Vietnam and US Hold 12th Human Rights Dialogue

Vietnam and the US had a frank discussion on democracy and human rights at the 12th round of their human right dialogues.

Present at the dialogue in Washington D.C on April 24 were Pham Binh Minh, Assistant to the Vietnamese Foreign Minister, and B. F. Lowenkron, US Assistant Secretary of State.

HCM City Buddhist Sangha Convenes 7th Congress

More than 2,500 Buddhist dignitaries, monks and nuns attended the 7th Congress of the Ho Chi Minh City Buddhist Sangha, which was held at Pho Quang Pagoda from April 24-26.

The congress also saw the attendance of representatives from Buddhist Sanghas of 34 provinces and cities and other religions in the country.

Speaking at the plenary session on April 26, Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Head of the Executive Board of the Ho Chi Minh City Buddhist Sangha, emphasised the need to reform activities of the Sangha under the motto of “Dharma-Nation-Socialism.”

US Film Week in Vietnam to be Launched in May

Vietnamese filmgoers will be regaled with eight US films which are expected to be on screens in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City from May 3-10. The US films, to be showed at the National Cinema in Ha Noi and the Galaxy Nguyen Trai Cinema in Ho Chi Minh City, range from social-psychological to science-fiction genres. They include “The quiet America”, “Ice Age 1”, “Erin Brockovich”, “Aliens”, “Children of Men” and “L.A Confidential”.

Viet Nam to showcase 11 folk art genres at Smithsonian Festival

The Ministry of Culture and Information has chosen 11 cultural genres to be displayed at the 2007 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, in the US, in late June.

A delegation of 52 members, including 39 folk artists and artisans, will participate in the festival, which will take place from June 23-July 9.

Vietnamese Classical Opera Will Play at US Festival

A traditional Vietnamese opera troupe from the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long will represent Vietnam at the 2007 Smithsonian Folk Life Festival in the US this June. hatboi_111_07.jpg

American Veteran to Play Music for Vietnam War victims

Veteran Gary Canant, famous author of over 200 letters to his wife Maxie during the Vietnam War, arrived in Hanoi Monday on a nine-day trip during which he will play the bugle in memory of war victims.
Accompanying him was Maxie and his son Kevin, who served in Iraq in 2003-04.
Maxie said: “Our trip to Vietnam this time aims to commemorate the deaths. And we want to say we hate war.”Gary_Canant_101_07.jpg

Beauty Pageant for Vietnam Diaspora Launched

A group of Vietnamese media outlets and a tourism company plan to bring together outstanding beauties of Vietnamese descent living around the world for a beauty pageant.
Organized by Thanh Nien, Tien Phong newspaper, and Vietnamese Television newspaper, and Vinpearl Tourism and Trade Stock Company, the Global Vietnamese pageant appealed Thursday to daughters and granddaughters of Vietnamese people who can speak Vietnamese.

Supportive Body Founded to Boost Vietnam-US BTA

The Prime Minister has decided to set up a steering board of a technical support programme to implement the Vietnam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) for the 2007-2010 period.

Vice Chairman of the Government Office Nguyen Quoc Huy has been appointed to be the board's chairman.

The steering board was assigned to discuss with the US side detailed content on the technical support programme to implement the BTA, pertaining bilateral agreements and commitments within the framework of the World Trade Organisation during the 2007-2011 period.

Zen Master’s Return Symbolises Religious Freedom In Viet Nam

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s second trip to Viet Nam in recent months is evidence that the country is a place of free and diverse religions.

Nguyen The Doanh, leader of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs said in an exclusive interview with Viet Nam News Agency.

“It is also proof of warm feeling among peers and compatriots, both at home and abroad,” he added.

Vietnamese, RoK Veterans Join In Fight for Agent Orange Victims

Veterans from Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) who once stood on opposing sides of the American war more than thirty years ago, are now cooperating in an effort to aid the victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin sprayed in Viet Nam by the US army.

A delegation from the Viet Nam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA), led by Vice Chairman Do Xuan Dien, visited the RoK on April 9, to gain insights into its experiences in conducting lawsuits against the US chemical companies.

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