Artists will perform during the Days of Russian Culture. - Photos thethaovanhoa.vn

HA NOI (VNS) — Several big names of Russian chamber music will perform tonight to kick off Days of Russian Culture. The performance also marks the official visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the 96th anniversary of Russia's October Revolution.

Alexander Polyanichko, Evgenhia Smirnova and Andrey Valenti will perform alongside the Timophei Docsiser quintet and the Pyatnitsky State Russian Folk Choir.

Other cultural activities to mark the event include an on-going Russian handicrafts exhibition at Ha Noi's Ho Chi Minh Museum.

The exhibit displays 200 objects, including embroidered Pavlovo scarves, carved wooden items and the country's famous Matrioshka dolls.

Women's traditional costumes from the 18th century to the 20th century are also on display.

Speaking at the exhibition's opening ceremony yesterday, Head of the culture ministry's International Co-operation Department Nguyen Van Tinh emphasised that Viet Nam and Russia had had strong mutual co-operation and friendship relations for many years.

"Since we created a strategic comprehensive partnership in 2012, mutual relations have been elevated in many fields, including culture and art," he said.

Russia's famous Matrioshka dolls are on display at the Ha Noi's Ho Chi Minh Museum.

The Viet Nam National Museum of Fine Arts is hosting an exhibition honouring Russian artist Nikolai Roerich, a dedicated activist for the cause of preserving art and architecture in times of war. He earned several nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The exhibition presents 63 replicas of his artworks, which are now on display at the State Museum of Oriental Art in Moscow, home to the world's biggest collection of his work.

Russian culture-lovers have a chance to enjoy some of the country's best-known films at the National Cinema Centre through the Russian Film Week which began last Thursday.

In recent years, Viet Nam and Russia have organised several significant cultural exchange events, including Days of Ha Noi in Moscow in 2008, Days of Vietnamese Culture in Russia in 2008 and 2011, Russian Film Week in 2010 and the current Days of Russian Culture in Viet Nam.

In addition, the countries have implemented several co-operation training programmes in culture, art and tourism. – VNS