A series of cultural and intellectual events, as part of Europe Days in Vietnam 2012, will take place in localities nationwide this month.

Ambassador and Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation in Vietnam, Dr. Franz Jessen on May 3 said this month’s highlight will be the Europe Day programme on May 9, to mark the 62nd anniversary of the historical speech, the “Schuman Declaration” in 1950, which served as a basis for the foundation of the EU.

It will be a chance for European countries to enhance relations with countries around the world, including Vietnam, he said.

An outstanding event will be a music concert staged by the popular Notos band from Germany at Hanoi Opera House and Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City Opera House on May 9-10. Free tickets are available at the Goethe Institute in Hanoi and HCM City from May 4.

Acapella performances staged by the UK band Black Voices will take place at Hanoi Opera House on May 21 and HCM City Opera House on May 20. Rock-electronic performances by Success band will follow at the French Cultural Centre in Hanoi on May 30.

At the Cactus Contemporary Art gallery in HCM City from May 12-26, an exhibition entitled “Riverscape in flux” will showcase artworks by 17 young artists from Southeast Asian countries, featuring ecological, economic, social and cultural changes that rivers flowing through countries in the region are experiencing.

Additionally, Vietnamese audiences will be able to enjoy European films, including Oscar winners and short films for children at the annual European film festival. More information is available at the website www.europe2012.com/Eufilmfestival.

Meanwhile, visitors to the second European literature days can learn about the diversity of traditional European culture, featured through books originally published in Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, UK, Denmark and Poland and now translated into Vietnamese, at the National Library in Hanoi from May 11-13.

European ambassadors will talk about Europe with Vietnamese students at Quy Nhon University in the central province of Binh Dinh on May 16, and at HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities and Foreign Trade University on May 17.

Students at universities nationwide will have a chance to take part in a contest about Europe with a round trip to Europe as first prize.

Regarding EU-Vietnam trade ties, enterprises in HCM City and the central province of Binh Dinh will seek insight into business at seminars on May 16 and May 18.

A round-table seminar entitled, “Can women play a better role in politics?” will bring together European and Vietnamese scholars to discuss women’s roles in family and social life. The event will take place in Hanoi on May 22 and in HCM City on May 29.

A European culinary festival and the third comics festival will also be held in Hanoi as part of Europe Days.

Source: VNA