The second Central Highlands Cultural Days in Hanoi will contribute to narrowing the geographical distance, tightening close relations and boosting cultural exchanges between Central Higland provinces and the capital city of Hanoi.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho Anh Tuan made the remark at the opening ceremony at the Vietnam Cultural and Arts Exhibition Centre (VCEAC), No. 2 Hoa Lu Street, Hanoi on August 28.
Themed "Colours of Central Highlands Cultures", the event promises to bring a real and fresh breath of life from the Central Higlands to the capital, he added.
The six-day programme, held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST), brings together five Central Highland provinces including Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Kon Tum and Lam Dong, as well as the capital city of Hanoi.
The two-hour opening ceremony, which was broadcast live on Vietnam Television Channels 2 and 5, highlighted indigenous cultural identities of the Central Highlanders through folk songs, lullabys, resounding gong performances, ceremony celebrating a new house, a traditional musical instruments concert entitled "Nostagia" performed by artists from the participating provinces.
There is also a show introducing traditonal costumes of ethnic minority groups in the region, such as Ma, Co Ho, E De, M'nong, Brau, Xe Dang.
The opening ceremony closed with a dance in circle representing the solidarity of Vietnamese ethnic groups.
A wide range of activities is underway, including seminars on preserving and promoting Central Highlands' cultural values and folk games, exchanges with artists who have had works based on the Central Highlands, and an exhibition entitled "The Central Highlands - Tradition and Development" in addtion to food and handicraft fairs showcasing regional specialties such as coffee, peppercorns, wine, vegetables and fruit.
The cultural days aim to call on ethnic groups in the region to join hands with the whole country in building an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identities, said Hoang Duc Hau, Head of the MoCST's Ethnic Culture Department.
According to Professor To Ngoc Thanh, Chairman of the Vietnam Folk Arts Association, the event is a meaningful and encouraging activity to honour cultural values of ethnic groups in the Central Highlands, particularly the gong culture space, which was recognised by UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage in 2005.