As many as 250 paper lanterns with written prays for peace and friendship by artisans from Hoi An ancient town in the central province of Quang Nam flied to the sky of Taiwan in the night of February 16.
The Hoi An delegation, led by Deputy Director of the Hoi An Cultural and Sports Centre Le Thanh Son, also presented the festival with three large-sized paper lanterns in the shape of five bats, a carp and a buffalo, reflecting famous Dong Ho traditional paintings.
Hoi An artisans also introduced the general history and skills of making paper lanterns to international friends.
Some 750 Vietnamese volunteers came to help the three Hoi An artisans in flying the lanterns.
Many Russian poets and writers joined with Vietnamese poetry lovers at an annual poetical gala in Moscow on February 21.
At the gala night, which usually falls on the fifteenth night of the first lunar month, the attendants declaimed poetical works of President Ho Chi Minh and well-known Vietnamese poets, and introduced their new works, some written in Vietnamese, about their homeland, love and friendship.
Journalist and historian Yevgeni Kobelev, who 50 years ago came to Vietnam to learn Vietnamese, quoted various Vietnamese verses and folk verses to vivify his deep memories of the time when he studied and worked in Vietnam.
A retired journalist, Sergey Afonin, read his works in Vietnamese in praise of the land and people in Vietnam, which he called his second motherland.
The poetical night, initiated by the Vietnam Arts and Literature Association in Russia, has become an annual cultural exchange of Vietnamese expats in Russia since 1995.
The northern province of Bac Ninh has decided on a 35.5 billion VND project to conserve the Phat Tich pagoda for the period up to 2010.
The project will focus on restoring key parts of the pagoda to original such as its bell tower and four main pillars.
In addition, several pagoda facilities will be built or upgraded to meet demand by pagoda goers and promote the national cultural heritage site’s value.
The reconstruction of Phu Ly church began in Ha Nam province on February 22 in the presence of over 3,000 local Catholics.
Archbishop Ngo Quang Kiet and dignitaries of the Ha Noi Archdiocese joined others to attend the event.
To be rebuilt on an area of 1,050 sq.m in a campus of 3,725 sq. m, Phu Ly church will replace the original which was inaugurated in 1913. The old one was almost destroyed in 1967 by bombs during the war.
Singers and dancers from Vietnam and the Republic of Korea gave a music performance in Ho Chi Minh City on February 21 to mark the 16th anniversary of the Vietnam-RoK diplomatic ties.
The programme was initiated by the RoK-Vietnam Media Ltd. Co in coordination with The Present, a RoK non-governmental organisation.
Some 80 million VND from sponsors for the programme will be used to present scholarships for Vietnamese orphans and give aids to poor families of Vietnamese women who got married with RoK men.
(Source: VNA) | 
