Ha Noi plans fun celebration

All dressed up: Ly Thai To Garden is readied for the opening ceremony of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi on Friday. — VNS Photo Truong Vi

The opening ceremony take place at Ly Thai To Garden and around Hoan Kiem Lake.

Following a worshipping ceremony dedicated to King Ly Thai To, who oversaw the transfer of the capital from Hoa Lu (in the northern province of Ninh Binh) to Thang Long (former name of Ha Noi) in 1010, city officials will be presented with an official certificate from UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova recognising Thang Long Citadel as a world heritage site.

Pigeons will be released to mark the occasion.

Around Hoan Kiem Lake and in front of the Opera House five stages have been erected to celebrate the occasion.

On the opening night there will be an ao dai (long traditional dress) show featuring more than 1,000 local designs. Models will walk along a 370m-long catwalk from the The Huc Bridge to Dinh Tien Hoang Street.

The show will be broadcast live on Viet Nam Television's VTV1, VTV4, VTV5 channels and HCM City Television's HTV1, HTV9, and re-screened on CNN, BBC, KBS, CNBC and Bloomberg.

Between October 1 and 10, as many as 245 art shows by domestic troupes and 38 shows by international artists will take place every night throughout the city.

In addition, there will be dozens of exhibitions at the Viet Nam Centre for Exhibition, Culture and Arts and at the Giang Vo Exhibition Centre. There will also be a photo exhibition at the Ha Noi Exhibition House.

A carnival will also take place on October 8.

Around West Lake, from October 6-10, food-lovers will be able to sample local delicacies from across the country.

Meanwhile, at Ba Dinh Square on October 10, there will be a parade of the armed forces and local residents numbering an estimated 31,000. There will also be an art show at the My Dinh National Convention Centre on the final day of the celebrations.

A full list of the millennial celebrations is available on page 27. — VNS