Europe's finest: Eric Legnini, one of the most talented pianists on the international jazz scene, will performin HCM City on May 9 to kick off Europe Days 2013. — File Photo

HA NOI (VNS)— Vietnamese people will get a chance to immerse themselves in European culture when Europe Days 2013 kicks off in Ha Noi and HCM City next week.

The annual series of cultural and intellectual events, which has been going on for 10 years, offers a fascinating journey through the European cultural scene, according to Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Viet Nam Franz Jessen.

The event will start with two different concerts on the evening of May 9. In the capital city, the Munich Chamber Choir will give their debut performance together with the orchestra of the Viet Nam National Opera and Ballet and singers from the Viet Nam National Academy of Music. In HCM City, one of the most talented pianists on the international jazz scene, Eric Legnini, will enchant audiences with his unique combination of soul music, gospel, blues and jazz.

The British band Guillemots will also perform. The band's debut album Through the Windowpane (2006) was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and received significant acclaim from musical luminaries such as Sir Paul McCartney.

European Literature Days will be held on May 17-18 in Ha Noi. Books from Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, the UK, Denmark, France and Poland recently published in Vietnamese will be presented at the event.

The annual European Film Festival, entitled Europe on Screen, also promises to delight Vietnamese audiences.

Organised by the European Union National Institute for Culture, the event will take place at Goethe Institute (56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street), L'Espace (24 Trang Tien Street) and Casa Italia (18 Le Phung Hieu Street).

The festival will open with Eat Sleep Die by director Gabriela Pichler. The Swedish film swept the 2012 Guldbagge Awards – the Swedish equivalent of the Oscars – taking home prizes for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Screenplay.

To improve understanding between Europeans and Vietnamese through people-to-people exchanges, especially involving the younger generation, Ambassador Jessen will host a talk about Europe with Vietnamese students.

Other activities include a photo contest on climate change, a German comic exhibition, a talk show on Green Development Options for Viet Nam, child-friendly EU-Viet Nam football matches and an EU-Viet Nam Information Trade Seminar.

Last year, about 25,000 people attended Europe Days. – VNS