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| Hanoi to kick off biggest promotion program on April 30 (Photo: VNA) |
The department said that major activities of the program will be organized in May, July, and November, with discount of up to 100%. The program expects the engagement of 1,000-2,000 businesses from all economic sectors.
It said that along with meeting shopping demands of locals, the program aims to provide chances for businesses to sell their products and reduce inventories, thus promoting production and business activities, contributing to boosting the city’s socio-economic development.
In November, the program will take place in all localities across the capital city, with about 800-1,000 venues. Various events have been planned within the program’s framework, including a Hanoi shopping festival and Hanoi Mega Sale events.
The highlight of the program in November is the Hanoi Midnight Sales 2024 and Black Friday events from November 29-30 with the involvement of 200 businesses, trade centres, supermarkets, and business facilities.
The program is expected to connect supply and demand, promote domestic consumption and boost sales revenue for businesses, thus increasing the retail sales of products and revenue.
Visit Vietnam Year, Ban Flower Festival 2024 kicks off in Dien Bien
The opening ceremony of the Visit Vietnam Year - Dien Bien and Ban (Bauhinia) Flower Festival 2024 took place in the northwestern province of Dien Bien on March 16 evening, drawing a large number of visitors, said the Vietnam News Agency.
Addressing the event, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Tran Quoc Cuong underlined that Dien Bien, the home of the glorious Dien Bien Phu Victory 70 years ago, has recorded many important achievements in socio-economic development and become a friendly and attractive tourist destination.
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An art performance at the opening ceremony of the Visit Vietnam Year - Dien Bien
and Ban (Bauhinia) Flower Festival 2024 (Photo: VNA) |
With various cultural, sports and tourism events planned throughout the year, Dien Bien hopes to welcome more visitors from localities across the country and foreign friends, and clinch a position in the domestic and international tourism map.
For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha affirmed that the theme of the Visit Vietnam Year 2024 - Glorious Dien Bien Phu- Infinite Experiences – was built upon the heroic resonance of the victory, along with the majestic nature of the borderland region and the iconic image of the Ban flower.
Ban flower, which leaves a strong imprint in the cultural and spiritual life of the community in the northwestern region, is the symbol of eternal love, showing their dream of everlasting happiness, he noted.
He called for localities to give active response to the Visit Vietnam Year 2024, and advised Dien Bien to roll out concerted measures in planning and investment attraction to create unique tourism products in association with the development of community-based tourism to promote the cultural identity of local ethnic minority groups.
Every citizen needs to become a cultural ambassador with the responsibility to preserve and protect the environment and landscapes, as they are the source of life for today and the future, he stressed.
Following the opening ceremony was an artistic programme themed Visiting the Land of Ban Flowers, a highlight of of National Tourism Year and the Ban Flower Festival.
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Ban flowers - a symbol of Thai women and the Northwestern mountainous region.
(Photo: VNA)
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The spectacular programme utilised various theatrical elements such as music, dance, and stage performances, accompanied by artistic narration and multimedia presentations including video clips, 3D and 4D visual art, laser projections, and fireworks. Particularly, it incorporated the use of innovative technology like fly cameras to create novel and captivating effects for the audience.
Held from March 16 to 18, the Ban Flower Festival boasts a diverse lineup of activities, including the U Va Legend open-air show, sport competitions, exhibition of local specialties and craft village products, traditional art performances and traditional ethnic costumes showcase.
A national symposium on Dien Bien potential and advantages for sustainable tourism development and the Sparkling Ban Flower Land photo contest will also be held within the event's framework.
Vietnam’s largest-ever watercolour painting exhibition opens in 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, said the Vietnam News Agency.
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.
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| Visitors to the exhibition in the Temple of Literature in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) |
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.
Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship – Viettel 2024 opens in Hanoi
More than 2,000 Vietnamese candidates joined the national qualifying round of the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship (MOSWC) in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang after its opening ceremony was held in Hanoi on March 17, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
The MOSWC 2024 has two exam versions, the Microsoft Office 2019 and Microsoft 365 Apps. In each version, candidates will take three exams in Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. After the national round, six best candidates will become MOS Vietnam Ambassadors to participate in the world finals set to take place at the end of July 2024 in Anaheim, California, US.
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| Candidates take part in the MOSWC in Hanoi. (Photo: doanthanhnien.vn) |
At the national qualifying round, there will be one first, three second, five third, and 12 consolation prizes, along with one promising prize given to the youngest candidate in each exam.
Especially, this year, scholarships will be given to candidates from disadvantaged areas in Vietnam for their efforts to overcome difficulties and excel in information technology.
MOSWC is an international competition organised annually by the US’s Certiport Group for students aged 13 - 22 to find and honour the world’s best IT talents in using office IT applications.
Vietnam first had candidates in 2010 and has bagged medals for 12 consecutive years with four gold, four silver, and 12 bronze./.