Da Nang yielded impressive results in cultural diplomacy activities during 2022, contributing to helping the city’s image have far global reach.

Over the past year, the city's cultural diplomacy was marked by a wide range of exciting programs and events. Various cultural products and events were offered to local residents along with domestic and foreign tourists, thereby creating a joyful atmosphere in the city in a bid to satisfy their spiritual and entertainment needs.

Artists of the Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong (Classical Drama) Theater performed at the Museum of Da Nang in late November 2022. Photo: KHANH HOA

Rich and vibrant cultural events

In addition to resuming a series of activities, cultural events and festivals on both banks of the Han River after the COVID-19 pandemic, including street carnivals, street music festivals, outdoor classical drama performances, Bai Choi performances (a traditional Vietnamese game combining folklore singing and picks from a deck of card), the city hosted numerous international cultural and sports events. Included were the Da Nang International Marathon which attracted nearly 5,000 participants, the 6^th edition of VNG Ironman 70.3 Vietnam triathlon, the largest of its kind in Viet Nam, which attracted a combined total of more than 2,500 athletes, the International Golf Tournament, the Da Nang Open Paragliding Tournament, and cultural exchanges programs between Viet Nam and Japan and between Viet Nam and South Korea. These events contributed to promoting the image of Da Nang as a young, dynamic, and hospitable city around the world.

The Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater which plays an important role in performing the city’s cultural diplomacy tasks, brought the ‘Vietnamese soul’ programme back to the public in October 2022 to serve locals and tourists after 2-year closure triggered by COVID-19. The Theater also brought this program to welcoming ceremonies for domestic and foreign guests hosted by the city's leaders. Launched in 2018, the ‘Vietnamese soul’ programme which gathers the artistes of the Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater features carefully scripted plays in combination with playing traditional Vietnamese musical instruments in solo and orchestral performances along with modern dance performances.

“Over the past year, the ‘Vietnamese soul’ art programme of the Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater was honored to introduce at many important cultural events in the city. We are proud to introduce traditional art forms of Viet Nam to visitors at home and abroad, including classical dramas of the Quang Nam - Da Nang land. In addition to this art programme, we also staged the Han River Sediment program to serve local residents and tourists during the Lunar New Year 2023 and offered other cultural programs and events’, said Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong, the Deputy Director of the Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater.

In a similar move, the Museum of Da Nang resumed its program named "Da Nang Cultural Heritage Festival" in the last week of November 2022 after a two year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This event has been held annually over the past few years in efforts to promote the traditional culinary culture of Quang as well as honor artisans who have made great contributions to the preservation and promotion of the city's cultural values.

Apart from displaying objects to tell stories, museums across in the city also organized many interesting exchange, connection and communication activities to attract visitors, and perform its role of "historical storytellers". In 2022, the Fine Arts Museum in collaboration with the French Institute in Da Nang hosted a photo exhibition themed ‘Portraits de Femmes - Portraits of Women" in order to introduce 15 sets of photos by 15 young artists to the public. Moreover, the Da Nang Culture and Film Center held a screening exchange on the occasion of the Spanish Ambassador's visit to Da Nang, organized beautiful photo exhibitions, and more.

Spreading the image of Da Nang around the world

Tran Quang Hao, the Director of Trung Vuong Theater, said that participating in cultural diplomacy activities of the city is one of the theater’s key tasks over the past year. In 2022, the theater introduced its shows at many big events, including a reception for leaders of Laos’ Savanakhet Provincial Party Committee of Laos, the Lao Culture Week in Viet Nam, a celebration event for the 60^th anniversary of Viet Nam – Laos diplomatic ties, the "Dancing to Connect" Project showing the friendship between the United States and Viet Nam through arts, the "South Korean Music Night" program organized by the Consulate General of South Korea in Da Nang, the Da Nang Golf Championship 2022 . These art programs proved effective in promoting international exchanges and strengthening relations between Da Nang and localities in other parts of the world, and between Viet Nam and countries around the world at large. These programs opened up opportunities for the theatre to affirm its position in the city’s cultural sector .

“We are always aware of improving quality of our shows, creating more professional art programs in a diverse and artistic way to match with the city's diplomatic activities as Da Nang is an emerging destination for major national and international events. Therefore, the theater is focusing on improving foreign language skills for its artistes, as well as inviting some international choreographers to guide our artistes to performance dancing and singing in different languages,” said Mr. Tran Quang Hao.

Mrs. Le Thi Thu Hanh, the Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs highlighted huge efforts the Department’s staff have made for over one decade to promote the city’s image as a friendly, hospitable and livable city to domestic and foreign visitors.

Cultural diplomacy activities contributed to fostering the relations between Da Nang and localities around the world, especially in the current trend of deep international integration due to the city’s persistent efforts.

Reporting by KHANH HOA – Translating by H.L