As the year 2018 is coming to an end, let's look at what were under the spotlight. Here are some of the outstanding events in culture and tourism voted by the Vietnam News.

1. Beauties shine

Vietnamese beauties were honoured in the world. For the first time, Miss Việt Nam H’Hen Niê made it into the top five in the Miss Universe 2018 competition. The top five is the furthest Việt Nam has ever achieved at the Miss Universe beauty pageant. Nguyễn Phương Khánh was crowned Miss Earth 2018. She was the first woman from Việt Nam to win the prize since the pageant began in 2001.

Miss Việt Nam H’Hen Niê made it into the top five in the Miss Universe 2018 competition. — Photo toquoc.vn

Nguyễn Hương Giang won at the Miss International Queen held in Thailand at one of the world’s top beauty pageants for transgender women. Việt Nam’s representative, Vương Ngọc Loan, beat 30 other contestants from around the world to take the crown in the final round of Mrs International 2018 held in Singapore.

2. Big day for James

James Kopenec from the US receives a certificate showing he is the fifteen-millionth international tourist to Việt Nam. — VNS Photo Minh Thu

Vietnamese tourism received the 15-millionth international visitor, James Kopenec from Arizona, in the US. He praised Việt Nam as a wonderful country, saying it exceeded his expectations. Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Ngọc Thiện said receiving 15 million international tourists was a milestone for the nation’s tourism industry.

This year, Việt Nam also won big at the World Travel Awards. The country was named Asia’s Leading Destination. InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort became Asia’s Leading Green Resort, Asia’s Leading Luxury Resort, and Asia’s Leading Luxury Wedding Resort. Vietnam Airlines, the national flag carrier was named as Asia’s Leading Airline - Premium Economy Class 2018.

3. Mapping out the past

A page of Hoàng Hoa Sứ Trình Đồ. — Photo thethaovanhoa.vn

Hoàng Hoa Sứ Trình Đồ (The Envoyship Journeys to China – literally translated as maps and itinerary of the envoy’s journey to China) were officially recognised as a heritage Memory of the World at the 2018 General Meeting of UNESCO’s Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP). The historical maps dating back to the 18th century recorded the diplomatic relationship between Việt Nam and China.

4. UNESCO recognition

UNESCO recognised Non Nước Cao Bằng Geopark in the northern border province of Cao Bằng as a global geopark. The 3,000sq.km-wide geopark is about 300km from Hà Nội. It is home to fossils, ocean sediment, volcanic rocks, minerals and karst landscapes, which can give researchers insight into the 500 million years of the earth’s history. The site includes famous destinations such as Thang Hen Lake, Phia Oắc ecological site and Ngườm Ngao Cave, with rich biopersity.

UNESCO recognised Non Nước Cao Bằng Geopark in the northern border province of Cao Bằng as a global geopark. — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Đức Thành

Various cultural festivals were held to preserve and promote unique cultural heritage including a ceremony held in Bình Định Province for the formal reception of UNESCO recognition of bài chòi art (half-game half-theatre performance) as an item of world intangible cultural heritage. Huế Festival 2018 presented stage shows and cultural activities performed by artists from 20 countries and territories including Việt Nam. The Highlands Gong Culture Festival presented performances from more than 1,000 artists. Gongs symbolising wealth and power to local people, were played during most rituals and ceremonies. The gong culture in Tây Nguyên was recognised as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritages of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.

Hà Nội International Film Festival (HANIFF) 2018 broke a record with 500 international and Vietnamese films screened for free. Iranian film The Dark Room, directed by Rouhollah Hejazi, won the Best Feature-length Film Award at the festival. HANIFF also received famous actors, actresses and filmmakers all over the world. With the theme "Cinema – Integration and Sustainable Development", the festival aims to honour outstanding cinematographic works with high artistic and humanistic values and creativity while encouraging new movie talents.

5. Big screen record

Australian actor/producer David Wenham and Hà Thục Vân, director of Red Bridge Film Services Company are seen at the opening ceremony of HANIF. — VNS Photo Lê Hiếu

Hà Nội International Film Festival (HANIFF) 2018 broke a record with 500 international and Vietnamese films screened for free. Iranian film The Dark Room, directed by Rouhollah Hejazi, won the Best Feature-length Film Award at the festival. HANIFF also received famous actors, actresses and filmmakers all over the world. With the theme "Cinema – Integration and Sustainable Development", the festival aims to honour outstanding cinematographic works with high artistic and humanistic values and creativity while encouraging new movie talents.

6. Fine foods

Việt Nam hosted the Asian food and culture festival for the first time named Mon Asian Food Festival (MAFF 2018) to feature the quintessence and persity of cuisine and cultural characteristics of Asian countries.

The first Asian Food and Culture Festival was held on April 20-22 in Hà Nội and April 27-29 in Quảng Ninh Province. — File Photo

The festival took place from April 20- 22, 2018 at Mon City Mỹ Đình (Hà Nội) and April 27-29, 2018 at October 30 Square, Hạ Long City (Quảng Ninh Province).

The event gathered the attendances of ambassadors of gastronomy, tourism, art troupes from Việt Nam and other Asian countries including Japan, the Republic of Korea, Myanmar as well as many Vietnamese and international artists and culinary experts.

The event attracted 500,000 visitors in Hạ Long City and 30,000 visitors per day in Hà Nội.

7. Opera anniversary

This year marks 100th anniversary of southern reformed opera art, which is the convergence of southern Vietnamese folk songs, classical music, tuồng (traditional opera) and modern spoken drama. — Photo vietbao.vn

This year marks the 100^th anniversary of southern reformed opera art, which is the collection of southern Vietnamese folk songs, classical music, tuồng (traditional opera) and modern spoken drama.

A month-long programme was launched earlier this month to celebrate the anniversary with various activities like an exhibition showcasing costumes, accessories, props like swords, bows and spears, and portraits of talented Vietnamese cải lương artists on December 17-19 at Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương Theatre on Trần Hưng Đạo Street in District 1.

All the exhibits will be displayed on Nguyễn Huệ Pedestrian Street in District 1 from January 10-14.

A four-hour gala will be held at Nguyễn Huệ Pedestrian Street on January 13 to honour cải lương artists, backstage workers and journalists, who have contributed to the art’s development.

The event will feature 400 veteran and young performers and musicians and 100 dancers, who will tell stories about the art’s establishment and development.

On the follwoing day, there will be a performance at Nguyễn Huệ, presenting famous cải lương excerpts from Thái Hậu Dương Vân Nga (Queen Mother Dương Vân Nga), Chiến Binh (The Soldier), and Rạng Ngọc Côn Sơn (Pearl in Côn Sơn).

The HCM City municipal People’s Committee will organise a meeting between the city’s leaders with cải lương artists and theatre artists at the People’s Committee’s headquarter on January 19./.

( VNF/VNA )