Ninh Binh to host Trang An Heritage Connection Festival

Hanoi (VNA) – Fifteen provinces and centrally-run cities across the country, which boast nationally and internationally-recognised heritages, will take part in Trang An Heritage Connection Festival – Ninh Binh 2022. The festival is scheduled to take place in the northern province from November 17-19.

These provinces and cities will participate in various activities such as exhibitions, parades and art performances to honour cultural heritages and promote tourism.

Nguyen Manh Cuong, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ninh Binh, who is also standing deputy head of the festival organising committee, unveiled the information at a press conference in Hanoi on November 4.

Nguyen Manh Cuong, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ninh Binh, speaks at the press conference. (Photo: VNA)

The festival is a cultural and tourism event aimed at promoting cultural exchanges among provinces and cities and introducing the images, cultural heritages and people of Ninh Binh in particular and the participating localities in general to domestic and international friends.

As the first festival that has ever been held by Ninh Binh province, it is also part of the activities to celebrate Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23). The festival is expected to create a premise to build up a “cultural brand” of Ninh Binh and to be held biennially.

The Trang An Heritage Connection Festival - Ninh Binh 2022 will have the participation of the Laos art troupe from Udomxay province and about 70 beauty queens of Miss Tourism World beauty pageant from around the world. They will perform at the opening ceremony and the street festival programme.

It will also be attended by representatives and artists from 15 provinces and cities nationwide including Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Thua Thien-Hue, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Ho Chi Minh City, Ben Tre, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau and the host Ninh Binh.

The highlight of the festival will include the opening ceremony Dinh Tien Hoang De Square on November 17 night, which will be live broadcast on Vietnam Television, and Radio and Broadcasting Stations of Ninh Binh and some other provinces and cities.

There will be a photo exhibition of traditional cultural and historical heritages at the Ninh Binh Provincial Sports Complex and the street festival programme at the Ninh Binh Provincial Gymnasium on November 18. Its closing ceremony will take place in Hoa Lu Ancient Capital on November 19.

Director of the Ninh Binh Provincial Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Manh Cuong said: “The opening ceremony will feature art performances honouring heritages nationwide, thereby highlighting the connection as well as expressing the identity of the localities. There are many heritages that are not properly preserved and are in danger of being lost, so we want to convey the message appealing for cooperation in preserving the heritages."

He also expressed his hope that the Trang An Heritage Connection Festival - Ninh Binh 2022 will gradually become a brand to attract tourism, and promote the cultures and heritages of Vietnam.

Ninh Binh province is home to the Trang An Landscape Complex that was recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organiations (UNESCO) as a cultural and natural world heritage site in 2014.

In UNESCO's words, "Trang An is a resplendent complex of limestone karst peaks which are permeated with valleys, including submerged ones, and surrounded by steep, almost vertical cliffs," nestling on the southern shore of the Red River Delta.

Archaeological traces of human activity dating back thousands of years have been found within the complex.

The Trang An Complex boasts several nationally recognised sites like the Trang An ecotourism site and Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s capital in the 10th and 11th centuries.

The area also has many other temples, pagodas, paddy fields, villages and other sacred sites.

It is home to around 500 flora species, 73 species of birds and 41 species of other animals and has a diverse ecosystem with unique geological characteristics./.