(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….

(VOVworld)-The city of Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam, has a history of more than two thousand years. It is a city steeped in tradition, culture, and art, which is home to two globally recognized cultural heritages: the Hue Imperial City complex and Royal Court Music. VOV reporter Vinh Phong spotlights the city’s efforts to preserve its heritages.

(VOVworld)-The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced the list of nominations for the 4th Ho Chi Minh awards and the State awards for Literature and the Arts. Writer Ma Van Khang, who is famed for his many novels including “Summer Rain”, “The season of fallen leaves”, and “Alone in life”, was among the list, thanks to his significant contribution to the country’s literature.

(VOVworld)-Stories about the daily lives and unique culture of the Dao ethnic group of Nậm Búng commune in the northern province of Yen Bai are being recorded through thousands of images as part of the PhotoVoice project. Conducted by the Institute for Studies of Society Economy and Environment (ISEE), the project aims to help farmers and ethnic people throughout Vietnam use digital storytelling methods to represent themselves and help others see the world through their eyes.