At a press conference in Hanoi on January 21, Vice Chairman of Thua Thien-Hue provincial People’s Committee and Head of the festival’s Organising Board Ngo Hoa, affirmed that the festival, themed “Cultural Heritage with Integration and Development”, is not only a large event with hundreds of special cultural and tourism programmes but also a meeting place for representatives of ancient capital cities and cities with world cultural heritage sites and traditions.

Notably, the programmes during this year’s festival will be imbued with the cultural character of countries from five continents, including France, the US, Japan, Australia and Central Africa.

Vietnam will showcase its own unique culture to international friends, including the performance art of the Hue court music.

An ao dai (traditional long dress) show and royal court festivals will also be held during the 9-day festival.

The Hue Festival 2010 will be expanded beyond venues used during previous years to surrounding areas, towns and new urban areas in the province.

Starting in 2000, the biennial Hue Festival has so far reaped considerable successes. In 2008, the festival attracted nearly 2,000 domestic and foreign artists and 180,000 visitors, including 30,000 international tourists.