The Hue Festival 2008, the fifth of this kind officially started in the central world cultural heritage site of Hue of Vietnam on June 3, drawing attention of tens of foreign art troupes, the Lao Dong newspaper reported.
Under the theme “Cultural Heritage with Integration and Development”, the festival is imbued with the cultural characteristics of Vietnam as well as its former imperial city of Hue. It is aimed at expanding international exchanges and tourism development, the Organizing Board Head Ngo Hoa said.
The biannual festival will draw traditional and modern art troupes and sculptors from 23 countries, the largest number of international performers to date, including Australia, Belgium, China, Germany, France, Japan, the UK, the U.S. and South Korea.
The festival will mark the 15th anniversary of Hue’s recognition as a world cultural heritage site and the fifth year since “Nha nhac”, the royal music of Hue, was recognized as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
In addition, the Hue festival will feature main festivities, including reenactments of the enthronement of King Quang Trung, Nam Giao and Xa Tac rituals, a “ao dai” (long dress) festival and a program exploring the legend of the Huong (Perfume) River.
The 2008 festival will last on June 11.
Held for the first time in 2000, the Hue festival is seen as a good chance for both local people and foreigners to better understand each other’s cultures and traditions and to further advertise the image of Hue in particular and the land, culture and people of Vietnam in general.
The Hue Festival 2006 attracted 1.5 million tourists including 150,000 tourists from 52 countries in the world. (Labor, Youth)
Vietnamese
