Impressive Vietnamese cultural space at "Vietnam Day in Brazil"

(To Quoc) - The Vietnamese cultural space at the "Vietnam Day in Brazil 2024" program welcomed a large number of international visitors on November 16th, impressing with many unique artistic activities and cultural experiences. This is the first time the program has been organized in the Latin American region on the largest scale ever.

In Rio de Janeiro, attendees eagerly donned traditional conical hats and explored the many cultural gems of Vietnam amidst light rain, participating in activities such as making clay figurines, printing Dong Ho folk paintings, and enjoying freshly brewed coffee in the "Hanoi Old Quarter" area.

Luiza Coelho, a Brazilian, excitedly shared while creating a traditional Vietnamese toy: "Creating my own toy from a football and carving the image of my favorite player is a new and meaningful experience for me. Under the dedicated guidance of the Vietnamese artisan, I was able to express my national pride and love for football while also discovering the profound cultural story between our two countries. This truly is a bridge that brings us closer together."

Ấn tượng Không gian văn hóa Việt trong — Brazilians hand-cook adorable clay figurines in familiar shapes such as toucans and samba dancers.

The opening art program began with a drum performance combined with traditional Vovinam martial arts, creating a vibrant and enthusiastic atmosphere. The graceful and powerful martial arts movements, set against the backdrop of majestic drums, left a lasting impression on the local audience.

According to the organizers, the national team of the Vietnam Lion and Dragon Dance Federation will for the first time introduce to international friends the Four Sacred Animals dragon dance, recreating the image of dragons from the Ly Dynasty - one of the quintessential cultural features closely associated with the lives of Vietnamese people from ancient times to the present day.

The photo exhibition commemorating 35 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Brazil, featuring many valuable photographs and documents, depicts important milestones in the friendly relationship between the two countries. The exhibitions "Vietnamese Cultural Heritage," "Colors of Vietnam," and the wall showcasing the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam also contribute to introducing and promoting a Vietnam that both preserves the essence of its millennia-old culture and strongly thrives in the era of integration and prosperity.

In particular, the lacquer painting exhibition "Spreading Traditional Colors," featuring artists from both countries, not only highlights the unique cultural exchange but also conveys a message of enduring friendship between the two nations through refined artistic language.

2024 marks the first time the "Vietnam Day Abroad" program will be held in the Latin American region, promising to bring unforgettable "first-time" experiences to the local public.

Watching the puppets move vividly on the water's surface, Pedro Cavaco, a young Brazilian, couldn't hide his surprise and shared: "I'm very surprised by the skill and talent of the artists. This is truly a unique art form, found only in Vietnam."

Like Pedro Cavaco, most international friends were excited and delighted to experience the water puppet show performed by artisan Phan Thanh Liem for the first time. Under the red tiled roof of the water stage, the combination of sound, light, and puppets on the water created many magical performances, rich in Vietnamese character, vividly reflecting the life and folk culture of the people in the Northern Vietnamese countryside. Folk tales such as the story of Teu, dragon boat racing, and buffalo fighting led viewers on a captivating journey of discovery into Vietnamese culture.

This is the first time that water puppetry – a national intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam – has appeared in the "Vietnam Day Abroad" program. To achieve this, the organizers and artisans had to maximize their creativity, finding every way to improve and transport bulky materials and props halfway around the world.

Ms. Le Thi Hong Van, Director of the Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO, and Head of the Organizing Committee, said: "We changed the materials from wood to corrugated iron, plastic, and foam. This process was quite complex and labor-intensive, requiring both flexibility for transportation and the aesthetic and artistic quality of the performances. Nevertheless, we are extremely proud to be able to introduce water puppetry to our friends in Brazil. This is a meaningful gift we want to give to the people here."

"Vietnam Day Abroad" is a national promotional program organized annually since 2010 by the Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , under the direction of the Prime Minister. This year, the program is being held in Brazil and Saudi Arabia with the theme "Gathering the essence of a thousand-year-old culture - Rising in an era of wealth and prosperity."

In particular, "Vietnam Day in Brazil" takes place ahead of the G20 Summit. This is a time when the 20 largest economies on the planet and many member countries gather, providing an opportunity for the program to reach a large number of high-level delegates attending the Summit, thereby contributing to spreading the content and activities to the people of Brazil and a wide international audience.

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