The Hue Festival 2010 has stepped into its fifth day with a range of diverse and unique activities, including a science festival, street performances, a “Royal Palace by Night” event and a fashion show of “Ao dai”, Vietnam’s traditional long dress. On June 8, Hue’s first ever Science Festival began, organised jointly by Hue’s University of Medicine, the Italian Embassy, Sassari University from Italy, Queensland University from Australia, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The festival, themed “Medicine and Public Health”, covers public health issues such as research on how to prevent cancer, new infectious diseases and ways of preventing high blood pressure and diabetes.

The festival is also aimed at improving the public’s understanding of how science can help the community as well as promoting the image of Hue as a city of science.

The highlight of the day was the “Royal Palace by Night” event during which visitors had the chance to see the sparkling beauty of the Royal Palace with its mandarins, soldiers, elephants, horses, and maidens together with many ancient architectural and cultural works.

Various kinds of the royal arts were performed during the evening, including Nha Nhac (Royal Court Music), Hue’s classical drama and music and a recital of royal poems.

Also that evening, a fashion show of “Ao dai”, inspired by the lotus and with an environmental theme, took place at Ham Nghi courtyard near Thuong Tu gate. Almost 100 long dresses made of environmentally friendly materials such as silk, chiffon and satin were paraded before the audience. The fashion show was dedicated to the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and 17 designers and 160 models from the country’s three regions took part.

Meanwhile, numerous artistes from overseas brought a bustling and animated atmosphere to the normally quiet Hue City with several unique street performances.

On Le Loi and Nguyen Hue streets in front of An Dinh Palace, musicians and dancers from the French troupe Les Traine-Savates dedicated their funk music to the audience while installation artist Denish Tricot had his pieces on display at Dien Tho Palace and the tomb of King Tu Duc.

After first performing at the 2008 Hue Festival, the stilt walkers from the Merchtern region of Belgium returned to impress the crowds with their multi-coloured costumes, bustling music and humorous routines.

On the south bank of the Huong River, 11 installation works by 14 artists from across the country were on display, featuring stories about environmental pollution, climate change and the harmful effects of toxic chemicals and waste.

On June 7, at the Tu Dam Pagoda, the Thua Thien-Hue Provincial Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Board and the Hue Festivals Organising Committee held a ceremony to revive the Luc Cung Hoa Dang, a Buddhist worshipping ritual which was later turned into a royal dance under the reign of King Minh Mang (1820-40).