A competition titled "Keeper of National Color" Intangible Cultural Heritage Performance Contest has been launched in Hanoi to celebrate the capital city's 69th liberation anniversary (October 10, 1954) and Vietnam's Cultural Heritage Day (November 23).

It's also an effort to promote traditional performing arts, increase people's pride in the capital's traditional cultural values, and honor people who have dedicated themselves to preserving and promoting Vietnamese cultural identity.

A troupe is performing ca tru in Hanoi. Photo: Lai Tan/The Hanoi Times

Participants are encouraged to perform the nation's living cultural heritage, such as chau van (spiritual singing), ca tru (ceremonial singing), xam (blind busker singing), cheo (traditional operetta), tuong (classical drama) and folk dance, as well as intangible cultural forms steeped in Hanoi's culture such as bai bong (flower carrying) dance of Phu Xuyen District, bong dance (men dressed as women and dance) of Trieu Khuc Village, and tu linh (four sacred mythical creatures: Dragon, Kylin, Phoenix and Turtle) dance from My Duc District.

In the preliminary round, contestants must submit a video clip they create on the nation's intangible cultural heritage and traditional arts.

The registration period is now open until September 30. The preliminary round is expected to be held in October 2023.

The final round will be a live competition in November at the open-air stage in the pedestrian zone of Hoan Kiem District.