Back to English Comments Life - February 15, 2019 | 08:15 am GMT+7 Despite some basic, irreconcilable differences with Vietnamese traditions, Hanoi’s Muslim community manages to practice its faith in harmony. Every Friday noon, the sidewalk on Hang Luoc Street is crowded with vehicles.It is prayer time, and around 300 faithful Muslims from Hanoi and surrounding areas gather to pray at Al-Noor, the only mosque in northern Vietnam, which has been built for over a century.The small mosque has typical Islamic architectural features, including a dome, curved doors and pointed towers.The small prayer room cannot accommodate all the followers, so many woolen carpets are placed in the yard for people to kneel down in rows.A small communityThere are an estimated 72,000 Muslims across Vietnam, according to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs."For Muslims who are originally from Hanoi, there are around 100 people. There are more than 300 foreign Muslims (in the capital … [Read more...] about Hanoi Muslims keep their faith in consonance with Vietnamese traditions – VnExpress International
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Northern Vietnam festival reveres seniors
On the seventh day of the first lunar month every year, people in Quang Yen town in Quang Ninh Province, 153 km east of Hanoi, carry seniors aged 80-100 in hammocks and cyclos in a procession to the town's Tien Cong Temple for an ancestor worship ritual. According to historical accounts, hundreds of years ago, some fishermen came and settled down in the island of Ha Nam in what is today Quang Yen town. They relied on high mounds to dry their fishing nets. At the beginning of the 15th century six groups of people came to fish in the sea and grow rice, founding villages on Ha Nam island. Ceremoniously taking the elders to the temple is an act of gratitude to those settlers. In the early morning households with people aged above 80 organize a ritual with the entire family present. Once the procession begins, it moves very slowly. Tien Cong Temple is only 500 meters away, but it takes nearly three hours to reach it. Leading the group is a lion dance team with its beautiful … [Read more...] about Northern Vietnam festival reveres seniors
Free cooking school opens in Hà Nội
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI - A free cooking school has opened at Artemis building, No 3 Lê Trọng Tấn Street, Thanh Xuân District in Hà Nội. "The Ajinomoto Cooking Studio has been opened to encourage people's passion for cooking, through which one can enhance the nutritional intake and health of one's family and stay happy," said Hiroharu Motohashi, general director of the centre. The dishes cooked at the centre have been newly designed, and are divided into four groups: dishes for people who love cooking; dishes for mothers with small babies (under five years); dishes for couples (newly weds and nearly weds); and dishes for families with children from 6 to 11 years. All cooking ingredients will be supplied by the centre, and each class will have a maximum of 12 to 14 students. The centre is calling for registrations for various courses to be held in June and July. For details, call 04 3 640 6688. - VNS … [Read more...] about Free cooking school opens in Hà Nội
China’s ’toilet revolution’ targets dirty lavatories
Authorities in China have installed or upgraded over 50,000 lavatories in a "national toilet revolution" designed to clean up filthy public restrooms. — AFP/VNA Photo Viet Nam News BEIJING — China is taking care of a pressing need: Authorities have installed or upgraded over 50,000 lavatories in a "national toilet revolution" designed to clean up filthy public restrooms. Relief is coming soon, and by the end of the year China expects to have added or upgraded a total of 71,000 toilets, well exceeding a target initially set in 2015. The plan to fix the country’s bad reputation for grimy and smelly facilities has focused on restrooms in tourist sites. In some places, shiny new toilets have replaced unhygienic open pits that offered little privacy. More sanitation workers have also been hired. The National Tourism Administration said in a report last Friday that almost 93 per cent of the target has been reached. "At tourist sites, visitors were angered by … [Read more...] about China’s ’toilet revolution’ targets dirty lavatories
Spotify agrees to fund to settle copyright suits
Music streaming leader Spotify has agreed to set up a US$43.45 million fund to settle a potentially costly pair of US copyright lawsuits from artists, lawyers say. — AFP/VNA Photo Viet Nam News NEW YORK — Music streaming leader Spotify has agreed to set up a US$43.45 million fund to settle a potentially costly pair of US copyright lawsuits from artists, lawyers said on Monday. The move marks the latest effort by the Swedish company to turn the page on messy disputes as it considers a public listing amid the soaring growth of streaming. The settlement would end lawsuits spearheaded by two indie songwriters who double as academics -- folk rock singer Melissa Ferrick and David Lowery, frontman of alternative rock bands Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven. The two had pursued class-action cases -- meaning a mass of musicians could claim payouts -- with Ferrick seeking US$200 million and Lowery asking for US$150 million. The artists had accused Spotify, which boasts of … [Read more...] about Spotify agrees to fund to settle copyright suits