Nguyen Phuc Luu, Director of the UNESCO Centre for Culture and Sport Development under the Vietnam Federation of UNESCO Associations, said the festival aims to honour cultural heritage values of Vietnam to step up the sustainable preservation and promotion of those values. It is also an occasion to popularise the UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritage elements of Vietnam as well as others to the public, including foreigners in Hanoi.
The two-day festival, held in response to the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23), offers special experiences to visitors via special performances of traditional arts such as the singing genres of Then, Van, Bai Choi, Quan ho, Cheo, Vi Dam, Tru, and Xam. Folk games like tug of war and stick pushing, the demonstration of making “to he” (toy figurines), and a calligraphy exhibition also form part of the event.
The festival also aims to improve the community’s awareness and sense of responsibility towards the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage values, boost cooperation in the sustainable development of heritage tourism among regions, and share experience in managing, preserving, and bringing into play cultural heritage values, Luu noted.
The event is organised by the UNESCO Centre for Culture and Sport Development and the Thang Long Heritage Conservation Centre Hanoi.