The Long Bien Bridge Festival opens this weekend with more events andperformers than ever, according to festival founder and organiser NguyenNga.
Nga, an overseas Vietnamese living inFrance , is busy completing final preparations for the festival, to beentitled Dragon Bridge .
The festival will beclosed to motor vehicle traffic and will become an outdoor art gallery,featuring an exhibition of contemporary arts, including paintings bydisabled children and children affected by Agent Orange, as well aswoodblock art and a collection of kites by artisans from Hanoi and thenorthern province of Hai Duong.
The festivalwill also feature an exhibition of photographs, documents and otherartefacts depicting national defence over the past 10 centuries.Throughout the length of the 1,682m bridge, it will be divided into tensections representing the 10 centuries (1010-2010) of Hanoi , eachsection brought to life by diverse art forms, antiquities and costumes,representing the lifestyles of the people of the time.
" Long Bien Bridge is alive," said Nga. "It's not only in thememory of Hanoians, but it is also the bridge of the resistance, thebridge of pains and sufferings, the bridge of happiness, the bridge ofloves, and the bridge of peace and freedom.
"It'sthe flesh and the blood of the Hanoians, an umbilical cord between pastand present, between Hanoi , the country, and the world."
For the festival, the bridge will be divided into three areas. Theeastbound side of the bridge (the northern span) will become theBridge of Memories and will symbolise people of courage. Theeastbound side (the southern span) will be decorated with the flags of70 countries and territories and animated by street performers.Symbolising peace and friendship, this side will be called "The Bridgeof Dreams".
The highlight of the festival will be aconcert and light show on the bridge on Nov. 21, to be broadcast live ontelevision. Two musical pieces composed by French musicians as giftsfor the Long Bien Festival – On the Long Bien Bridge and See Hanoi –will be presented by artists from Vietnam National Academy of Music andthe Flonflons troupe from France and Belgium .
The festival's general director, People's Artist Le Hung, said, "Thedesigner of Long Bien Bridge is also the designer of the EiffelTower , which is a world-famous tourist attraction, so why we can'tturn Long Bien Bridge into a bridge for tourism? The festivalwas initiated with that goal in mind, so I agreed to be the generaldirector of the event."
During the event, the organising board will also raise funds for flood victims in the central region./.
Nga, an overseas Vietnamese living inFrance , is busy completing final preparations for the festival, to beentitled Dragon Bridge .
The festival will beclosed to motor vehicle traffic and will become an outdoor art gallery,featuring an exhibition of contemporary arts, including paintings bydisabled children and children affected by Agent Orange, as well aswoodblock art and a collection of kites by artisans from Hanoi and thenorthern province of Hai Duong.
The festivalwill also feature an exhibition of photographs, documents and otherartefacts depicting national defence over the past 10 centuries.Throughout the length of the 1,682m bridge, it will be divided into tensections representing the 10 centuries (1010-2010) of Hanoi , eachsection brought to life by diverse art forms, antiquities and costumes,representing the lifestyles of the people of the time.
" Long Bien Bridge is alive," said Nga. "It's not only in thememory of Hanoians, but it is also the bridge of the resistance, thebridge of pains and sufferings, the bridge of happiness, the bridge ofloves, and the bridge of peace and freedom.
"It'sthe flesh and the blood of the Hanoians, an umbilical cord between pastand present, between Hanoi , the country, and the world."
For the festival, the bridge will be divided into three areas. Theeastbound side of the bridge (the northern span) will become theBridge of Memories and will symbolise people of courage. Theeastbound side (the southern span) will be decorated with the flags of70 countries and territories and animated by street performers.Symbolising peace and friendship, this side will be called "The Bridgeof Dreams".
The highlight of the festival will be aconcert and light show on the bridge on Nov. 21, to be broadcast live ontelevision. Two musical pieces composed by French musicians as giftsfor the Long Bien Festival – On the Long Bien Bridge and See Hanoi –will be presented by artists from Vietnam National Academy of Music andthe Flonflons troupe from France and Belgium .
The festival's general director, People's Artist Le Hung, said, "Thedesigner of Long Bien Bridge is also the designer of the EiffelTower , which is a world-famous tourist attraction, so why we can'tturn Long Bien Bridge into a bridge for tourism? The festivalwas initiated with that goal in mind, so I agreed to be the generaldirector of the event."
During the event, the organising board will also raise funds for flood victims in the central region./.
