Joint heritage fest opens in Quang Nam Vietnam

The oldest district in Hoi An Town, will set the stage for the heritage Journey Festival, a joint programme organised by Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, at the end of June.

The third biennial event, held between June 26-30, is a chance for visitors to understand more about the geographical and cultural similarities of these three neighbouring countries and promote the destinations as a whole, said organisers.

The 2007 festival is the biggest one yet with more abundant and original activities in the works, they said.

The five-day festival begins in the ancient Hoi An Town where audiences will get a taste of the nature, culture and history of each country, as well as their neighbours. Visitors will get new insight into heritage sites like the My Son complex, Cham towers Tower and old Hoi An's district via singing, dancing and special feasts prepared as part of the celebrations.

Similar events are being planned in Angkor, the temple city near Siem Riep in Cambodia and Luang Prabang in Laos at the same time.

One of the highlights of the programme is a month-long travelling exhibition of 400 artefacts from 10 world cultural heritage sites located in the three countries. They will be on display from June 26 to July 26.

At exchanges and a traditional food fairs showcasing specialities prepared by the Viet, Cham and Co Tu ethnic groups who live in Quang Nam province are other family events to be enjoyed in addition to watching artisans weave mats and silk in An Phuoc Village, Duy Phuoc Commune and Dong Yen Village.

Cultural dances, performances and costumes will amaze visitors as far as the eye can see with help of fantastic feats performed by Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang, Bac Ninh and Phu Yen acrobatic and cultural troupes plying their trade throughout the week.

These activities can also been seen in Tam Ky town and Cham Island.

Other highlights of the festival include nights dedicated to each major city participating, small and large festivals, folk games and events dedicated to communities and their history in the region.

For beach bums, Cua Dai Beach in Hoi An is the perfect place to watch boat races, volleyball competitions, cycling tournaments as well as kite flying.

The festival will end with an artistic show in Cham Island, comprised of legends, historical stories and explanations on the cultural significance and nuances regarding Ngoa Long Island in the East Sea.

Organisers said the festival will allow people from the region to meet tourists artists and business people simultaneously.

(Source: VNA)