HA NOI (VNS)-The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announces the outstanding events in culture, sport and tourism in the past year, as chosen by journalists and officials

1. The unique practice of worshipping Hung Kings in the northern province of Phu Tho was recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

2. The ancient Buddhist Sutra Woodblocks at the Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in the northern province of Bac Giang were recognised as a Memory of the World in the Asia-Pacific region.

3. A monument depicting later President Ho Chi Minh with ethnic people in the Central Highlands (Tay Nguyen) was inaugurated in Gia Lai Province. The State-level anniversaries were organised successfully.

4. Viet Nam was selected to be the host of the 18th Asian Games in 2019.

5. Activities celebrated the friendship years of Viet Nam – Laos, Viet Nam – Cambodia, Viet Nam – South Korea and Viet Nam – India, and there were many cultural and arts exchanges between border provinces in Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia.

6. Ha Long Bay ranked among the seven New Wonders of the world.

7. The Vietnamese tourism industry received 6,847 million foreign tourists and served 32.5 million domestic tourists. The National Tourism Year was launched in the northern central coastal region and Hue City.

8. The fourth annual Ho Chi Minh Awards, the third State Awards on Literature and Arts and the seventh People's Artists and Excellent Artists prizes were awarded.

9. Vietnamese sports succeeded remarkably in the world arena: 18 athletes officially participated in the 2012 London Olympics and 11 competed in the Paralympics, while Vietnamese athletes as a whole won 271 gold, 234 silver and 154 bronze medals at international competitions.

10. Cham towers were inaugurated at the Culture and Tourism Village of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups and there was a culture, sports and tourism festival in the community of Cham ethnic people in the coastal province of Ninh Thuan to mark the occasion. – VNS