HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese performers will attend a folk culture festival across Europe for the first time from July 5 to August 15. 

The performances by artists from Việt Nam Singing-Dancing-Music Theatre will feature folk songs and dances accompanied by traditional instruments such as đàn bầu (monochord), đàn tranh (zither) and bamboo flute.

The festival, held by the World Folklore Union, will take place in France, Italy, Romania, Greece and Serbia. 

"This is the first time the World Folklore Union has invited Vietnamese artists through the Cultural Centre of Việt Nam (CCV) in France to perform at the festival," said Nguyễn Trường Giang, leader of the Vietnamese troupe to Europe.

"The artists will present songs and dances which consist of combination of materials, some from the folk dance period and other from the modern era. Some of the dance styles which were derived from the folk dance period include the umbrella dance, khèn (pan-pipe) dance and Chăm dance."

Việt Nam’s attendance at the festival marks the CCV in France officially becoming the 56th member of the World Folklore Union. The membership recognition took place at the union’s board meeting in Paris last March. 

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent to Paris the union’s president Dorel Cosma expressed his delight at Việt Nam’s membership in the organisation. He praised Việt Nam’s diverse folklore and affirmed his confidence in the country’s future contributions to the union. 

According to CCV director Nguyễn Thanh Vượng, the membership enables Việt Nam to access information and take part in folklore projects among the union and gain financial and technical support from the organisation. 

The union is an organisation founded in 1949 in France aiming to secure the relationship between the national federations of folklore groups in different countries. — VNS