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Showing posts with the label Local flavor

Vibrant Decorations Adorn Hanoi for Lunar New Year Celebration

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Posters are displayed everywhere throughout the city, some with the messages “Happy New Year 2024 – the Year of the Dragon,” “Happy New Spring,” or “Celebrating 94 Years of the Communist Party of Vietnam.” Office buildings across Hanoi are adorned in red as part of the festive celebrations. A large banner has been erected at the headquarters of the Hanoi Party Committee, displaying the message “Celebrating 94 Years of the Communist Party of Vietnam.” The festive atmosphere can be felt on every corner of the capital city. The Lunar New Year holiday is the largest celebration in Vietnam, lasting for seven days this year for State employees. Many venues have undergone major transformations to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Large posters have been placed on the main streets of the capital city to welcome the Lunar Year of the Dragon. As the new year begins, local residents are hopeful that the economy will rebound from ...

Preparatory visit made to isolated island districts before Tet

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The purpose of the visit is to encourage them to remain strong in protecting the country’s sea and island sovereignty. In Ly Son district, the officers and reporters toured administrative units and brought gifts to the staff working at the Ly Son Radar Station. The delegation deliver Tet gifts to soldiers and local people in Con Co island district of Quang Tri province. For their participation, military units have planned duty timetables to ensure their staff can enjoy a cozy Tet, which is the country’s largest festival of the year. The post Preparatory visit made to isolated island districts before Tet appeared first on Vietexplorer.com .

Exploring Vietnamese Culture Through Water Puppetry: The German President’s Wife’s Journey

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During their state visit to Vietnam, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, visited the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Elke Büdenbender went behind the scenes and talked to the artists to gain a deeper understanding of the art of water puppetry and their work. As part of their visit to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, the first ladies of Vietnam and Germany received special gifts from the theatre. Water puppetry is a traditional art form in Vietnam that dates back to the 11th century. The shows depict scenes from rural life, including landscapes, bamboo trees, and traditional activities like fishing and rice cultivation. The wives of the Vietnamese and German Presidents posed for a photo with the artists at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Vietnam and Germany established diplomatic relations in 1975 and elevated their ties to a strategic partnership in 2011. The year 2024 is significant as it leads up to the 50th anniver...

Crafting dragon-shaped clay money savings boxes for Tet celebration

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According to Hoang Viet, a skilled craftsman, his facility produces more than 5,000 dragon figurines every day. Every stage of making these clay figurines needs to be done with great care to ensure a perfect product. With the increasing demand for clay figurines in recent years, a wide range of attractive designs is being produced. Lai Thieu’s clay figurines are gaining more attention and competing with plastic and wooden items. These artisanal products are distributed to provinces such as Tien Giang and An Giang, as well as the southwestern and southeastern regions of Vietnam. They are also exported to markets in Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. The price of each figurine varies based on its size and design, typically ranging from VND30,000 to VND170,000 per piece. The painting stage is a meticulous piece of work as the paint must be evenly coated without smears. The crafting village experiences its highest level of sales du...

German President’s Visit to Temple of Literature in Hanoi

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German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife arrived in Hanoi on January 23 for a two-day state visit at the invitation of President Vo Van Thuong and his wife. During their visit, foreign guests had the opportunity to explore Vietnamese culture through a visit to the historic Temple of Literature, a site that showcases Vietnam’s traditional fondness for learning. The high-ranking German delegation received a briefing on the history of the Temple of Literature. This is Steinmeier’s second visit to Vietnam, following his first visit in October 2016 when he served as the Foreign Minister of Germany. This is the first foreign visit by the German President in 2022 and marks the first high-level exchange between the two countries this year. It is an important year as both countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2025. The post German President’s Visit to Temple of Literature in Hanoi appeared fir...

Vietnam President Welcomes German Counterpart with a Grand Ceremony

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President Vo Van Thuong invites German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to step on the podium while military bands play the national anthems of both nations. Vietnam and Germany first established diplomatic relations in 1975. The two countries lifted ties to strategic partnership in 2011. Germany is Vietnam’s biggest trade partner in Europe, and more than 350 German businesses are operating in Vietnam. As of May 2023, Germany had 444 valid projects worth over US$2.36 billion, ranking fourth from a total of 24 European countries investing in Vietnam. The two leaders inspect the guard of honour. This is the first foreign visit of the German President in 2024 and the first high-level delegation exchange between the two countries this year – a pivotal year towards the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2025. The two leaders hold talks immediately after the welcome ceremony. During two-day visit, German Presid...

Impressive Lunar New Year Festival 2024 Mesmerizes Visitors

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The festival, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade and the Vietnam Cuisine Culture Association, showcases a combination of traditional and contemporary art programs, along with various national Tet rituals. The event features over 150 booths exhibiting a diverse range of Vietnamese products and specialties from different regions. Many tourists gather to observe artisans wrapping and cooking “banh chung” (a square glutinous rice cake), a traditional dish during the Tet holiday. A special attraction of the festival is a calligraphy market where calligraphers, dressed in “ao dai” (Vietnamese traditional long dress), sell calligraphy works written in black and yellow ink on red paper. Visitors also have the opportunity to participate in traditional folk games such as stilt walking, tug of war, blindfolded clay pot breaking, and mandarin square capturing. A booth showcasing “To He” (toy figurines) attracts...

Busy Thanh Tien paper flower making village gears up for Tet after 300 years

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Local villagers create paper flowers as offerings to their ancestors. Today, their products have become ornamental items, especially during Tet, the country’s most important traditional festival. The creation of paper lotus flowers requires the highest level of craftsmanship, with several households in the area capable of producing these intricate products. The village’s products have been showcased at Hue festivals, Ao Dai festivals, cultural events, and exported to various countries including the United States, France, and Japan. The price of the paper flowers ranges from VND5,000 for a pair of simple flowers like roses, daisies, and orchids, up to VND20,000 for a lotus. (Photo: Baovanhoa.vn) Due to the time-consuming, meticulous, and skilled nature of the work, a seasoned craftsman can only produce 15 to 20 paper flowers per day. (Photo: Baovanhoa.vn) All the steps involved in creating paper flowers are done by hand, making it a ...

President Thuong and Indonesian counterpart witness martial art showcases

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This is the second time the Indonesian leader has visited Vietnam as a State guest, the first being in September 2018. Local artists performed various art shows during the event. Martial artists showcased Pencak Silat, a traditional Indonesian martial art. Pencak Silat is also popular in Vietnam and has helped local athletes achieve great results in international competitions. Traditional Vietnamese martial arts were also showcased during the event. The event is expected to foster friendship and mutual understanding between Vietnam and Indonesia. The two State leaders took a group photo with the martial artists. The post President Thuong and Indonesian counterpart witness martial art showcases appeared first on Vietexplorer.com .