A performance at Hue Festival 2018.

Hue Festival 2018 took place from April 27 to May 2 themed "Cultural Heritage with Integration and Development - Hue: 1 destinations, 5 heritages”. The festival attracted 1.2 million visitors, including 400,000 foreigners, with diverse art programs and unique cultural activities from different communities around the globe.

"Hue Festival 2018 featured colorful cultural activities that combine ancient and modern values, reflecting the indigenous life of different regions of Vietnam and the world. The event was a success and praised by international friends," said Nguyen Dung, Deputy Chairman of the Thua Thien Hue provincial People’s Committee and head of the Festival’s organizing board.

The 2018 Gong Cultural Festival of the Central Highlands that took place place from November 30 to December 2 honored and promoted the unique gong cultural space of Vietnam’s Central Highlands, an intangible cultural heritage of mankind. The festival drew 1,200 artisans and performers from Vietnam’s 5 Central Highland provinces.

A performance at the 2018 Central Highlands Gong Festival.

"Much attention was paid to promoting the community and folklore elements of the Gong Festival 2018. The festival’s activities were designed around communities that are masters of the gong cultural space. In 2018, gong festivals were held in all communes, districts, and cities of Vietnam’s Central Highlands," said Phan Xuan Vu, Director of the Gia Lai provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

In May the book "Hoang Hoa su trinh do” (The Envoy’s Journey to China) was recognized as a documentary heritage of Asia Pacific by UNESCO’s Memory of the World Program. Writings, drawings and maps recorded the diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and China in the 18^th century through the journeys of Vietnamese envoys. The book was compiled and edited by Nguyen Huy Oanh based on documents of previous envoys and historical records as well as notes from his own journey in 1766-1767, during which he served as the main envoy of the Vietnamese delegation.

Also in May, Bai Choi singing was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at a ceremony in Hoi An Town, Quang Nam province. Bai Choi is an art form that combines music, poetry, acting, painting, and literature.

A Bai Choi singing performance in Hoi An.

We’ve implemented policies to encourage local people to teach Bai Choi singing to preserve the genre. We’ve also promoted Bai Choi singing to both domestic and foreign tourists," said Le Van Thanh, Deputy Chairman of the Quang Nam provincial People’s Committee.

The Iranian film “The Dark Room”, directed by Rouhollah Hejazi, won the Best Feature-length Film award at the Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) 2018, which took place in Hanoi in late October. Phuong Anh Dao, in the film ‘Nham mat thay mua he’ (Summer In Closed Eyes), was honoured as Best Actress. Nguyen Le Hoang Viet was named Best Young Short-Film Director for the film ‘Ban cung phong’ (Roommate). The awards for Best Feature and Best Short Films went to ‘Hai dua tre’ (Two kids) by Ta Quynh Tu.

A series of events celebrating the 100^th anniversary of Cai Luong kicked off in HCMC in December. Cai Luong is a traditional southern Vietnamese form of theater.