Social News 8/6 Da Nang takes legal actions against boat capsize case   Da Nang city’s Investigation Police Office has decided to take proceedings against those involved in the boat capsize on the Han river in Da Nang on the night of June 4, which left three dead. Earlier, the Thao Van 2 boat, numbered DNa 0016, carrying 56 people (three crew members and 53 passengers, including four Malaysians) suddenly capsized in the river section between the Han Bridge and Thuan Phuoc Bridge just five minutes after leaving the pier. Fifty-three people were rescued and three died, the bodies of whom were found on the afternoon of June 5. They were Pham Tan Cuong, 46, from Binh Dinh, two siblings Trinh Kim Phuong, 7, and Trinh Tien Huy, 4, both from Bac Kan province. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc arrived at the scene to lead the rescue efforts. The PM asked to mobilise forces and facilities to work at top speed to search for missing people and minimise the loss of life. He also visited victims at the Da Nang General Hospital and called for legal action to severely punish relevant organisations and individuals. The Thao Van 2 boat was captained by Le Cong Chi, residing in An Hai Bac ward, Son Tra District, and is owned by Vo Quoc Hung. The boat’s register certificate was issued on May 19, 2016 and will expire on November 20, 2016. The boat, which has a maximum load of 28 people, had not been licenced to carry passengers and did not report to the local waterway port authorities when leaving the pier. The boat owner is violation of regulations on operating a passenger boat, and overloading people, are cited as the initial reasons behind the accident. The Da Nang People’s Committee asked the Department of Transport to coordinate with the relevant agencies to suspend the operation of all tourist boats on the Han river to review all safety conditions, especially fishing boats renovated for tourism purposes. The Department of Transport was asked to strictly examine the pier departure procedures before opening the service again and to recommend specific managerial measures to ensure safety for people and vehicles. Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee will continue issuing documents correcting and increasing check-ups on tourist boats and giving advice on the coordination regulations between sectors in managing local waterway tourism. An Giang: Cham ethnic people celebrate Ramadan month The Islamic Cham ethnic community in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang are celebrating Ramadan festival, beginning one month of fasting from June 6. The annual religious festival has special meaning for Islamic people. During Ramadan, Islamic followers from 15 years of age can’t have alcohol or cigarettes, and abstain from food and drink during daytime. The activities help them understand the lives led by poor people, teaching them patience and humility, towards becoming better followers of Islam and better citizens. An Giang is home to more than 3,000 households with 15.327 people, accounting for nearly 0.7 percent of the province’s population. As one of the province’s four largest ethnic groups along with the Kinh, the Hoa and the Khmer, the community mostly reside in Phu Tan, Chau Phu, Chau Thanh, and An Phu districts and Tan Chau town, and live mainly on traditional brocade weaving, cattle farming and fishing. According to Vice Chairman of the An Phu district People’s Committee Nguyen Van Khen, the local Islamic Cham community has shown solidarity with other local ethnic groups, joining hands together in building the locality. He said the Party, State and local authorities have tried to improve living conditions for the community, through providing houses and preferential loans for economic development, building infrastructure for education, health care, and reducing school fees. Vietnam, Laos review search for martyrs’ remains Vietnam and Laos cooperated in repatriating 233 sets of remains of Vietnamese soldiers who died during wartime in Laos in the 2015-2016 dry season from November to April. During the period, the remains of six Lao soldiers and students who died in the war in Vietnam were reburied at Dong Tam Martyrs’ Cemetery in Ba Thuoc district of central Thanh Hoa province. The information was released at the 21st meeting of the Special Working Committees of the Vietnamese and Lao Governments held in Ho Chi Minh City on June 6. Speaking at the event, Deputy Defence Minister Le Chiem, head of the Vietnamese Government’s Special Working Committee, spoke of close coordination between the two committees, and localities and armed forces of the two countries in the search for remains. Chiem and Vilay Lakhamphong, who is Lao Deputy Defence Minister and head of the Lao Government’s Special Working Committee, agreed to continue efforts to search and repatriate remains of Vietnamese soldiers until there is no information about their resting places. They also vowed to encourage people to provide more information. Nearly 35,000 Vietnamese soldiers died on Lao soil and 60,000 others returned home injured. Japan helps Vietnam build cancer treatment centre Hanoi People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung met with a Japanese delegation of cancer experts and representatives from health facilities, who want to build a centre for cancer patients in the capital city, on June 6. Leading the delegation, Kensi Hotta, head of a Japanese non-profit organisation for international cancer patients, said he and his co-workers are looking forward to establishing a cancer treatment centre in Hanoi, which will have advanced technology from Japan. The centre will be located inside Hospital K – the National Cancer Institute on 43 Quan Su Street, Hoan Kiem district. Japan will send experts to Vienam support local doctors and is willing to assist Vietnamese medical personnel to study in Japan, Kesi Hotta stated. Chung said local authorities will clear all hurdles for the centre to begin operations soon. He hoped the Japanese experts would support the transfer of early detection technologies for gastrointestinal cancer for Saint Paul Hospital. The rate of gastrointestinal and lung cancer in Vietnam remains high, with hospital K often overloaded with patients. Deputy PM urges HCMC to ensure rights of residents Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng has asked the HCM City People’s Committee to inspect violations related to construction of the Bảy Hiền Tower in Tân Bình District, ensuring the rights of local residents. The investor, Long Hưng Phát Co. Ltd., had expanded the construction area by 722sq.m. The investor was fined VNĐ45 million (US$2,000) and asked to remove the construction in the expanded area. However, the investor ignored the warning and continued the construction. The company has handed over 11 apartments to customers. Last Wednesday, the People’s Committee in Tân Bình District’s Ward 11 in coordination with related agencies cut electrical power and water at the tower and forced the residents to move out. According to the Department of Construction, the tower, which has 170 apartments, is not safe for living as construction work on fire control, water and electricity as well as a basement parking area has not been completed. New Ghenh Bridge will open to traffic on June 30 Minister of Transport Trương Quang Nghĩa, during an inspection on Sunday, said the new Ghềnh Bridge across the Đồng Nai River in the southern province of Đồng Nai would help the railway sector rebound after its recent decline. Nghĩa said the number of railway passengers had sharply fallen due to the collapse of the Ghềnh Bridge on March 20 which disrupted north-south train services. Đới Sỹ Hưng, deputy general director of Việt Nam Railways, said the bridge would open to traffic on June 30. Nguyễn Duy Thắng, deputy general director of Civil Engineering Construction Corporation No.1 (Cienco 1), the contractor, said that some of the construction had been completed ahead of schedule. Nghĩa said that, initially, the project was scheduled to be completed by July 15, but the investor and builder had made efforts to finish it earlier. He asked the investor, Việt Nam Railways Corporation, to closely supervise labour safety and construction quality. Two kids pay price of boat negligence The couple seen sitting on the bank of the Hàn River on Sunday, eyes gazing relentlessly into the dark night, seemed to have turned to stone. Trịnh Tiến Dương and Đặng Thị Xuân were awaiting news of their two children, reported missing after the leisure boat on which the family sailed capsized on the Hàn River in the central city of Đà Nẵng on June 4. But as the hours dragged by, and additional passengers were rescued from the river, the hopes of seeing their children alive grew slim. Xuân almost passed out from pain when the news reached her. The bodies of their children: Trịnh Thị Phượng, aged 7 and Trịnh Huy Hoàng, aged 4, were found 20 hours after the sinking, 800m from the site where the craft went down. The leisure boat, named Thảo Vân 2, was not licensed to transport passengers and was carrying roughly double the weight of its maximal capacity. Phượng and Hoàng were among the 53 passengers on that ill-fated boat ride, to which their parents treated them as a reward for Phượng’s school year achievements. They boarded the Thảo Vân 2 for a sight-seeing trip on the Hàn River. But only 15 minutes after it set sail, the boat carrying 53 passengers and three crew members skewed heavily in the middle of the river and capsized almost instantly. A massive search and rescue mission was launched, mobilizing over 1,000 soldiers, divers, rescue workers and local residents. Almost a day later, 50 passengers had been rescued. Dương and Xuân’s children, along with an adult male passenger, were not among them. According to witness accounts, the accident could have been avoided had safety rules been enforced. “When I told the crew members that there were too many people on the boat they told me it’s all right,” Đặng Duy Hưng, a survivor, told the Tiền Phong (Vanguard) Newspaper. Not quite convinced, Hưng requested life jackets for his family members but was denied and told they were unnecessary. Another survivor, Nguyễn Thượng Hải from Đắk Lắk, said the boat capsized almost too quickly because the chairs were not bolted to the floor properly, and along with the passengers all listed to one side. A bag with dozens of life jackets was found after the boat was retrieved from the river, indicating that a large number of passengers were not wearing life jackets in serious violation of safety rules. This was the second time the Thảo Vân 2 had sunk on the Hàn. In 2014 it sank with ten passengers on board. The Thảo Vân 2 never reported its operation to the Đà Nẵng Port Authority on the night it capsized, according to Trần Đình Quỳnh, Head of the Đà Nẵng People’s Committee Office. The Chairman of the Đà Nẵng People’s Committee Huỳnh Đức Thơ vowed to hold all those involved accountable for their negligence and to enforce stricter control of waterway transportation through the city.    Thơ ordered the head of the Đà Nẵng Port Authority, Lê Sáu, and harbourmaster, Nguyễn Công Hiệu, suspended from their duties. Disciplinary action will also be taken against Col. Nguyễn Thanh Đính, Chief of Đà Nẵng Border Patrol Force and Capt. Đặng Viết Tài, Head of the city’s waterway police force. All tourist activities on the Hàn River have been suspended until the city’s authorities perform a complete review of safety measures for its transport vessels. Đà Lạt children attend annual summer camp More than 100 outstanding disadvantaged students from the provinces of An Giang, Bến Tre, Đồng Tháp, and Sóc Trăng and Cần Thơ City are attending a summer camp that began in Đà Lạt yesterday. Dubbed “Summer Camp for Small Ambassadors of Vietnamese Goods”, the annual camp, seeks to offer children aged 12-14 striving to overcome difficulties in their lives a meaningful summer. The children attending the camp, which will go on until June 10, will visit tourist attractions to learn about the history, nature and people of the Central Highlands. They will also learn how to manage money by shopping at a supermarket, visit Thái Phiên flower village, meet with businessmen and hear how they built a successful business, among other activities. Many members of the Club of Ambassadors for Vietnamese Goods, including Meritorious Artist Tạ Minh Tâm, artist Quyền Linh, designer Sỹ Hoàng, singer Nguyễn Phi Hùng, actress Phương Dung, are also taking part in the camp. The event, held for the sixth year, is organised by the Business Studies and Assistance Centre, the Leading Business Club, the Club of Ambassadors for Vietnamese Goods, and the Business Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Goods. “New Zealand, New Horizon 2016” winners announced New Zealand Minister for Economic Development, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment and Science and Innovation, the Honourable Steven Joyce, on June 6, announced Nguyen Huy Cuong as the winner of the “New Zealand, New Horizon 2016” competition. He was awarded a week-long trip for two to New Zealand.  The Minister made the announcement at an awards ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City organised by the New Zealand Embassy. “I have never been to New Zealand but friends that have been there told me that it is “beyond expectations”.  I put a lot of effort in to come up with my poster and slogan, hoping to be lucky enough to win this prize and have the opportunity to visit this magical place.  I am so happy that I won,” shared Nguyen Huy Cuong, the announced winner. The third edition of the “New Zealand, New Horizon” asked entrants to design posters and slogans promoting New Zealand tourism in Vietnam. Over 700 submissions were received.   The competition was part of the Embassy’s activities to increase interest and knowledge about New Zealand tourism in the lead up to the commencement of direct flights by Air New Zealand between Ho Chi Minh City and Auckland on 4 June 2016. Commenting on the competition and the large number of submissions, New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam H.E. Haike Manning noted, “We really wanted to get from the Vietnamese public their ideas on how to promote New Zealand. What is it about the image of New Zealand that draws Vietnamese to want to visit New Zealand?  Is it the amazing scenery, adventure tourism, the Hobbit films or the great food and beverage? We had some really strong entries which we look forward to putting into use to showcase New Zealand in Vietnam.” “Congratulations to Nguyen Huy Cuong. This is the three consecutive year that someone that has never before visited New Zealand has won “New Zealand, New Horizon”, showing the creativity of young Vietnamese designers,” added Ambassador Manning. The best poster award was given to Nguyen Kim Chi with her entry on the Hobbiton village. The best slogan winner went to Hoang Kim Nghia with “New Zealand: Love at first sight”. Fifteen winners of the most engagements (likes, shares and comments) on social media were awarded with New Zealand Natural Ice cream vouchers or USBs from the Embassy. New Zealand Minister for Economic Development, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment and Science and Innovation, Hon Steven Joyce, is visiting Vietnam between 4-7 June 2016 to celebrate the commencement of direct flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Auckland, and promote strengthened connectivity between Vietnam and New Zealand, particularly in tourism, education, IT and food and beverage. 20 Vietnamese women ran from Malaysian husbands, took children Authorities in Malaysia are looking for 20 Vietnamese women who reportedly left their husbands in Malaysia and might have returned to Vietnam with their children. Michael Chong, Public Complaints Bureau Chief at the Malaysian Chinese Association, said at a press conference on June 6 that there has been no trace of the women or their children in Malaysia. Chong said, as cited by Free Malaysia Today, that Vietnam Foreign Affairs director Le Phu Hoa has agreed to try to locate the women and children. But he said all search efforts will be made on “humanitarian grounds.” “We understand the importance of a mother’s love, so we will not side with anyone and will not attempt to separate mother and child. We only want to bring them together so they can discuss among themselves how best to resolve the issue,” he said. The children are Malaysian citizens, he added. He said many of the women were married to Malaysian men via matchmaking agents who charged between RM18,000 and RM25,000 (US$4,400-US$6,100). Many of the women could have run away because their husbands are too old, Chong said. His unit plans to seek support from Vietnamese media as well as the matchmakers. Hanoi launches writing contest to encourage reading A writing contest to look for ambassadors of reading culture has been officially launched in Hanoi as part of the project “Let’s Read” by the Vietnam Intellectual Cooperation Centre (VICC), aiming to promote reading culture in Vietnam. The contest is open for primary and secondary schools students, who have passion for reading books and wish to transmit their passion to the community. The contest is held in Vietnamese and English.   The title “Ambassador of Reading Culture” will be conferred on 32 students in the capital city, who write best essays on the books they like. Total value of the prizes is up to VND50 million. The awards ceremony is expected to take place at Hanoi Book Festival 2016, scheduled for October 10 in Hoang Thanh-Thang Long (Thang Long citadel). Submission deadlines for applications are between June 1, 2016 and September 15, 2016 at the VICC in No 176 Thai Ha street, Dong Da district, Hanoi or through the following email address: daisudoc@vicc.org.vn The contest is co-organised by the Hanoi Department of Information and Communication, the Department of Education and Training and the Hanoi Association for Communication and Public Relations (HANICA). Diplomats aided to learn more about Vietnam The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has organized a program for representatives of diplomatic corps and international organizations to get to know more about Vietnam, according to the Government website chinhphu.vn. The annual program aimed to help them get an insight into Vietnam’s history, culture, economy, society, business environment, foreign policies and the APEC Vietnam 2017. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung said it was expected that diplomats and leaders of foreign delegations to Vietnam will contribute to deepening ties between Vietnam and foreign countries. Noel Servigon, ambassador of the Philippines to Vietnam, was quoted by the Vietnam News Agency as saying that he will learn more about Vietnam and find proper ways to foster cooperation in multiple fields between the two countries. El Houcine Fardani, ambassador of Morocco to Vietnam, said he had participated in the program for the second time. Besides useful information about Vietnam’s history, culture and people, he had an opportunity to his experience in the country. Vietnamese French artist exhibits paintings in town Vietnamese French artist Florian Nguyen is putting on a painting exhibition called “Ky uc va lang quen” (memories and oblivion) at IDECAF, 28 Le Thanh Ton Street in HCMC’s District 1, according to the French Institute in HCMC. On display are 21 paintings inspired by talks between the painter and his grandparents. “My grandparents left Vietnam when they were young. They used to tell me about their childhood memories in the country, urging me thinking about ways to keep memories and reproduce them. That idea motivated me to create these paintings,” Nguyen said. Nguyen said in a statement that he did not intend to reproduce exactly the stories told by his grandparents but express what he felt about them. Born in 1988, Nguyen specializes in abstract paintings. His works featuring various small details encourage viewers to find out more and more once they look closer into the paintings. Black and white painting is the strength of the artist. The free-entry exhibition will last until June 17. Hanoi Ensemble to perform Japanese music Chamber band Hanoi Ensemble will present a show of music pieces from Japanese anime films of Studio Ghibli on June 10 in the capital city, the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam has announced. The show is organized in line with the center’s JF Garage Concert, a series of concerts at the garage and courtyard of the center. It is held with an aim at introducing various musical types to Hanoians through the performance of Japanese music played by distinguished musicians. Hanoi Ensemble consists of young artists and teachers from the Vietnam National Academy of Music. They had studied in Vietnam and several well-known conservatories abroad, and have won a number of domestic and international music prizes. Members of Hanoi Ensemble regularly play at concerts and music festivals as well as many cultural exchange programs in Vietnam and abroad. The music night is scheduled to take place at 8 p.m. at the courtyard of the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, 27 Quang Trung Sreet, Hoan Kiem District. Free tickets of the show are distributed on the ‘first come, first served’ basis. Lao journalists equipped with writing skills in Vietnam As many as 42 Lao reporters and editors are joining a training course jointly held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of Laos (MICT). During the course, the 14th of its kind, the Lao journalists will be equipped with how to write articles disseminating political, economic, cultural and social target programmes, focusing on the four categories of printed and online newspapers, and radio and television broadcasting. Since 2012, thirteen training courses have been organised for more than 400 Lao journalists hailing from centrally-run and grassroots press outlets in the neighbouring country. Addressing the opening ceremony on June 6, Vilaythong Sisanon, head of the MICT’s Institute of Information, Culture and Tourism, thanked the MIC in particular and the Party, State and people of Vietnam for their contribution to strengthening the troop of Lao journalists. He affirmed that what the reporters have learnt during the courses in Vietnam have helped enrich their experience and professional skills, which will contribute to the development of mass media in Laos. First foreign-funded hydropower plant to begin operating The Coc San hydro-electricity plant, the first foreign-funded power project in North Vietnam, will start generating power in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai on June 8. Announcing the news at a press conference in Hanoi on June 6, Allard Noov, CEO of Infraco Asia, a Singaporean-based company that invested 50 million USD in the plant, said it will offer 130,000 locals access to power at affordable costs. The 30MW plant is expected to help cut approximately 76,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. The facility has employed 250 people for its construction and will provide 35 stable jobs once fully operational. According to Allard Noov, Coc San began construction in 2011 and sited among terraced rice fields, thus no relocation was needed. Vietnam’s demand for electricity grows about 15 percent on an annual average, with hydropower accounting for 44 percent of the national electricity output. Da Nang strives for 45 percent forest coverage The central city of Da Nang is making every effort to raise the ratio of forest coverage to over 45 percent, with nearly 41,000 hectares of natural and 16,000 hectares of planted forest. Along side the target, the city also aims to employ up to 100,000 forestry farmers, contributing to reducing poverty, building new-style rural areas and ensuring security and defence. To that end, the city will strive to increase protective and special-use forest areas, while improving the productivity and quality of commercial forests to meet the wood processing industry’s demands and raising the forestry production value by 3 percent annually. A special-use forest system with an area of 31,000 hectares covering Ba Na-Nui Chua and Son Tra natural reserves and southern Hai Van forest, will also be developed. Meanwhile, Da Nang plans to plant 9,000 hectares of forest, including 8,000 hectares of protective and special-use forest, and 1,000 hectares of production areas. A nursery garden in Hoa Bac commune in Hoa Vang district will also be upgraded to provide 100,000 high-quality plant varieties for protected and special-use forest per year, and 1 million others for commercial forests. In the 2011-2015 period, Da Nang enjoyed a forest production value of 102.8 percent annually, with a coverage ratio of 43.2 percent. The city planted over 8,000 hectares of forest as well as 2,300 trees along rural roads. However, 63 forest fires were recorded in the locality, destroying 446 hectares. Singapore’s first boutique hotel opens in town Bay Hotel Ho Chi Minh has been put into service as Singapore’s first boutique hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Based on the success of its sister property Bay Hotel Singapore, the 251-room hotel in District 1 is expected to impress business travelers with a boutique service philosophy and urbanites’ comfort. The 16-storey hotel is contemporarily designed with a gamut of amenities and conveniences in all its rooms. To further enhance the guest experience, it offers complimentary wifi and replete with complimentary mini-bar with daily replenishment. The hotel has an Asian restaurant Chic, Propeller bar and rooftop swimming pool and gym powered by a panoramic vista of the beautiful city. The Bay Hotel Ho Chi Minh is located at 7 Ngo Van Nam Street in HCMC’s District 1. Work starts on US$490 mln tourism complex in Danang A Vietnamese developer has kicked off construction of a resort and entertainment complex in the central city Danang at an estimated cost of nearly VND11 trillion (US$490.6 million). Described as being inspired by Las Vegas, the famous resort city in the US, the 31-hectare Cocobay will have two hotels, a beach club, restaurants and both indoor and outdoor theaters, news website VnExpress said. Its first stage will be ready next year. The developer Empire Group was spun off from Thanh Do Construction and Development JSC earlier this year, according to the company's website. Thanh Do is best known for the Ho Tay Water Park in Hanoi and the resort NamAn Retreat in Danang. Official figures show that Danang attracted 1.04 million tourists in the first three months, up 19.6% year-on-year, 35% of whom were foreigners. Vinawaco removed from poor contractors list The Việt Nam Waterway Construction Corporation (Vinawaco) has been removed from the list of 26 poor contractors ranked by the Ministry of Transport. Earlier, the ministry announced the list of contractors who had failed to meet construction requirements. According to the head of Vinawaco, Ngô Văn Tuấn, there were some mistake during the assessment process of the ministry and related agencies while the corporation was carrying out the project of upgrading the waterway for heavy ships entering the Hậu River. The corporation was removed from the blacklist 10 days after the announcement. The assessment is conducted every year to prevent non-performing contractors from getting more bids. Last year also, four contractors were removed from the blacklist following the announcement. Toyota launches first national awards ceremony Toyota Motor Việt Nam (TMV) and the Ministry of Education and Training’s Department of Primary Education held the first national awards ceremony for excellent primary school children participating in the Dream Car Art Contest in Hà Nội on Saturday. During the 2015-16 school year, organisers selected 124 outstanding artworks from nearly 600,000 paintings submitted by primary students nationwide. Awards include 10 first, 10 second, 34 third, and 70 consolation prizes, worth VNĐ218 million (US$9,700) in total. Organisers will now select nine of the 124 best artworks to compete in an international contest in Japan. The nine top prizewinners will be invited to visit Japan in August. More than 2.3 milllion artworks had been sent to organisers by Vietnamese primary children since Toyota’s Dream Car Contest launched five years ago. VN Culture Days open in Moscow An extravagant art show by Vietnamese performers opened the Vietnamese Culture Days festival in Moscow yesterday. The show comprises performances by the Việt Nam National Opera and Ballet and traditional orchestra from the Việt Nam National Academy of Music. “Russian spectators will enjoy melodies and dances which depict modern life,” People’s Artist Phạm Anh Phương, director of the show, said. “I hope the spectators will feel the love for life and the desire for peace and happiness of the Vietnamese people.” “We know Russia is a country with developed art and the Russian spectators are highly educated. The Vietnamese repertoire is selected carefully to showcase the quintessence of the local art,” Phương said. Vietnamese artists will perform Russian folk songs and dances showing Vietnamese regard for the Russian people. The event is being held jointly by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Việt Nam and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation from June 4 to 12. A wide range of activities will be held during the event, including art performances, a silk paintings exhibition, talks on literature, a photo exhibition and the screening of Vietnamese films. The highlight of the event will be the introduction of some 35 silk paintings by Vietnamese artists at the first ever exhibition of Vietnamese silk paintings in Russia. “The collection by the Việt Nam Museum of Fine Arts will show the skill involved in silk paintings,” Nguyễn Trùng Khánh, head of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s International Co-operation Department, said. “Silk painting is a product of eastern countries, including Việt Nam, where people breed the silkworm. The typical characteristics of silk paintings are their softness and purity. I think the silk painting exhibition will give Russians a chance to have a profound understanding of Vietnamese culture.” The event, which is part of the regular cultural co-operation between Việt Nam and Russia, offers a chance for people of both countries to gain a deeper understanding of each other’s cultural identity and artistic heritage. Việt Nam and Russia have maintained the organisation of Cultural Days with an aim to help further strengthen the comprehensive relationship between the two countries and their people. The art show will also be held in Volgograd City on June 9. A seminar is expected to be held with officers and representatives of the Vietnamese and Russian tourism companies to promote tourism between the two countries. Hải Dương school claims U-13 students’ Yamaha Cup Trần Hưng Đạo Secondary School defeated Eatu Secondary School 2-0 to claim the Yamaha Cup prize at the second football festival for U-13 students, in Đắk Lắk Province on Sunday. Trần Hưng Đạo from Hải Dương entered the final after four wins from the group round and the knock-out stage. They dominated the game against the host team and scored two goals through striker Quốc Việt. Nguyễn Thị Định from HCM City and Nguyễn Lương Bằng of Đà Nẵng shared third place. Former champions Ngọc Lâm from Hà Nội won the fair-play award. Trần Hưng Đạo’s Phạm Đức Sơn was voted best player, Nguyễn Văn Trường (Eatu) and Quốc Vinh (Nguyễn Thị Định) were best scorers with seven goals, and Yjo Ni Bya (Eatu) was best goalkeeper. The organisers will select a team of 16 members to tour Japan in a week where they will take part in friendly matches against local teams in August. The festival, co-organised by Thiếu Niên Tiền Phong (Youth Pioneers) newspaper and Thể Thao 24h Joinstock Company, is part of a Yamaha programme titled “For the Future of Việt Nam Football”. VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri