Various cultural events will be organised across Da Nang during the 2017 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week (AELW 2017) next month, in a bid to widely advertise the city’s special cultural values to visitors from both home and abroad.

An foreigner viewing exhibits on display at Museum of Cham Sculptures

One emphasis will be on enhancing the quality of cultural and entertainment activities along both banks of the Han River to make these events more attractive to both locals and visitors. 

A special street dance on a section of Tran Hung Dao, between its intersections with Ly Nam De and Trieu Viet Vuong streets will feature fascinating street parades of live music and dancing.  Street artists in the eye-catching national costumes of APEC’s 21 member economies will parade along this section.

A special street live music show at 144 Bach Dang will be also held to welcome in the forthcoming AELW 2017 with the participation of well-known rock bands from both home and abroad.  Apart from being treated to fascinating live music, the audience members will have a chance to grasp a deeper insight into the city’s time-honoured and distinctive cultural values.

Mr Tran Ngoc Tuan, Director of the Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong (classical drama) Theatre, said that many traditional Tuong extracts, with beautiful dances and traditional Vietnamese musical instruments, will be introduced to the audience, especially foreigners, during the international large-scale event.

The Museum of Da Nang is expected to host a festival honouring the values of traditional craft villages in the city and Quang Nam Province, including stone and wood carving, bronze casting, and sedge mats and drums making.

The refurbishment of the Museum of Cham Sculptures on 2 September Street, is being kept on track at a cost of nearly 45 billion VND funded from the city budget.  Mr Huynh Van Hung, the Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, remarked that the museum is one of the city’s key cultural sites to be introduced to international friends during AELW 2017.

The quality and aesthetics of the museum is being ensured during the refurbishment period. 

The refurbishment is very necessary to improve the displays of the existing artifacts and the organisation of scientific events, as well as to cater for the growing numbers of visitors to the museum.

Most notably, the opening of 2 new display areas at the museum in July is the latest addition to the rich collection of exhibits on display here.  One features valuable ceramic items of the ancient Sa Huynh and Cham cultures, whilst the other honours the uniqueness of the contemporary Cham culture and the daily lives of the community of Cham people in Ninh Thuan Province.

The construction of the APEC Park is progressing well on a 3.047m² triangular-shaped vacant land lot at the intersection area of 2 September street and Bach Dang extended street, near the western end of the Rong (Dragon) Bridge, in Hai Chau District’s Binh Hien Ward. 

To date, the symbols of 4 APEC member economies, namely Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Chinese Taipei, have already been placed at the park.  The symbol of Viet Nam, which is being created at the Non Nuoc stone carving village, will be erected here very soon.

With only one month to go to AELW 2017, relevant local agencies are now busy preparing a wide range of cultural events and arts programmes, all of which are expected to leave a good impression on the international delegates attending this international event.