An Australian Gift to Hanoi

Various interesting activities will be opened during a special cultural program titled ‘Once in a 1000 years: an Australian Gift to Hanoi’, this weekend.
The Australian Embassy, on April 15th, held a press conference at the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake Ballroom to announce the program.
The upcoming event includes a series of free exhibitions, concerts and cultural exchanges designed to get into the 2010 party spirit with Hanoi.
The program, organised in partnership with the Hanoi People’s Committee, features outstanding exhibitions and performers belonging to Australia’s proud indigenous culture.
Australian Ambassador HE Mr Allaster Cox said, “Good friends celebrate birthdays together. That’s why we’ve put together this exciting schedule of free events for all Hanoians to enjoy. It’s our way of getting into the party spirit with the people of Hanoi.”
“The program includes something for everyone: world-standard indigenous art, classic didgeridoo performances, modern hip hop and musical exchanges,” Ambassador Cox added.
The program, which will take place between 15th and 18th April, 2010, also features other music, traditional story-telling, hip hop performances and children’s activities.
Program highlights:
- Balgo Exhibition (17 April – 12 May, Museum of Ethnology): The largest collection of Australian indigenous works ever displayed in Vietnam, featuring 26 paintings from 18 established and emerging indigenous artists from the remote Balgo region of Western Australia. The opening ceremony (10.00am Saturday 17th April) will be a family-friendly event, with free children’s painting classes and didgeridoo performances.
- “Journey through Time” Gala Concert (8.00pm Saturday 17th April, Cultural Friendship Palace): An immersive musical, visual and story-telling voyage through 60,000 years of Australian indigenous culture, told by acclaimed solo artist/story-telling/dancer Jeremy Donovan and five established and upcoming performers from Indigenous Hip Hop Projects (IHHP). Jeremy and IHHP performers will be joined on stage by Vietnamese university students with whom they have been exchanging experiences.
- Outdoor Talk-show and Concert (6.00pm-7.30pm Sunday 18 April, Cultural Friendship Palace forecourt): free hip hop exchanges and performances, children’s games and painting classes, didgeridoo performances, body painting with Jeremy Donovan and IHHP. Free entry, no ticket required.
The program is made possible with generous assistance from Australian partners: ANZ Bank, Australia Network, BlueScope Steel Vietnam, Santos Vietnam, SSESTEEL Ltd/Vinausteel Ltd, RMIT International University Vietnam, SMEC International, The University of New South Wales, The University of Queensland, CPA Australia, IDP Education (Vietnam), Box Hill Institute, La Trobe University and QBE Insurance (Vietnam).