Long bien Bridge

The first cultural and arts festival in memory of the Long Bien Bridge opened in Hanoi on October 10 by the Hanoi City People’s Committee.

The two-day festival, which was held to mark the 999 th birthday of Thang Long-Hanoi and the 55th anniversary of the Capital Liberation Day, opened a series of activities that aim to celebrate the 1,000th founding anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The 1,628-metre bridge, which spans the Hong (Red) River at the Hanoi area, is divided into 12 sections representing the 12 decades of its existence (1890-2009). Each section is covered with images created by domestic and foreign artists.

A wide range of cultural activities were held at the bridgeheads and along the historical bridge, such as painting, music, sculpture, circus, and traditional fashion show.

The release of 999 lanterns down the Red River will be included in the festival as a prayer for peace and prosperity for the city.

After the opening ceremony, participants joined a “Walk for Peace” to mark the 10 th year Hanoi has been recognised as a City for Peace by UNESCO.