Thang Long Imperial Citadel Spring fair opens at Hanoi’s ancient citadel on January 30.

The first International Puppetry Festival will be held in Hanoi from February 16-23 to introduce the Vietnamese puppetry art to regional and world audiences.

A four-dimensional (4D) cinema will open its doors to audiences at the Suoi Tien Tourism Resort in Ho Chi Minh City on February 2.

Cao Thuy Duong, who won the Elite super model title in the Top Model Casting 2007, will represent Vietnam in the Miss Tourism Queen International 2008 contest scheduled to take place in late March 2008 in Zhengzhou, China.

Vietnam’s first trade, investment, culture and tourism centre will be officially opened in Berlin, Germany on March 5.

By early 2008, four countries and territory had registered to participate in an international firework display in central Da Nang City on March 27-28.

Cultural researchers have collected and tape-recorded 801 epics of the Ede, M’Nong, Bana, Xe Dang, Cham, S’Tieng, and Ma ethnic minority groups in the Central Highlands in an effort to conserve this valuable cultural asset.

Dr Nguyen Dang Vu, deputy director of the Culture and Information Department of central Quang Ngai province said the department has conducted a survey on gong culture in the mountainous district of Tay Tra.

Writings in a contest “Vietnam in 2030” for school children have sent out a message of optimism for the future of the nation, the jury board said at the awards ceremony in Hanoi on January 27.

Hotel Yasaka - Sai Gon - Nha Trang has again set a new record for making a huge cylindric glutinous rice cake, as long as 33m, in the traditional way as often observed at solemn rituals.

The Bao Khanh tailor shop in the ancient town of Hoi An in central Quang Nam province has been selected as the best shop in Vietnam and it ranks second among twenty-five world renowned shops in 2008, according to the UK Sunday Times Travel Magazine.

The imperial city of Hue in central Thua Thien-Hue province is ready to host the biannual festival which is scheduled from June 3-11.

A young Chile delegation arrived in Vietnam on January 25 on a study tour to promote friendship and cooperation with several universities in Vietnam, it was invited by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO).

An event to mark the 235th anniversary (1773-2008) of the Tay Son insurgent army’s occupation of Quy Nhon the citadel – which began the country’s unification process under the Tay Son dynasty will take place on August 1-3.

In anticipation of Lunar New Year festival (Tet), the capital’s citizens are enjoying the Spring Newspaper 2008 festival which runs from January 25-29 at the Ly Thai To park.

Under the theme of “Cultural Heritage with integration and development”, the Hue Festival 2008 will be held from June 3-11 with the participation of many artists and sculptors from 27 countries and territories.

The Skydive Boogie Nha Trang, Vietnam 2008 festival will be held in the south central coastal city of Nha Trang from March 1 – 7.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has given the nod to the Phu Tho provincial People’s Committee to put on a fireworks display at Au Co Temple in Hien Luong commune, Ha Hoa district on February 12.

Australia Month 2008 was launched in Hanoi on January 22 to mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (1973-2008).

The Hue Beer Company will finance VND2 billion for the organization of the Hue Festival 2008.

The biggest ever rock concert held at the Military Zone 7 Stadium on January 20 with the participation of American My Chemical Romance (MCR) band was a smash hit.