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At the press meeting (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Vietnam-France project on heritage preservation successful

The French Embassy held a press meeting in Hanoi on June 3 to announce the results of a project named “Share and Preserve Vietnam's Heritage”.

The 2022-2024 project, funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects and initiated by the French Embassy in Vietnam’s Cultural Cooperation and Operations Department, aims to meet the needs of Vietnamese partners and foster cooperation with French museums.

Speaking at the event, French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet highlighted the significance of the project with a budget of some 600,000 EUR (667,000 USD) over a period of two years. More than 200 officials from 20 Vietnamese heritage units have benefited from the project.

He further hinted at the project's potential to pave the way for future collaborations as early as 2025, cited VNA.

The project consists of three main components, including developing training courses in the field of conservation and valorisation of heritage in Vietnam, enhancing the capacity of Vietnamese museum officials and three pilot projects in three locations in Vietnam, namely renovation of the visitor center of Cuc Phuong National Park - the first national park in Vietnam in the northern province of Ninh Binh, support of the content display at the education and communication center of Cu Lao Cham Biosphere Reserve in the central province of Quang Nam, and design and production of storytelling tools using sound called "Storytelling Box" for museums in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnamese painting by renowned artist set to be auctioned in France

The masterpiece “Nguoi hat dan ca” (Les Chanteuses de Campagne) created by renowned painter of Vietnam Nguyen Phan Chanh is set to be put on sale on June 14 in Paris, France, as part of Arts d'Asie: Sotheby's Auction.

The painting will go on display at the "Arts of Asia" exhibition run by Sotheby’s in Paris from June 8 to 13 that features a rich collection of paintings, ceramics, sculptures, and jade from across Asia.

The oil-on-canvas piece measuring 90.5 x 102.5cm was completed in 1930 when Chanh graduated from the first class of the Indochina Fine Arts School in Hanoi.

It portrays two women of modest means in a candid moment rooted in earthy tones. This composition, reflecting the painter’s focus on authentic action through aesthetic novelty, offers viewers a poignant glimpse into everyday life during the early 20th-century in Vietnam, according to Sotheby’s, according to VOV.

“Nguoi hat dan ca” (Les Chanteuses de Campagne) created by renowned painter Nguyen Phan Chanh.

Chanh’s artwork is being offered by Sotheby's with an estimated high price of EUR900,000.

Nguyen Phan Chanh was born in 1892 in the central province of Ha Tinh. He began his study in Hue and then moved to study in Hanoi in 1925 as part of the first cohort of students at the newly established École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine, alongside other Vietnamese painters such as Mai Trung Thu and Le Pho.

Moving forward to 1929, his work was displayed at the Salon de l'art colonial exhibition in Paris, marking an important milestone in his career.

In total, he created over 170 pieces and some were auctioned at high prices. At Christie’s auction in 2020, his piece “Nhung co tho may” was valued at US$1.39 million.

Deputy Defense Minister busy on Shangri-La Dialogue sidelines

Deputy Minister of National Defense Hoang Xuan Chien had bilateral meetings with foreign officials on the sidelines of the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore from May 31 to June 2.

Meeting with Permanent Secretary of the Singaporean Ministry of National Defense Chan Heng Kee, Hoang urged the two sides to promote the agreements reached since the two countries' defense policy dialogue in 2023 and step up cooperation in personnel training, search and rescue, and digital transformation.

He also suggested extension of the working period of Vietnam's liaison offers at Singapore's Information Fusion Center (IFC).

Chan took in the Vietnamese side's proposals and said Singapore would discuss the details in the coming days.

At the meeting with Dr Bastian Giegerich, Director-General and Chief Executive of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) – organizer of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Hoang highly valued the dialogue's role in regional security and safety, affirming Vietnam will continue participating in this event.

Hoang suggested the IISS-Asia office, based in Singapore, to enhance cooperation in research and academic exchanges with research units of Vietnam, including the Institute for Defense Strategy.

Dr Bastian Giegerich agreed with the opinions and asked the two sides to discuss these cooperation activities in the future.

Deputy Minister Hoang Xuan Chien at the meeting with Permanent Secretary of the Singaporean Ministry of National Defense Chan Heng Kee. Photo: VNA

During the visit to Singapore, Hoang visited the IFC at Changi Naval Base and encouraged the Vietnam People's Army liaison officers working there.

Vietnam has deployed 22 officers to work at the IFC center. Vietnamese officers are highly appreciated for the quality of their duties, VGP reported.

Hoang and IFC leaders also looked into the center's structure and tasks and the possibility of exchanging maritime information in the future.

At the Shangri-La Dialogue 2024, Commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard Le Quang Dao delivered a speech themed "Maritime Law Enforcement and Building Confidence" at a session on June 1 afternoon.

He held that security, order, and safety in sea areas have continued to face many traditional and non-traditional security challenges, which require international cooperation to be enhanced to address these challenges. He stressed that building trust is essential to the success of international cooperation.

The commander called on countries to strengthen their cooperation further on the basis of international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and countries' laws to implement the documents they have joined or signed more effectively and substantively.

On the dialogue's sidelines, Commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard Le Quang Dao also met with Seguchi Yoshio, Vice Commandant of the Japan Coast Guard.

Vietnamese-funded secondary school inaugurated in Laos

A secondary school built with a non-refundable grant from the Vietnamese Government has been inaugurated in Houameuang district in the northern Lao province of Houaphanh.

Jointly implemented by the authorities of Vietnam’s Hoa Binh province and Houaphanh, the project cost close to VND156.23 billion (US$6.25 million), of which Vietnam’s funding amounted to VND126.6 billion.

Speaking at a June 3 ceremony to inaugurate the facility and transfer it to the Lao side, Secretary of the Hoa Binh Party Committee Nguyen Phi Long said the project aims to improve the quality of education and human resources in the district, cited VNA.

Delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate and hand over the secondary school in Houameuang district in the northern Lao province of Houaphanh (Photo: VNA)

Standing Vice Chairman of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee Viengsavanh Vilayphone expressed his gratitude for comprehensive assistance given to Laos and its localities by the Vietnamese Party, State and people so far. The support covers the building of educational infrastructure, serving the growth of Laos’ younger generation.

Workshop discusses offshore wind power development in southern Vietnam

The administration of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province and the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam co-hosted a workshop on June 3 to share knowledge of offshore wind power development in the locality.

Addressing the workshop, Nguyen Cong Vinh, vice chairman of the provincial administration, emphasized that the development of renewable energy, including offshore wind power, is considered one of the key breakthrough solutions for energy conversion whilst also ensuring national energy security.

It is also one of the major goals in the province’s plan for the 2021 - 2030 period with a vision towards 2050, as approved by the Prime Minister, he said.

According to the official, the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has a lot of potential to develop offshore wind power and form an inter-regional renewable energy industrial and service center. Therefore, developing renewable energy is one of the key tasks to ensure socio-economic development, defense and security of the province and the entire Southeast region in the coming years.

At the workshop, Danish and Vietnamese experts analyzed challenges faced in offshore wind power development, shared experiences and examined key issues regarding the development of offshore wind power projects.

Nguyen Cong Vinh, vice chairman of the Ba Ria Vung Tau People's Committee speaks at the event.

Furthermore, they also discussed support policies, feasibility, and the efficiency of energy projects to ensure the competitiveness and sustainability of offshore wind power projects.

Stuart Livesey, general director of Copenhagen Offshore Partners Vietnam, shared that seaports represent an important investment sphere to serve the assembly of various equipment and components on a large scale.

He noted that it is expected to create a wealth of opportunities to upgrade port infrastructure, not only serving the offshore wind power industry but also for other types of marine energy industries.

At the workshop, business representatives and investors also recommended that relevant ministries and agencies move to swiftly issue policies to create favorable conditions for them to develop this industry.

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