Ten highlights of culture, sports and tourism in 2010

Parades to celebrate the 1,000th founding anniversary of Thang Long - Ha noi

1. Cultural and artistic activities marked major celebrations, including the 80^th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the national commemoration of the Hung Kings and the Hung King Temple Festival, the 35^th anniversary of national reunification, President Ho Chi Minh’s 120^th birthday, the 65^th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day, and the 80^th anniversary of the Vietnam National United Front.

2. Cultural, sports and tourism activities celebrated the 1,000^th founding anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, including the biggest-ever parade held at Ba Đinh Square on October 10, the opening of the Culture - Tourism Village of Vietnamese ethnic groups, an exhibition on Vietnam’s socioeconomic achievements, the “Thang Long – Hanoi Craft Villages and Streets” Festival, the sport competitions and the Vietnamese film days for 1,000 years of Thang Long – Hanoi.

3. Vietnam’s series of heritages have been recognised by UNESCO, including the Thang Long Imperial Citadel recognised as a world cultural heritage site, the Saint Giong Festival in Phu Đong and Soc Temples, an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, and the 82 doctoral stone steles at the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, recognised as a world documentary heritage.

4. Cultural activities have helped promote the country and Vietnamese people abroad, including a “Day of Vietnam” at the Shanghai EXPO 2010 and the Vietnam Culture Week in Cuba, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, Cambodia, Japan, the Republic of  Korea, Russia, China and India.

5. International cultural and sport events were held for the first time in Vietnam, including the International Photo Exhibition, International Film Festival, International Piano Contest, Miss Earth and the Thang Long – Hanoi International Football Cup to mark the capital’s 1,000^th founding anniversary.

6. People’s Artist and film director Dang Nhat Minh was honored by the US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his outstanding contributions to Vietnam’s cinematography.

7. Sports festivals at all levels and the 6^th National Sports Festival were held.

8. The Vietnamese sport delegation won 33 medals at the 16th Asiad, and the Vietnamese disabled athletes bagged home 17 medals, ranking 11^th out of 42 delegations at the first Asian Para Games.

9. Vietnam’s tourism welcomed the five-millionth foreign tourist.

10. Tourism promotion campaign in 2010 entitled “Vietnam - Your Destination” helped lure more foreign visitors to the country and promote domestic tourism. The campaign helped the tourism sector attract over five million foreign arrivals, provide service for 28 million local visitors, earning total revenue of VND100 trillion ($ 5 billion).