Quang Nam – Heritage Itinerary 2009

At the time when the sunlight of the early summer spreads over the fields and orchards in the sunny and windy land of Central Vietnam , locals in Quang Nam Province jubilantly prepare for the festive season “Quang Nam – Heritage Itinerary 2009”. It was the event to celebrate the 10 th anniversary of UNESCO’s recognition of the ancient town of Hoi An and the My Son relics as World Cultural Heritage Sites (1999-2009).

At the time when the sunlight of the early summer spreads over the fields and orchards in the sunny and windy land of Central Vietnam, locals in Quang Nam Province jubilantly prepare for the festive season “Quang Nam – Heritage Itinerary 2009”. It was the event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of UNESCO’s recognition of the ancient town of HoiAn and the My Son relics as World Cultural Heritage Sites (1999-2009). Miss Vietnam 2006 Mai Phuong Thuy participates in the event “Old vehicles from all parts of the country together with the heritage itinerary”. Performing the Apsara dance during the opening ceremony “Quang Nam – Heritage Itinerary 2009”. Hoi An locals present coloured lanterns to tourists to release on the Thu Bon River , wishing a peaceful world. Central Highlanders participate in the festival. Performing a Cham dance at the street costume festival. Japanese Bon dance. Miss World 2004 Maria Julia (from Peru) (central) and Miss World 2006 Tatana Kucharova (from Czech Republic ) (right) attend the opening ceremony. More than 500 artists participate in the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival “Quang Nam – Heritage Itinerary 2009”.   During the opening ceremony, My Son Sanctuary – a world’s famous cultural heritage site, became ever more mysterious and sparkling. At the foot of ancient towers the unique artistic programme seemed to revive the ancient and mysterious Kingdom of Champa . It also provided the tourists with a chance to return to the past with memories about the beloved land via images of the ancient streets of Hoi An, ancient houses, lanes with mossy walls and moon-full nights near the Hoai River . Kazic, a talented Polish architect once said: “The value of Hoi An is beyond the boundaries of a country.” Hoi An is considered the only live museum of architecture and life style of an ancient town. Participating in the festival tourists were fascinated by the simple beauty in the daily life of local people, charming dances of the Co Tu ethnic people in Tay Giang District, immense lush fields of mulberry trees and strips of silks. They enjoyed delicious Hong Dao wine and witnessed the happy life of locals in the traditional handicraft villages, such as Thanh Ha pottery village, Kim Bong carpentry village, Tra Que vegetable village, Ban Thach sedge mat-making village, Phuoc Kieu bronze-casting village, etc.  Particularly, the tourists also enjoy sweet lyrics of the Saranai clarinet performed by artisan Truong Ton who wants to send to the young generation a message that they should join hands to preserve heritage sites left by ancestors. The festival also included many unique programmes, such as an installation of pottery items and Hoi An lanterns near the Hoai River, a traditional boat race, a parade of old vehicles from all parts of the country ” that expressed the talent and romantic personality of locals in the area. During the festival, Hoi An of the past, an animated trade port of South Vietnam and present-day Hoi An were excitingly reproduced via the traditional Bon dance of Japanese people near the Bridge Pagoda. Mingling with the old dances of the Viet, Cham and Chinese people were sounds of gongs, T’rung musical instrument and drumbeats of Baranung and Ghinaang drums far from the other bank of the Hoai River . The Square of the Hoai River was the destination of “The costumes night of nationalities of Vietnam and the world”. Among tourists at the festival, Akaso from Fukuoka ( Japan ) said: “How can I express my joy on this night. Hoi An of Vietnam does not belong to anyone, it is of all.” She also made paper cranes to present to tourists as a message of wishing for world peace and happiness. The programmme “Quang Nam – Heritage Itinerary 2009” brought the tourists to the Thu Bon River , a silk strip linking the two heritage sites of My Son and Hoi An. Artists came from across the nation to reproduce the life of the River via songs and dances, and expressed the aspiration for a happy and peaceful life. The image of a river - a rendezvous of couples, the life of men industriously working on the fields and catching fish on the river and women weaving mats, raising silk-worms and weaving silk, etc, left strong impression on tourists. Via the festival, people in Quang Nam Province call on international friends to join efforts to preserve and promote the values of the two heritage sites. The festival “Quang Nam – Heritage Itinerary” is held once very two years. So far,Quang Nam Province has organized four festivals with the first one in 2003. This year, the festival was held with many unique artistic programmes, such as the parade of “Old vehicles from all parts of the country” with 34 ancient cars, 150 ancient two-wheel vehicles and 40 motorbikes, jeeps, etc. Particularly, the festival attracted the participation of world beauty queens, Miss World Ksenia Sukhinova (2008), Miss World Tatana Kucharova (2006), Miss World  Maria Julia Mantilla Garcia (2004) together with Miss Vietnam Mai Phuong Thuy and Tran Thi Thuy Dung. The festival attracted nearly 10,000 tourists.