(VOVworld) - 7 kilometers from Hòa Bình city center and 70 kilometers north of Hanoi stands the Muong Ethnic Group Cultural Space Museum, the first private museum in Hoa Binh province, and the only museum in Vietnam devoted to Muong culture. VOV’s Tô Tuấn reports:

(VOVworld) - There are almost 150 ancient communal houses in the central province of Thua Thien Hue. These places are not only of great architectural and historical value, but also house many ancient documents, revealing how Vietnamese people in central Vietnam settled and developed. A lot of attention has been paid to preserving and restoring these precious ancient documents.

(VOVworld) – “Family, Friends, and Country” is the title of a memoir by former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh, recently released nationwide. The 400-page book consists of 14 chapters about her childhood and career as a revolutionary and, a diplomat who led the Vietnamese negotiating team for Paris Peace Accord signed in 1973. Lan Anh has more…..

(VOVworld) - Mother Goddess Worship and trance rituals (or “hầu đồng”) are traditional religious practices in Vietnam, with the latter considered an art performance combined with music, singing, and dancing. Mother Goddess Worship and trance rituals, with their special cultural values, have stood the test of time and are part of the Vietnamese cultural heritages. Vietnam is completeing its dossiers for UNESCO recognition of these two rituals as intangible cultural heritage of humanity by 2013. Tô Tuấn reports…

(VOVworld) – An exhibition entitled “Vietnam’s Maritime Cultural Heritage” took place at the National Museum of Vietnamese History in Hanoi at the end of May. On display were 300 exhibits as evidences of Vietnam’s significant contribution to the development of the international marinetime trading system and its sovereignty over its waters and islands. Vĩnh Phong reports…

(VOVworld) - Among the many traditional festivals of Khmer ethnic people in Soc Trang province, the Ooc Om Boc Festival and Ngo boat races are the most significant, annually held at the year end. The events are an ideal venue for local people to enjoy a wide range of entertainment activities after a hard-working year. The festival boat race originates from warships used to fight invaders in the past. Lan Anh reports…

(VOVworld) - The collection of woodblocks found in Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, Bac Giang Province has been officially recognized as a World Documentary Heritage by UNESCO at its recent conference in Bangkok. This is the third time Vietnam has been honored in this way after the Nguyen dynasty woodblocks and steles at the Temple of Literature.

(VOVworld) - Visitors to Hoi An not only have the chance to explore the ancient town but can also listen to folk music typical of the central province of Quang Nam. On a trip to Hoi An, John Haward, the owner of a Dutch tourist company, said that it’s very interesting going to folk music concerts in Hoi An, whether they are free or not. The uniqueness of the shows lies in their simplicity, as each street corner can become a stage. Lan Anh reports…

(VOVworld) - Saint Giong, one of Vietnam’s four immortals, was proclaimed as Phu Dong Thien Vuong or The Heaven Sent King of Phu Dong Village by one of the Hung Kings, who then ordered people to build a temple to worship him in his hometown. Although the Giong Festival is celebrated across Vietnam to commemorate a national hero, the Phu Dong village festival is second to none. The festival celebrates the Vietnamese people’s determination to repel all invaders while expressing their hope for peace and propserity.

(VOVworld) - Hanoi residents were treated to colorful performances and exhibitions last week featuring the cultures of northwestern Vietnam. Entitled "The Colors of the Northwestern Region", the show included a wide range of activities such as cultural and artistic exchanges, fashion shows and traditional folk games of people from Son La, Hoa Binh, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai province. Lan Anh reports….