HÀ NỘI — Fascinating performances by artists from different countries will highlight Huế Festival 2018, which will take place from April 27 to May 2 in Huế city, the central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế.

The festival will celebrate 712 years since the founding of Thuận Hóa - Phú Xuân (now Thừa Thiên-Huế Province). It will also highlight the province’s cultural heritage.

Aiming to uphold traditional values and showcase modernity, Huế Festival 2018 will focus on events in which people can take part in, according to Nguyễn Dung, vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee.

“Like its previous nine editions, the biennial festival will serve as the venue for cultural exchanges among nations with the participation of many art troupes from around the world,” he said at the press briefing yesterday.

The festival will be themed ‘Cultural Heritage with Integration and Development: Huế - One Destination, Five World Heritages’.

It offers a chance for exchanges among representative art genres from countries such as China, Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, Russia, Denmark, Peru, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Chile, Australia and Morocco.

The festival will make full use of traditional cultural spaces.

The royal citadel is the event’s major hub with six stages showcasing artistic programmes by domestic and international performers. Venues at the An Định Palace, Ngọ Môn Square, Quốc Học Square and around the city and neighbouring districts will also stage performances, parades and street shows.

“All the events are expected to bring an appealing atmosphere to Huế Festival,” said Dung.

The festival will promote Việt Nam’s culture and art through UNESCO-recognised heritage such as the Complex of Huế Monuments, royal court music, woodblocks, the imperial archives of the Nguyễn Dynasty and poetry on Huế royal architecture (2016).

The festival combines traditional culture, art and tourism with a community orientation, which will contribute to promoting local socio-economic development.

As Huế served as the imperial city under the Nguyễn Dynasty (1802-1945), the festival will reenact royal celebrations and events such as Royal Night, Orient Legends and the Nam Giao ritual.

In addition, many side events will be held, such as the Huế Science Festival (organised by the Huế College of Medicine and Pharmacy), International Gastronomy Fair, beer carnival, International Trade Fair, Splendid Taste of Ancient Village in Phước Tích, traditional boat race on Hương (Perfume) River, kite festival, Tam Giang Lagoon Fantasy and Huế Poetry Festival.

Exhibitions taking different themes include ‘the poetry on Huế royal architectural works inscribed on trúc chỉ (bamboo pulp) paper’, ‘colours of Bát Tràng pottery’, ‘orchids and bonsai’, ‘old car exhibition’ and ‘cultural heritage with integration and development’.

Various sight-seeing tours offer more fantastic journeys to discover local attractions such as Lăng Cô beach and Tam Giang Lagoon.

The Huế imperial citadel relic was ranked second among the top tourism attractions of Việt Nam in 2017.

Director of the Huế Relics Preservation Centre Phan Thanh Hải said this is the second year in a row the Huế Imperial Citadel has received the title. The most visited tourist site is Thăng Long Imperial Citadel in Hà Nội.

Huế Festival has taken place every two years starting from 2000, bringing together excellent arts companies with unique performances from across the world. — VNS