The event, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Hanoi People’s Committee, is the first in a series of cultural, sport and tourist activities to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Huynh Vinh Ai said the cultural exchange festival aims to introduce special cultural characters of different areas and regions to people throughout the country and foreigners.

The event is also an opportunity to advertise Vietnam’s potential in cultural, trade and tourism development and mark the 54th liberation day of the capital (October 10, 2008).

Experiences from the organisation of this festival will be useful for organising ethnic cultural exchange festival in localities nationwide and promoting cultural activities across the country, particularly in areas inhabited by ethnic minority people.

Main activities in the festival included the performance of typical traditional arts, traditional dress shows, folk games, presentation of culinary culture and products of traditional craft villages.

Artists and artisans from 20 cultural and fine art troupes of provinces and cities gave their special performances in the opening ceremony such as Gong performances of the Muong group in the northern region and ethnic groups in the Central Highlands, drum dance, and “quan ho” singing.

The festival will run until October 9, 2008.

(Source: VNA)

The performance was one of several activities to mark the 17th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations.

The Korean artists demonstrated the unique and attractive performance style that accompanies traditional folk songs such as Baechigi, Gaesung, Nanbonga, Singosan Tharyung, and Saseol Nanbonga with Jukhung dances and Gomungo and Haegum solos.

Also, RoK viewers had the opportunity to enjoy popular Vietnamese folk songs such as Trong com and Ly cay bong, as performed by Ben Tre children.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyen Thi Kim Hai, Vice Chairman of Phu Tho provincial People’s Committee and Chair of the Organising Board for Celebrations of Hung King death, said the art performance programme helped local people and visitors better understand the RoK’s traditional culture. It is a vivid manifestation of the friendship between Phu Tho Province and Hwaseong City, she stressed.

The Hwaseong troupe’s performances include folk songs, the playing of traditional musical instruments, and music performed by students from the RoK’s Namyang senior secondary school.

Following its performance in Viet Tri, the Hwaseong art troupe will give performances in the area of the Hung Temple historical site.

A bicycle museum opened in Beijing last week, showcasing more than 140 different types of bikes. The museum, located at Nanyuan Village in the capital’s Fengtai district, will display bicycles from the UK, Japan, the Netherlands, Thailand and Malaysia and other countries.

(Source : Travel Daily Asia)