A string of cultural and sport events have been held in Hoi An city, the central province of Quang Nam from November 23 to December 5 to mark the Viet Nam Cultural Heritage Day and 16 years since Hoi An Ancient Town was recognised as a World Cultural Heritage Site.
Highlight of the events will be the December 3 inauguration of Nguyen Phuc Chu walking street where numerous activities promoting ancient Hoi An’s culture, including traditional games, art performances and lantern-making and portrait drawing instructions, among others.
A Hoi An wedding photo contest and photo exhibitions are also scheduled, along with a traditional run tournament expected to draw the participation of both locals and tourists.
On this occasion, free tickets to relic sites in the city will be provided for holiday-makers.
According to Vice Chairman of the Hoi An People’s Committee Nguyen Van Son, the event creates a chance for the city to look back on its achievements as well as popularises Hoi An images to domestic and international friends, contributing to raising public awareness of cultural heritage preservation and sustainable tourism development.
Covering 60 square kilometres, Hoi An has 22.5 square kilometres of agriculture and forest land and 11 square kilometres of lakes and channels.
The city’s Ancient Town was a renowned international trading port in the 17th century where ships from Japan, China, and European countries docked to exchange wares. Cultural exchange also took place in the port, influencing the town in ways that remain visible today.
In 2012, Hoi An was shortlisted for the top ten Asian cities in the US-magazine Conde Nast's Traveler's Readers Choice Awards. The following year, the UNESCO-recognised world heritage was chosen for the Townscape Award by the UN-Habitat Regional Office in Asia.