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The Special Toyota Concert 2018 will take place at the Vietnam National Academy of Music in Hanoi on July 13 as part of activities to mark the 45th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties.
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Illustrative
image (Source: VNA)
The programme will be jointly organised by Toyota Motor Vietnam
and the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO), aiming to enhance culture
and music exchange between the two countries.
The concert will be conducted by Japanese conductor Testuji Honna and feature
performances by talented cello soloist Miyata Dai of Japan and Vietnamese
artists.
This is the 21st edition of the annual Toyota Concert funded by Toyota Vietnam
Foundation, which was first held in 1998.
Vietnam - Japan bilateral relationship is now at its best time in history since
the establishment of diplomatic relationship 45 years ago. Senior leaders of
the two sides have maintained regular visits and meetings at international and
regional forums.
Japan has been the leading economic partner of Vietnam, with two-way
trade revenue reaching 33.4 billion USD in 2017, a rise of 16.8 percent over
2016. In the first three months of 2018, the figure reached 8.7 billion USD, up
15.7 percent over the same period last year.
In 2017, Japanese investment in Vietnam hit a record high at 9.11 billion
USD, making it the biggest investor in Vietnam. As of March 2018, Japan has run
3,693 FDI projects in Vietnam worth 49.839 billion USD, ranking second in 116
countries and territories investing in Vietnam.
So far, Japan has been the biggest ODA provider of Vietnam, focusing on
infrastructure building, competitiveness enhancement, high-quality human
resource training and climate change, greatly contributing to Vietnam’s
socio-economic development.
Bilateral partnership in security-defence, agriculture, education-training, and
labour have also been fruitful. People-to-people exchange, cultural and tourism
affiliation have seen strong development.
Source: VNA
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.
The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.
For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.
Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.
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