American war veteran Geoffrey Clifford has exhibited 52 photographs capturing Vietnam’s daily rhythms over the past 15 years, US media reported.

Thousands of water puppets crafted in diverse styles are being arranged along with agriculture tools and products in an exhibition designed to turn the working and cultural lives of Vietnamese people into art.

A cosmetics, fashion and gift fair - Dep Fair 2007 - taking place from March 4-9 at the Hanoi Cultural Friendship Palace is a meaningful event for women in the run up to International Women’s Day (March 8).

The Hoa cultural festival has helped the public and the Hoa (Chinese-Vietnamese) community better understand the land and the people of Vietnam and made the Hoa community proud of their work and contributions to national development in relations with other ethnic groups in Vietnam.

The country now has 8,902 festivals including 7,000 folk festivals. Managers always ponder on how to organize festivals in a practical manner, preserve traditional cultural identities and highlight distinctive colors at each festival.

Thousands of poetry lovers converged on the historic relic of Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam, the first university in Vietnam, in Hanoi on March 3 to enjoy poem recitals on the fifth Vietnamese Poetry Day. The annual event is designed to arouse young poets’ great passion for writing poetry.

Vietnamese spectators greatly enjoyed fabulous performances given by more than 140 artists from 23 Japanese art troupes in Ho Chi Minh City on March 3.

The Tourism Programme ‘Tracing the Roots 2007’ was launched in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai on March 2. The event, jointly held by Lao Cai province, its neighbour, Yen Bai province, and the northern midland province of Phu Tho, will promote their distinctive festivals throughout the whole year.

Rhone-Alpes Days will be held in Ho Chi Minh City from March 7-10 to mark the 10th anniversary of cooperative ties between the city and France’s Rhone-Alpes region.

Thousands of people flocked to Lim village, Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province on March 1 (the 13th day of the first lunar month) to revel in the Lim festival. Visitors had the chance to enjoy distinctive Quan Ho folk singing and folk games such as cloth weaving, cock fighting, swinging and wrestling.

Five girls from the Republic of Korea’s music band, Baby VoxRe.v, will perform with Vietnamese pop singers at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi on March 3.

The fifth Vietnamese Poetry Day is being held in 100 venues nationwide, including Van Mieu (the Temple of Literature) in Hanoi, the Sai Gon Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Ho Chi Minh City and central Ha Tinh province - the native land of the great Vietnamese writer Nguyen Du.

The Cultural Festival of the Chinese-Vietnamese on the Lunar New Year 2007 kicked off at April 30 Park in Ho Chi Minh City on February 28, with an aim of strengthening national great unity and encouraging the entire society to preserve and promote Vietnamese cultural values in the integration and development process.

Around 140 artists from 23 Japanese troupes from Japan will perform at the Japan Day festival in HCM City on March 3.

Vietnam’s first and best known hip-hop dance group called Big Toe now have 100 members. A reporter from Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) interviewed the group’s leader Nguyen Viet Thanh, who is also one of three dancers to take part in an international contest in Denmark in early March.

An exhibition featuring antiques made in northern Vietnam opened in Thai Nguyen province on February 27 to raise public awareness of the need to preserve Vietnam's cultural heritage.

A circus troupe from China's Yunnan province performed eight shows at the Central Circus Theatre in Hanoi from February 18-25 during Vietnam's traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet).

Circus shows by Vietnamese artists have dazzled Lao spectators at the Central Circus Theatre in Vientiane.

The Trieu Khuc Village Festival was held on February 25 (the ninth day of the first lunar month) to commemorate national hero Phung Hung and celebrate the victory of volunteer soldiers over the ruling yoke of the imperial Tang dynasty in 782.

Vietnam joined more than 20 countries to display cultural products on the International Cultural Day that was held at the Montessori Academy in Ottawa, Canada, on February 23.

A carnival spirit gripped northern Phu Tho province on the sixth day of the Year of the Pig as the Hung Kings' Temples Festival 2007 got underway.

Tens of thousands of people have flocked to Me Linh commune, Me Linh district, northern Vinh Phuc province, to attend the Hai Ba Trung (Trung Sisters) Festival, which opened on February 22 - the sixth day of the Lunar New Year.

A well-known music band of the Republic of Korea (RoK), the Baby Vox Re.v, will give a performance in Hanoi on March 3.

The Ministry of Culture and Information has provided guidance and funding for nine provinces to prepare nine traditional festivals of ethnic minority groups during the Spring of 2007, the Year of the Pig.

Many construction works have been upgraded and built in preparation for the upcoming Huong (Perfume) Pagoda Festival 2007, which began in northern Ha Tay province on February 22 - the sixth day of the first lunar month.

Thousands of Hanoians converged on Dong Da hill on February 21 to attend a ceremony marking the 218th anniversary of the Ngoc Hoi-Dong Da military victory and commemorating King Quang Trung who defeated 290,000 Qing invaders.

Pu Peo ethnic minority people live only in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang. According to the 1999 survey, there were only 705 people living in the districts of Dong Van, Meo Vac and Bac Me. The Pu Peo ethnic group ranks 53rd in the Vietnamese community in term of population.

Cuong Temple is situated on Mount Mo Da in Dien An commune, Dien Chau district, Nghe An province. The Temple comprises three structures, the upper, central and lower, enclosed by a wall and many ancient and sacred trees.

The circle of 365 days of a year is reaching its end. After one year of busy shows to bring laughter to the audience, a number of comedians reveal their feelings and plans on the threshold of this year’s traditional Lunar New Year Festival (Tet) – the Year of the Pig.

According to Vietnamese legend, the Year of the Pig has long been considered a year of prosperity, wealth and luck.