Lanterns decorate the ancient town of Hội An. The ancient town will promote the traditional cultural and tourism in Paris on August 29-30. Photo courtesy of Thanh Chương

HỘI AN — An art troupe from the ancient city of Hội An in Quảng Nam Province will perform at the Hội An Cultural Days (Journe’es Culturelles de La ville de Hoi An) in Paris on August 29-30, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Director of the city’s information and culture centre, Trương Thị Ngọc Cẩm confirmed to Việt Nam News that the art performance programme will include tourism promotion, local crafts, and traditional arts of Hội An and Quảng Nam.

She said the city’s art troupe will be playing bài chòi, which literally means a deck of cards (bài) and bamboo huts (chòi), half a game and half theatre performance, and will feature a folk dance and musical performances.

An artist plays saranai flute, a musical instrument of the Chăm people, in Hội An. The musical performance will be introduced in France and Germany in August. VNS Photo Công Thành

She said bài chòi, which was recognised as a UNESCO’s world intangible cultural heritage can be seen performed in Hội An every weekend.

Artists will showcase traditional Chăm dance and saranai flute, the panpipe of Mông ethnic group, the Vietnamese two-choir fiddle, and Thai group’s Cheraw dance at the event.

The performance will be staged from 6pm to 9pm local time at the Vietnamese Culture Centre, No 19 Albert Rue, Paris.

A performance at the Japanese Bridge in Hội An Town. Photo courtesy of Ký Ức Hội An

The Hội An art troupe will also perform at the third ‘lantern festival’ in Wernigerode, Germany on August 27 in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the friendship of the two cities (2013-2023).

The two cities plan to build a Hội An Garden at the Kleiner Harz Park in Wernigerode during the lantern festival, while an eco-road or ‘green shadow’ street will be developed in Hội An.

Cẩm said the European tour is an effective tourism and culture promotion for Hội An – a UNESCO-recognised world heritage site.

The central Quảng Nam Province is the only one in Việt Nam with two world heritage sites: the Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary and Hội An ancient town. The world biosphere reserve of Hội An-Chàm Islands is also just off the coast.

A potter forms a terra-cotta product in Thanh Hà Village of Hội An. Hand-made ceramic crafts are one of the traditional trades of Hội An town. VNS Photo Công Thành

Hội An hosts the annual Hội An-Japan Cultural Exchange and Korean-Hội An Cultural Day. VNS