Category: Sports

Colombo: A Vietnamese restaurant in Colombo, Sri Lanka on March 15 introduced Banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) for the first time on the occasion of its 10th anniversary.

Established in 2014, ‘Pho Vietnam’ – the first Vietnamese restaurant in Sri Lanka – has helped popularise Vietnamese cuisine to local people including pho (noodle soup served with beef or chicken), fresh spring rolls and fried spring rolls.

The restaurant owner, Phung Huyen Nga said although many Vietnamese and visitors to Vietnam like “banh mi”, few people in Sri Lanka know about this popular Vietnamese street food.

Together with ‘banh mi’, Nga’s restaurant also started to offer popular Vietnamese street drinks – lemon tea and iced milk coffee.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Ho Thi Thanh Truc on this occasion commended Nga in particular and the Vietnamese community in Sri Lanka in general for their efforts to promote Vietnamese cuisine.

Four Vietnamese restaurants have opened in Sri Lanka so far. The restaurants usually coordinate wit
h the embassy to hold cuisine promotional events on the occasion of Vietnam’s national celebrations including Vietnamese ‘Pho’ Day, Ho Chi Minh President’s birthday (May 19) or National Day (September 2).

On March 11, international food magazine Taste Atlas announced that its readers voted Vietnam’s popular “banh mi” as the best sandwich in the world with a rating of 4.6 out of 5, along with Turkey’s Tombik doner, a variety of kebabs./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: John Pellower, representing Meyer Sound Laboratories (USA) – the supplier of sound equipment for Broadway stages and theatres worldwide – shared insights about the Ho Guom Opera House during a recent visit to Hanoi.

Welcome back to Vietnam, sir. In December last year, Ho Guom Opera House was the only representative from Vietnam to be included in the top 10 best opera houses in the world on the 10 best website of the World Travel Awards organisation – WTA. What are your impressions of this achievement?

John Pellower: I believe this is truly great news not only for the Opera House but also for Hanoi as a whole. Despite being a relatively new construction, Ho Guom Opera House has received such remarkable recognition from a major global award organisation. It embodies all the elements of a world-class theater. I am delighted to hear this information.

Although newly established, Ho Guom Opera House has named with “icons” of the world such as the Metropolitan Opera (USA), Wiener Staatsoper (Austria), Sydn
ey Opera House (Australia)… in this award. What makes Ho Guom Opera House stand out and differ to achieve such success?

John Pellower: Ho Guom Opera House has standout features compared to the names on this award list. It is one of the theatres with the best equipment in the region, and even the world, from stage performance equipment to sound.

Meyer Sound takes pride in contributing to the reputation of Ho Guom Opera House with our PA System to amplify the sound of performances, and one of Meyer Sound’s most prominent sound systems is Constellation (an integrated system of speakers, microphones, digital processing, patented algorithms, and exclusive high-quality certification only available at Meyer Sound), allowing the acoustic characteristics of the auditorium to be altered to suit various types of performances. As a result, the audience will have the best music experience possible.

It is known that to create the best listening experience for the audience, the strong relationship between acoustics and
architecture cannot be overlooked. What is your assessment of this when building the sound system for Ho Guom Opera House?

John Pellower: The first thing we have to do with a theatre is to consider its architecture. We cannot change its appearance, so the crucial aspect lies in seamlessly integrating the sound system into the theater’s architecture in a way that the audience cannot see but can clearly perceive. And we also need to ensure that the theatre’s sound system can adapt to all types of performances.

Constellation can be said to be the most advanced sound system in the world currently being used at Ho Guom Opera House. Is there any more advanced system that Meyer Sound is planning to add to the opera house, sir?

John Pellower: When we first began implementing Constellation in theatres around the world in 2006, it marked the beginning of continuous development for this sound system.

We are in the process of preparing to introduce a completely new digital platform with optimised costs. The speaker s
ystem will be newly developed and larger. Accompanying this will be a smarter processing procedure. The development of Constellation is an ongoing process.

We are also working on improving the sound quality to integrate more harmoniously with the design of the opera house. Installation and operation consequently become easier with higher performance.

What is the biggest challenge in setting up and upgrading the theatre’s sound system? What have you and your colleagues done to find optimal solutions for these challenges?

John Pellower: Every theatre is different, and we have to have extensive discussions with management, consultants, and architects. We have to bring them all together to find a common goal, allowing the sound system to operate as efficiently as possible.

In your opinion, how has high-quality sound changed the evaluation of performances worldwide? And how has Meyer Sound’s sound elevated performances at Ho Guom Opera House to a new level?

John Pellower: With a good sound system, performance
s will become significantly better. If you don’t have good sound quality, how can you deliver a good performance? Therefore, I believe that sound is the key to the success of an opera house, concert hall, or any other building. And we have created various types of sound to adapt to different performances and different types of programmes.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Binh Dinh: A light show of 500 drones will be staged over Thi Nai Bay in Quy Nhon city of central Binh Dinh province on March 31 evening, as part of the Amazing Binh Dinh Fest.

Looneyestudio-Vinamatech, the organiser of the event, said that the performance will last for about 12 minutes, featuring 11 different images that honour the cultural beauty of the land and people of Binh Dinh.

The show will be operated by 20 engineers from the Looneyestudio-Vinamatech.

The event in Binh Dinh, which follows similar others in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Nha Trang beach city of central Khanh Hoa province, will be a party combining sound, light, and local culture in the night sky.

Within the framework of the Amazing Binh Dinh Fest, there will also be firework displays on the opening and closing nights, on March 22 and 31 respectively.

The week will also feature two international races, namely the UIM – ABP Aquabike World Championship and the UIM F1H2O World Championship Grand Prix of Binh Dinh, in addition
to a wide range of other culture, sports, food, and art events./

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Moscow: The Vietnamese Students’ Association in the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) held an event called “Bamboo Legend’ on March 16 to conclude the Vietnamese Culture Week 2024 at the university.

The event drew officials of the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, representatives of various Vietnamese associations in the country, and a large number of students from Vietnam, Russia, and other countries.

Addressing the event, Sololov Vyacheslav, head of the university’s student management division, said that this is a meaningful activity that helps promote the culture of Vietnam to international friends and contributes to fostering the friendship between Russia and Vietnam.

Mai Nguyen Tuyet Hoa, first Secretary for education at the Vietnamese Embassy, lauded the creativity of Vietnamese students at RUDN and their desire to popularise the nation and people of Vietnam to their peers from other countries.

The event highlighted the image of the Vietnamese bamboo through songs, dances, and other art pe
rformances

On the sidelines of the event, an exhibition of souvenirs and demonstrations of Viernamese folk games were also organised to give foreign students a deep insight into the Vietnamese culture./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: The international watercolour painting exhibition ‘Colours of Cultures’ – the largest of its kind in Vietnam so far – opened at Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) in Hanoi on March 16.

The event is an initiative of VietnamInAcquarello, a branch of the International Watercolour Museum – the world’s largest community of watercolour painters – based in Italy.

Within the framework of exhibition, 465 works by 60 artists from 22 countries and territories are put on show from March 16-24.

Polish Ambassador to Vietnam Aleksander Surdej said the role of art is highly valued as it is a universal language, transcending all boundaries, and uniting people.

Art can promote understanding and dialogues between cultures, he said, adding that through this, artists from around the world have come together to introduce the richness of traditional cultures as well as different perspectives.

Art lovers have a chance to directly follow the process of forming a watercolor painting and partly see the influence of cultures on
the choice of themes, designs, and styles of the artists.

Foreign painters will also engage in a Hanoi – Ninh Binh painting tour on March 18-20 to capture the beauty of Vietnamese landscapes, relic sites, and local livelihoods, helping popularise the country’s images, culture, and tourism./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: As many as 65 master chefs and culinary experts from across the country will join the Pho Festival 2024, which will take place in the northern province of Nam Dinh from March 15 – 17.

With various activities, the event is expected to offer an opportunity for visitors to enjoy the flavour of ‘pho’ (Vietnamese rice noodle soup) blended with regional cultures across the country, thus promoting the Vietnamese distinctive dish.

Chairwoman of the provincial Culinary Culture Association Le Thi Thiet said that the festival aims to highlight the diversity of ‘pho’ in many localities nationwide, such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nam Dinh, Lang Son, Ha Giang, Lam Dong, Quang Nam and Gia Lai.

On the first day of the event, both domestic and international tourists will have the opportunity to explore and savor the traditional pho of Van Cu Village in Nam Truc district. They will learn about the origin and development of the dish and directly participate in the cooking process.

The festival will gather more than
50 booths introducing the ingredients and seasonings to make ‘pho’, as well as packaged ‘pho’ products for export.

A talk show on the history and development of the craft making of ‘pho’, an exhibition space, and a writing contest on the dish will also be held on the occasion.

Notably, chefs will join hands to cook a giant pot that can serve 2,000 bowls of ‘pho’ to serve visitors to the festival.

The event will be jointly organised by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the provincial Culinary Culture Association, Masan Consumer Corporation, and Blue Vietnam Company Limited./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Lam Dong: For the first time in Vietnam, classical music has been taken out of theatres and auditoriums to make it easier for the public to access at a classical music festival held in Da Lat city, a UNESCO-recognised Creative City of Music, in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

The Vietnam Classical Music Festival, organised from March 10-17, is gathering renowned Vietnamese and international music troupes and artists such as Song Hong Ensemble, Schubert in a Mug and pianists Nguyen Duc Anh, Liao Hsin-Chiao (from China’s Taiwan) and Tim Allhoff (from Germany).

It is noteworthy that 17 shows in the framework of the festival are taking place in a wide range of places, from the art street campus to the hillside street art space or the ancient villa in the pine forest of Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort and Spa.

Pianist and composer Allhoff will conduct a workshop on the topics of art and creativity, promising to bring valuable insights to participants. The workshop will be held on March 16 from 3pm
-4pm.

Other workshops will be conducted by experts and musicians to introduce and discuss the local and international background of classical music. The String Ensemble Workshop and Masterclass will offer participants an opportunity to perform at the end of the course and showcase their new skills alongside established artists.

A grand final concert will be performed by the participating artists along with artists from the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra and Vietnam Youth Symphony Orchestra under the baton of conductor Phan Do Phuc at Da Lat Opera House.

Da Lat was recognised as a UNESCO Creative City of Music last October. The organisation of the classical music festival is expected to promote the city’s actions to preserve and develop different music genres./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Diego Giustozzi and his national team have begun their training camp for the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup, a Futsal World Cup qualifier, in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Argentinean coach named four keepers, four fixos (defenders), seven alas (midfielders) and four pivots (strikers). Most of them were familiar faces which served the national team in 2023, competing at the Asian championship qualification and local and international friendly matches.

Among them are the Golden Ball 2023 winner Pham Duc Hoa, Silver Ball holder Chau Doan Phat and Bronze Ball keeper Ho Van Y, along with veterans Tran Thai Huy , Nguyen Minh Tri, and top scorer of the current national championship Nguyen Thinh Phat.

The team will take part in an international tournament against world No 49 New Zealand, No 8 Morocco and No 7 Iran from March 28-31.

They then host Malaysia in a two-leg friendly match on April 6 and 8.

Giustozzi will finalise a team of 14 players on April 12.

The Cup will be organised from April 17-28 in Thailand. Vie
tnam are in Group A together with Myanmar, China and the hosts.

The top four finishers will qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024, which will take place between September 14 and October 6, marking the first time the global showpiece will be held in Central Asia.

Vietnam have set their sights on a semi-final place to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row.

Safe sheet

Former world top-10 goalkeeper Y said: ‘It is an important tournament where we vie for a World Cup place.

“We will have to train really hard and effectively so that we will be at our best at the Thai event.”

Speaking about Vietnam’s rivals in Group A, Y said: “Vietnam are said to be in an easy group but in fact all rivals in this round are strong.

“I played against all three before. World-class Thailand are really tough while China and Myanmar are at the same level as Vietnam.

“Personally, I will not care much about people’s opinion of Vietnam’s chances at the Asian Cup. I will respect all rivals. My job is t
o train hard and compete hard to show my ability on the pitch.”

Y is one of several players in the current team that took part in the Futsal World Cup 2021 where Vietnam exited in the Round of 16.

The 27-year-old keeper said it was great experience helping him gain confidence for future tournaments.

‘The Futsal World Cup 2021 helped me feel worry-free at major tournaments. Although the competition is different year after year but I think that if I believe in myself I can deliver my best.

“Playing at the World Cup is a pride of every player. I am thirsty to have a second chance at this event. But prior to that, I will be focused on the continental tournament.”/.

Source: Vietnam News Agency