Events celebrate ties with india
A series of events will take place this year to mark the 40th anniversary ofdiplomatic ties between the two countries and the 2012 Year of Friendship,announced Indian Ambassador to Viet Nam Ranjit Rae.
“President Ho and Prime Minister Nehru laid the foundationfor a very close and cordial relationship between the two countries,” said Rae.”The festivities during the Year of Friendship will provide further impetus tothe strong bonds between Viet Nam and India.”
A performance by 21 members of the Odissi Dance Troupe, ledby Sharmila Biswas launched the series of events on Thursday in Ha Noi. Thedancers will now move on to perform in Hai Phong, Da Nang and HCM City. Theywill also appear at the Hue Festival on April 7-15.
Next up will be a digital art exhibition entitled Kalpana(Imagination), on display in April and May.
The exhibition Masterpieces of Figurative IndianContemporary Paintings, will open with a ceremony on April 24 at the VietnameseCulture and Arts Exhibition Centre at 2 Hoa Lu Street in Ha Noi.
During the exhibition, Indian and Vietnamese painters willlead a joint workshop in Ha Noi, and the Indian painters will lecture at the HaNoi University of Fine Arts.
At mid-year, in a seminar on Champa linkages to Indianculture, six Indian and Vietnamese scholars will highlight the cultural tiesbetween the two nations.
“The linkages between India and Viet Nam through Champacivilisation are long-standing,” said Rae. “It was a unique confluence of twoancient and rich cultures.”
India will also grant US$3 million to assist Viet Nam inthe restoration and conservation of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at My Son, avestige of the Champa civilisation in the central province of QuangNam.
Researchers and archaeologists of the two countries haveworked together to specify the area to restore, and the project will be carriedout as soon as a memorandum of co-operation is signed this year, Raesaid.
Other events planned for this year include Indian foodfestivals in Ha Noi, HCM City and other major Vietnamese cities, which will alsoinclude peformances of Indian folk songs and dances, he said.
In August, the two countries will co-ordinate to present amultimedia exhibition on India-Viet Nam relations at the Ho Chi Minh Museum inHa Noi. The main aspects of the exhibition would focus on the friendship andinteraction between the great national leaders Pandit Jawahrlal Nehru and Ho ChiMinh, the development of diplomatic relations in the past 40 years, and anintroduction to India depicting various aspects of its culture, history andscience with the theme A Glimpse of India, Rae said.
An Indian Film Week will take place in several Vietnamesecities in September, giving Vietnamese audiences a chance to experience popularBollywood films.
The two sides also planned to open direct air routesbetween the two countries pursuant to a recent memorandum of understandingbetween Vietnam Airlines and Jet Airways, as well as open an Indian CulturalCentre in Ha Noi.
To mark the Year of Friendship, the Indian Government hasalso decided to double scholarships for Vietnamese students this year as well asfund several other education and training projects in Viet Nam, Rae said.
VNS
