1000 year-old culture of Thang Long – Hanoi celebration

Took place in ten days and nights from October 1 to October 10, 2010, the millennium anniversary 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi was the biggest and the most important cultural and historical event ever in Vietnam. A series of cultural activities, art performances were a remarkable message toward country’s historical values of 1000 years of establishment and development.

In the morning of opening ceremony, Director-General of UNESCO – Irina Bokova presented UNESCO’s World heritage certificate for Imperial citadel of Thang Long to Hanoi officials. She addressed, “The center sector of Imperial citadel has became the World’s cultural heritage was great honor of your country as well as raised your new responsibilities to preserve and to pass by historical tradition to descends and to all humankind. There was no symbol of peace other than heritage.” To celebrate for this event, art performances were taking part at five main outdoor stages with participation of 400 to 1,000 artists for each stage. The concert “International integration – Belief toward future” hosted by pianist Dang Thai Son at Hanoi Opera House closed the first day of festival with lot of sweet memory.

During ten days, exhibitions and festivals were organized to introduce cultural and historical values of the country. Among exhibitions, the ones of “Vietnamese literature throughout periods”, “250 antique items exhibition”, “Cultural and historical achievements of Thang Long – Hanoi, “Hanoi professional photograph” were the most impressive activities. The main festival of the grand celebration was “Ha Thanh Food festival” themed “Integration of genius”. It featured diversity of Vietnamese culinary with so many special dishes came from the North, the Central and the South of Vietnam as well as International and vegetarian dishes. Traditional art performances and games of each region were introduced to visitors to accompany with culinary culture which aim to present and fill up millennium anniversary with the best and richness of 1000 year-old cultural values.

The event closed by the biggest art festival called “Thang Long – Hanoi, the city of ascending dragon” held at My Dinh National Stadium in the evening of October 10 which gathered 8,000 artists. The closing ceremony began with a marvelous laser lights presentation featured descending dragon and ancient Thang Long capital, followed by Vietnamese martial art performance and Ao dai fashion show on the background music of traditional song “Tieng dan bau”. The performance reflected milestones in the country’s history throughout generations. It connected history of Thang Long to history of Vietnam as a whole. A magnificent display of fireworks at My Dinh National Stadium and several places around Hanoi has finished the grand event this year.