Festival to celebrate Vietnam-France diplomatic ties
The Vietnam- France Festival will be held at the Institute of Cultural Exchange with France (IDECAF) in Ho Chi Minh City on December 5 as part of the city’s cultural activities to celebrate 45 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France.
Saxophonist Xuan Hieu (Photo: The organising board)
HCM City (VNS/VNA) - TheVietnam- France Festival will be held at the Institute of Cultural Exchangewith France (IDECAF) in Ho Chi Minh City on December 5 as part of the city’scultural activities to celebrate 45 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnamand France.
The event, with the theme “Sharinga Sky”, will include cultural exchange activities, and theatre and musicprogrammes staged by professional and young artists.
Film screenings and forums withveteran filmmakers, including Vietnamese-French film directors Viet Linh and TranAnh Hung, will also be included.
Music performances by saxophonistXuan Hieu and pianist Tuan Manh will be the featured shows.
Young singers Vo Le Vy, JulieThanh Nguyen and Kim Khanh will also perform.
Participants will have a chanceto take photos with mini sculptures and maquettes about Sai Gon by artist Le XuanGiang.
A photo exhibition by Thai Phiên,a member of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), will open onDecember 4 evening.
Dozens of black-and-white andcolour photos of female nudes will be displayed. The works are from theartist’s collections of nudes that he has shot for more than ten years.
Phien’s photos of nudes werefirst shown in Vietnam in 2007. The images were from his Springtime by Thai Phien, thecountry’s first photo book of nudes.
The book won a prize from the VietnamAssociation of Photographic Artists. It was also recognised as one of HCMCity’s top 10 cultural events of 2008 by Radio Voice of Ho Chi Minh City. Phienhas published three photo books of nudes.
The festival’s organisers are theIDECAF and An Yen Media Education and Entertainment Company.
It will close on December 10 at31 Thai Van Lung Street in District 1.-VNS/VNA
The year 2018 holds special significance for Vietnam – France relations, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Nguyen Thiep said during a ceremony in Paris on September 19 marking the 73rd anniversary of National Day of Vietnam (September 2).
A fine art exhibition highlighting Vietnam – France friendship opened in Ho Chi Minh on October 15 by the HCM City’s Union of Friendship Oganisations (HUFO) and the Vietnam-France Friendship Association.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his French counterpart Edouard Philippe affirmed their determination to deepen the Vietnam-France strategic partnership for shared benefit during their talks in Hanoi on November 2 as part of the French PM’s ongoing visit to Vietnam.
The first France – Vietnam conference on oncology took place in Ho Chi Minh City on November 18, bringing together leading oncologists from both countries.
Nguyen Trong Nha Uyen has made history for Vietnam’s dancesport by clinching a bronze medal in the solo Latin category at the WDSF World Championship 2025 in Germany.
The ambassador noted that among the 300,000 Vietnamese residing in the RoK, around 3,000 are living in Pyeongtaek and contributing actively to the local economy. Ho expressed his hope that the local authorities will continue support the overseas Vietnamese community in the city.
This is the first time since the adoption of the Convention that a country has served two consecutive terms on the Committee. The outcome shows the trust and recognition that member states have given Vietnam for its efforts and achievements in carrying out and promoting the Convention, as well as for its active role, strong standing, and growing credibility at UNESCO.
Quang Duc pottery is known for its wide range of forms, including wine bottles, jars, lime pots, vases, plant pots, incense burners and candle stands. Decorative motifs are equally rich, featuring mythical creatures, pastoral scenes, floral patterns, deer, peacocks, bats and more.
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The Vietnamese team will gather on June 26 in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, where they will train until July 14 before departing for Indonesia for the ASEAN U23 Championship 2025, which runs from July 15 to 29. Vietnam will face Laos on July 19 and Cambodia on July 22 in the group stage.
The exhibition showcases more than 100 valuable documents and artifacts, divided into two main parts: “Journalist Nguyen Ai Quoc – Ho Chi Minh” and “President Ho Chi Minh – Founder and Mentor of Vietnamese Revolutionary Press.” This is an opportunity to recall the late leader’s journalism journey and affirm his exceptional role in founding and guiding the revolutionary press in Vietnam.
For the first time, the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) has granted Vietnam hosting rights for the two championships, including the Asian women’s solo category, which debuts this year as an officially recognised event.
Eight teams will join the tournament, divided into two groups. Group A features Vietnam, the Philippines, Sichuan Club (China), and Australia, while Group B consists of Vietnam U21, Korabelka Club (Russia), Taiwan (China), and U21 Thailand.
Despite strong home support and high expectations, Vietnam were unable to overcome the defending champions, who secured their third consecutive win over Vietnam in a regional final, following previous victories in 2014 and 2023.
The event, part of Vietnam’s cultural diplomacy strategy through 2030, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela and USM’s Faculty of International Relations. It attracted thousands of students from universities across Venezuela.
For the first time, Vietnamese audiences will have the opportunity to experience the ballet masterpiece "Don Quixote" in its original version by renowned choreographer Marius Petipa.
The contest carried deep meaning as it was the first time the life of Vietnamese women abroad had been highlighted as the central theme, said poet and writer Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association.
The event formed part of Vietnam’s ongoing campaign to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the complex at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, scheduled to take place in Paris in July.
Creative cultural festivals are fast emerging as a new catalyst for tourism development in Vietnam, as localities increasingly invest in these vibrant events on a more systematic and larger scale.
This marks the first time Vietnam has hosted a continental-level Muay event which will feature competitions across 28 weight categories in combat and eight performance categories.
Coming to the Vietnamese booth, visitors had the chance to take part in a bamboo dance, a workshop on painting woven bamboo or rattan, or quizzes about Vietnam.
Saxophonist Xuan Hieu
