At the invitation of the Vietnam Ministry of Culture and Tourism, a delegation from the World Folklore Union, I.G.F. has carried out a working visit aimed at knowing the traditions and cultural values of this part of the world. The visit was intermediate by director Thanh Vuong Nguyen of the Vietnam Embassy in Paris, following Vietnam’s adhering to the World Folklore Union I.G.F.
From the delegation led by prof.dr. Dorel Cosma, president of I.G.F. also included Nicolas Charlety – Deputy Chairman, Ameen Kassem – Vice President, Vladan Tesanovici – Vice President, Renee Sourissou – Treasurer, Pahone Pop – Deputy Treasurer, Birute Akelaitiene – Office Member, Michalis Lanitis – Adrian Puşcaş – adviser to the president.
One of the high-ranking meetings in Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, was at the Ministry of Culture, where a series of relationships were established that will be further exploited through the promotion of Vietnamese culture in the projects of the I.G.F.
Welcoming the World Folklore Union, the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, Minister Vuong Duy Bien said, “I know your organization helps you preserve, protect and honor the values of folklore. I think every country needs to protect itself, and to preserve and promote their cultural traditions. Especially the preservation of folklore is very necessary in the market economy. ”
Within the reception, the president of the World Folklore Union – prof.dr. Dorel Cosma offered the I.G.F. medal to the Minister Vuong Duy Bien and also made a brief presentation of the IGF organization, recalling that last year when Vietnam joined I.G.F. We felt very impressed with the music, the costumes, the colors and the way of staging the traditional Vietnamese performances.
During the 5 days spent in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, the delegation of I.G.F. was able to enjoy many traditions, especially culinary. Perhaps the best-known way is Phôn, a simple noodle soup eaten at breakfast at home or at Vietnamese restaurants. The capital of Vietnam fascinates you with a lot of things like French colonial architecture, Old Quarter with St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, or Lake Hoan Kiem where you can learn the legend of the turtle. It’s worth taking a tour through the Temple of Literature or taking part in a water theater show with dolls.
Delegation of I.G.F. was invited to a special reception at the Embassy of Romania in Hanoi. His Excellency Ambassador Valeriu Arteni together with his wife, Mrs. Maria Arteni, received with great warmth all the members of the delegation with information from the Romanian-Vietnamese collaboration, but also with general aspects of the history and traditions of this country. There was no lack of Vietnamese and Romanian products. Mr. President Prof.Dr. Dorel Cosma thanked for this invitation to the Embassy and offered Ambassador I.G.F. In turn, Ambassador Valeriu Arteni offered to all members of the delegation a small symbol to remind them of the historic visit made to the capital of Vietnam.
One of the most impressive visits made in Vietnamese territory was at Halong Bay, where UNESCO has put the “universal heritage” stamp. Like any place that man’s mind and soul cannot comprehend and catalog quickly, and here was the intervention of a fantastic being, endowed with great powers, to explain what the eye sees. It is said that, at the time Vietnam began to cling to the country as a country and faced fierce enemies, the gods sent a family of dragons to help. These, and here the legend separates, whether they have started spitting jewels and jade that then turned into the islands and the islets of the bay, or they shaken vigorously from the tails and created the valleys, the crevasses and the heights that point the bay today.
After the 5 days spent in Hanoi, Vietnam, the time has come for the delegation to move to the middle of the country, in the city of Hue, a city with more than 1 million inhabitants, hosting one of the largest and most important festivals international music and traditional dance from the Asian region.
Delegation of I.G.F. had another important reception in Hue with the main actor and organizer of the festival, which is also the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Comittee, Mr Nguyen Dung. It was discussed the possibility of expanding the festival with groups from I.G.F. but also the participants from the Hue Festival to take part in the activities and projects of the World Folklore Union. Finally, the president of I.G.F. – prof. Dorel Cosma offered in gratitude to Mr. Nguyen Dung the I.G.F. medal together with the magazine of the organization and the promise of a beautiful collaboration.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors can enjoy a colorful and large opening ceremony with unique performances by several art groups from Vietnam and other countries. The Hue Festival has become a cultural exchange space between peoples. During the festival a variety of cultural events take place thanks to the tens of scenes located all over the city.
Two days before coming back home, the delegation of I.G.F. also made a small stop in Ho Chi Minh, the largest city in Vietnam, located near the Mekong Delta. Under the name of Prey Nokor was the main port of Cambodia before being conquered by the Vietnamese. In the most crowded city of the country, even the banal crossing of the street becomes an adventure. It is worth visiting Notre Dame Cathedral, Municipal Theater, Reunification Palace, Ho Chi Minh Museum, the traditional Lam Son Market in the stylish Dong Khoi.
