The commemorative program themed "shared culture" will include major cultural events in Hanoi, according to Nicolas Warnery, French ambassador to Vietnam.

The art performance kicked off the 2020 “Balade en France” at Ly Thai To Square in Hanoi. Photo: Tourism.hanoi.gov.vn

Many famous artists and experts from France will come to Vietnam to participate in a series of events, namely art performances, fashion shows, and heritage conferences, the Ambassador said at a press conference held in Hanoi on March 14 to announce the commemorative events.

Accordingly, the "Balade en France" festival will be held at Ly Thai To Square and the pedestrian area surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake on April 14-16. Locals and tourists will have the opportunity to experience French cuisine, art, and culture at pavilions set up in the area.

"Festival-goers can find a variety of authentic French food such as wine, chess, and fruit. In 2020, the 'Balade en France' festival welcomed nearly 100,000 visitors. We hope it will attract a larger audience this year," he said.

Along with "Balade en France", the Hanoi People's Committee will organize an art installation space called "The Colors of Vietnam" at the Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian area.

The French festival of “Balade en France” is considered a big yearly cultural event in Hanoi. Photo: Tourism.hanoi.gov.vn

In particular, from April to June, the French Institute in Hanoi, in collaboration with the UNESCO and European Union offices, will organize a major event called "Photo Hanoi 2023", which will include seminars, lectures, and exhibitions on photography.

The walls surrounding the French Embassy in Hanoi will become a backdrop for hundreds of photos on Franco-Vietnamese themes.

Enthusiastic about the project, the French ambassador said that Hanoi has the potential to become a center of photography in Asia. He hopes that the biennial event "Photo Hanoi 2023" will be a good start for this ambitious plan.

"It is also an opportunity for visitors to see the milestones and key events in the relationship between the two nations and their people-to-people partnerships over the past 50 years," the ambassador said.

In June, a two-night musical performance entitled "Le Petit Prince" or "The Little Prince" will be performed at the Hanoi Opera House by artists from the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra. The opera is adapted from the famous literary work "Le Petit Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944). The book has also been translated into Vietnamese and republished several times in the country.

The cover of the book “Le Petit Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in Vietnamese version published by Kim Dong Publishing House.

“The musical illustrates the strong and cohesive connection between France and Vietnam in the fields of culture and art, especially in book publishing,” he noted.

In addition to Hanoi, a number of cultural events will be held in other major cities throughout Vietnam, such as "French Cuisine Week" on April 10-14 in HCM City, featuring a former Elysee chef; the Fashion and Design Show, which starts on September 5 and includes a competition for Vietnamese talented fashion designers; the "Mode et Design" fashion show and a fashion design competition called "Vietnam Fashion in Paris" will be held in HCM City in May; the "Festival of Lights" with spectacular light and music installations will be held in the former imperial city of Hue in December, among others.