Hundreds of art perfor­mances and cultural activities will fill the Hue Festival 2006's sched­ule, expected to start on June 3, 2006 in the former impe­rial city of Hue.

According to Nguyen Xuan Hoa, Director of the Hue Festival Office and Thua Thien-Hue Province's Culture and Information De­partment, Hue Festi­val 2006 will occur at the same time as the 700th anniver­sary of the province's historical Thuan Hoa-Phu Xuan region.

The theme is "700 Years of Thuan Hoa-Phu Xuan-Thua Thien-Hue, Cultural Heri­tage with Integration and Development". The nine-day event will be filled with cultural programmes not only de­picting Vietnamese art forms, but also the beauty of foreign cultures.

Various warm-up activi­ties will begin in May, 2006 in­cluding the International Sculpture Camp, Viet Nam and European Union Cultural Days, an International Music Creative Camp and a Hue Poem Festival.

Opening ceremony will be held at Ngo Mon Square, facing the ancient imperial citadel, with stage perfor­mances representing the traditional arts of Hue and Vietnam, including mua cung dinh (royal ritual danc­ing) and nha nhac (royal music) - unique to Hue, UNESCO recognised this music as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage in 2003.

French artist Pierre Alain Hubert will close the evening with a special colourful fireworks display. During the festival, a multiform programme will take place at Dai Noi (Purple City), An Dinh Palace and neighbouring areas.

Dem Hoang Cung Hue (Hue' Imperial Night), a nightly programme recreat­ing the royal night life will not only show royal art forms but will also present royal cuisine and games.

Art ensembles from France, China, the UK, Rus­sia, Japan, South Korea, In­donesia, Thailand, Argen­tina and Australia will spot­light their cultural heritage during the festival. One show in particular is the per­formance dance Han Han va Con Mua II (Drought and The Rain), directed by Vietnamese-French Ea Sola.

The event will also show­case the Nam Giao proces­sion (restoring three main parts of the Nam Giao Festi­val), Truyen Lo Festival (doc­tor proclamation ceremony), where new doctors return to their native villages to thank their ancestors after achiev­ing academic honours and the Huong (Perfume) River Festival.

After its success in 2004, the ao dai (traditional long dress) show will take place in Hue's Trang Tien Bridge.

Tay Nguyen's gong fes­tival, which UNESCO re­cently recognised as a Mas­terpiece of Oral and Intan­gible Heritage, will be honoured during the Hue' Festival 2006 together with a replica of nha rong (com­munal house).

Visitors have the occa­sion to learn more about Hue's culture and cuisine while attending the Wed­ding Ceremony in Hue' in the Old Days and the Veg­etarian Food of Hue.