 Delegates cut the ribbons to mark the opening of the Vietnamese Traditional Culture Festival and International Cultural Exchange 2019 in Hanoi, April 5-9. |
The festival promoted the culture and folk arts of Vietnam’s northern, central, and southern regions. Van Nguyen, the festival’s director, told VOV: “We invited art troupes from central Vietnam to perform - a Bai choi singing group and artists from Hue. Performances of Vietnam’s traditional martial arts were among the festival’s highlights, along with an ao dai fashion show featuring dresses worn by Vietnamese people now and in the past.”
Stages were set up to recreate Vietnam’s rural life with bamboo trees, temples, craft villages, and rural markets, as well as a miniature of the royal living quarters and the emperors’ dressing room. Ho Nhu Quynh, head of the Vietnamese Cultural Heritage Preservation and Development Club and the festival’s organizing board, elaborated: “The festival is a place to connect Vietnamese people with international friends. Thirty embassy and consular representatives took part in the event. I’ve been to many festivals in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar and I think this festival is pretty competitive with those in terms of preparations and content. We’re planning to invite several European countries to attend our festival next year.”
 Folk art forms such as Quan Ho duet singing, Vi Dam folk music of the central region, and Bai Choi singing also performed at the event. |
Daniel Dobrev, Head of the Commercial Section of the Bulgarian Embassy in Vietnam, said: “The festival is very important for Vietnam and for Europe as well. In one place we can see all the traditions and habits of the Vietnamese people. From Vietnam I can travel to Cambodia, Laos, the Phillipines, Thailand and Myanmar. Though we come from Bulgaria, a far-away European country, we have very good relations with Vietnam.”
A procession for Hanoi’s four guardian gods and rituals to mark the death anniversary of 11th century King Ly Thai To and pray for Vietnam’s security and prosperity were recreated.
“We’ve received many Asian and African delegations who have come to explore the local culture. Foreign diplomatic corps and international organizations based in Vietnam also sent representatives. The event has helped to promote Vietnam’s culture to international friends,” said Nguyen Van My, head of the Asian-African Committee of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations.
This year’s festival attracted approximately 100,000 foreign and domestic visitors.