An exhibition entitled “Seems to be nothing” is displaying 18 lacquer paintings of artist Le Thiet Cuong at the Korean Cultural Centre at 49 Nguyen Du Street in Hanoi.

English language standards for Vietnam's tourism sector were presented at a seminar held in Hanoi on September 13 under an EU-funded project on human resource development for Vietnamese tourism.

Vietnamese pop singer My Linh will be in Japan on September 16 to mark the release of three of her CDs there.

Harmony Books, a division of the US's Random House Inc., on September 11 released "Last night I dreamt of peace: the Diary of Dang Thuy Tram."

The Vietnam National Library and the Asia Fund launched a contest on September 12 to find three young cultural ambassadors to promote the relations of friendship and co-operation between Vietnam and the US.

A 26-minute television documentary about Vietnam was screened on Russia Today on September 10 during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to the country.

South-central Ninh Thuan province plans to invest VND7.5 billion in projects to restore and develop four Cham ethnic crafts villages.

The Vietnam Folk Art Association held a meeting in Hanoi on September 11 to mark its 40th anniversary and receive the Ho Chi Minh Order.

A group of 32 artists from Thailand's National Symphony Orchestra have made a performance tour in Vietnam to celebrate the 31st anniversary of Vietnam-Thailand diplomatic ties and the 80th birth anniversary of the Thai King.

Twelve writers from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia received the first Mekong River Literature Award at a ceremony in Hanoi, on September 10.

A Superstar Gemini Cruise Ship carrying 532 international passengers docked at Nha Trang Port in south central Khanh Hoa province on September 10.

Seventeen proposed designs for a new National Assembly Hall are being showcased at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi to collect public opinions.

State Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan on September 8 received writers from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia who are in Hanoi to attend their first conference.

Forty-five writers from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia gathered for their first conference in Hanoi on September 6 to share experiences and discuss measures to boost cooperation among the writers’ associations of the three countries.

The Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA) held a meeting with the winner, the runners-up and other beauties of the Miss Vietnam Global 2007 Contest in Hanoi on September 6.

More than 150,000 new book titles from nearly 60 countries have been displayed at the 20th Moscow International Book Exhibition and Fair, which opened in Moscow on September 6.

Hollywood’s Oscar winning director Oliver Stone arrived at Da Nang airport on September 5 to conduct a survey on locations to make the film “Pinkvillle” about the investigation into the 1968 My Lai massacre in Vietnam.

Over the past five years, the Ford Foundation of the US has helped Vietnam implement projects on improving professional skills for arts and cultural managers and lecturers.

The Thai National Symphony Orchestra will give a free one-night performance at the Hanoi Opera House on September 10 to mark the 80th birthday of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej (December 5) and the 31st anniversary of Vietnam-Thailand diplomatic ties.

A retrospective on Italian contemporary art and design will be showcased in Hanoi from September 6-8, according to the Italian Embassy in Hanoi.

Painter Nguyen Dinh Dang, the only foreign member of the Japan’s Subjectivity Fine Arts Association, had the honour to receive the award “Outstanding Emerging Painter” by Sompo Fine Arts Fund of the Sompo Insurance Group.

A large number of flower growers and businesses in Central Highland Lam Dong province have registered to take part in the flower festival to be held in the province’s Da Lat City in December.

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong has agreed to resume a project to restore Long Bien bridge, which was built from 1898 to 1902 with old French-styled architecture.

The Government has approved a project to build Hue into the first Festival City in Vietnam in an attempt to attract a greater number of tourists to the area.

Ngo Phuong Lan, a Vietnamese student in Geneva (Switzerland) was crowned Miss Vietnam Global 2007 who also won the prize for the best conduct in the final contest in Nha Trang City on September 2.

The runner-up in the Miss Vietnam contest in the Czech Republic Nguyen Thi Huong Giang and her family returned to Vietnam last week to take part in the final of Miss Vietnam Global to be held in Nha Trang, south central Khanh Hoa province in early September.

The 2007 Central Highland Gong Culture Festival will take place in Buon Ma Thuot City and Buon Don District of Central Highland Dak Lak province this October with the participation of art gong troupes from such countries as Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia.

Prof. Dr. Ivo Vasiljev has conducted extensive research into Vietnam’s culture and history. He has also translated late President Ho Chi Minh’s famous poem, Nhat Ky Trong Tu (Prison Diary) into the Czech language.

Leaders from Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) and central Da Nang City cut the ribbon inaugurating VOV’s FM 10KW transmission station on the top of Ba Na Mount, Hoa Vang District on September 1.

The 4th international photo contest and exhibition have drawn the participation of more than 1,000 photographers from 23 countries around the world, focusing on the theme “For a better life on Earth” and showing people’s desire to live a good life.