The annual Nguyen Hue flower street officially opened in Ho Chi Minh City on January 28.

Former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu and President Truong Tan Sang attended the opening ceremony.

Themed “Ho Chi Minh City – My beloved city”, the event carries a message of an a ctive, innovative and enthusiastic city to tourists.

The street is divided into three main sections - integration and devel opment, sentime ntal integration and aspiration .

The street begins with horse s at full gallop pull ing a wagon full flower as a sphere clock. B ig apricot flower s as g ood greetings to welcome New Year are placed to decorate along the street .

The typical images of the southwest region throughout coconut trees, colorful flower baskets as well as famous flowers from Da Lat city, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, also are brought to decorate the street.

Together with the flower street, the annual book street festival kicked off the same day in the presence of President Truong Tan Sang.

The festival is divided into four display areas with books on culture, knowledge and national sovereignty, and favourite books.

Notably, a book exhibition opened for sight-impaired people within the framework of the book street festival.

The two events, part of cultural activities celebrating the Lunar New Year festival, last till February 3.-VNA