Published:  00:00 Wednesday - November 24, 2010

The sixth Vietnam Heritage Day festival has taken place at the Vietnam Exhibition Centre for Culture and Arts on Hoa Lu Street in Hanoi.

"The festival is aimed celebrating the country's rich past, respecting the contribution of young people towards preserving cultural traditions and raising their awareness and responsibility to developing the national heritage," said the president of Hanoi Association of Literature and Arts, Do Thi Hao.

During the festival, visitors have the chance to enjoy calligraphy demonstrations and folk games, music and dances, plus an exhibition displaying 500 items dating from the Dong Son Culture (700-100BC) to the Nguyen dynasty (19th-20th century), as well as artefacts from the Thang Long Royal Citadel ruins and photos of the 82 stone doctoral steles at the Temple of Literature).

The cuisine and craft villages of Hanoi are also highlighted, including such crafts as embroidery, wood carvings, copper statues and rattan furniture. Artisans from the craft villages are performing rituals to pay tribute to their ancestors who established their village trades.

Researchers participated in a workshop on November 23 to discuss the preservation of Hanoi's tangible and intangible heritage, such as Duong Lam Village, Thang Long Royal Citadel, Thang Long folk dances, and traditional beliefs and festivals.

The festival, which ends on November 25, was co-organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Hanoi People's Committee, the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association.

VNS