The museum collaborated with collector Nguyen Van Hai to organize this exhibition.

The items were arranged in many different themes such as: daily activities, house on stilts, buffalo stabbing festival, carved tomb statute, gong and wine jar

The exhibition opens daily and lasts for February 20, 2010

The exhibition also features more than 80 antique postcards shot by the French, capturing scenes in Vietnam and HCMC between 1920 and 1925 under colonial rule.

The Singaporean and Saigonese postcards are juxtaposed to give the audience a sense of comparison, highlighting similarities in the old lives of two cities, including architecture and means of transportation.

The postcards are owned and provided by Soh Weng Yew, a senior manager of the National Univesity of Singaporoe’s Recruitment Department. He has collected HCMC postcards for more than a decade out of his administration for the city’s beauty.

The festival, starting at 3pm on August 9, features concerts and fashion shows, experts’ talks on Singaporean culture and the historical links between the two cities, a quiz programme, Singaporean song singing contest and a lucky draw.

The Beat, a HCMC eight-member band, will perform at the concert.

The festival will also have Singaporean cuisine presented by the Lion City restaurant chain, allowing guests to sample the city-state’s signature dishes like stir-fried rice noodle, stay grilled meat on skewers and milk tea among others.

The event, organised with assistance from the Singaporean Consulate General, kicks off a series of bimonthly events entitled “The World at Hand” held by the Cultural Youth House in collaboration with foreign consulates to introduce different world cultures to the city youth.

Huynh Thi Quynh Hoa, the House’s manager of art and Cultural Affairs, said the next event will feature the Republic of Korea, which will be followed by ASEAN, European and American countries.

“We start with Singapore given that the country is a close neighbour of Vietnam and its national day falls this month,” Hoa said.

The World Travel Awards are widely known as the travel industry’s equivalent to the Oscars and are the most sought after acknowledgement in the industry globally.

The regional award for Asia’s Leading Conference Hotel is the highest ever accolade received by a hotel in Vietnam and was awarded over some of Asia’s largest and most well known hotel properties and brands.

“I am extremely proud of our associates. They are a dedicated group and it’s such great recognition for them to receive an acknowledgement at this level. They can feel comfortable that the service they provide and the relationships we have with our customers are of an international standard, and now they can say – actually leading the world in how it should be done”, said Dietmar Kielnhofer, general manager of the hotel, in a statement.

“What’s also wonderful is that this award has to be voted by our peers, our clients, our customers. To think they regard us at this level is just the most wonderful reward a hotel brand and team can ever receive” he added.

Sheraton Saigon is planning a number of initiatives to announce and celebrate the win. Most importantly is a campaign to promote the achievement to the international tourism and hospitality industry.

Le Dung, Chief Representative of Vietnam Airlines in Paris, says while international airlines encountered many difficulties arising from the impact of the global economic recession in 2008, Vietnam gained some achievements in the European market.

The national flagship earned total revenue of EUR165 million from the European market in 2008, up 20 percent against 2007. In the French market alone, the revenue was up 24 percent.

On the routes connecting Paris to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the number of passengers increased by 87 percent on average and Vietnam Airlines began to bring in profits.

Although the national flagship operates only 3 direct routes from Vietnam to France, Germany and Russia, it has opened ticket agencies in most Western, Northern and Central European countries.

France will continue to be a major market for Vietnam Airlines, says Dung. French tourists, particularly, older people, are interested in travelling to Vietnam because of traditional cultural, historical and economic relations.

In addition, there are many overseas Vietnamese in France and the country is also an important gateway to major countries in Europe. Therefore, Vietnam Airlines has decided to increase the number of flights to France from 6 to 8 a week in late October.

More events to advertise Vietnam’s potential for tourism are expected to take place in the near future.