Martial arts festival marks Hanoi’s millennium anniversary

The third International Festival of Traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts opened in the central province of Binh Dinh on August 1, marking the 1,000th anniversary of Hanoi becoming the nation’s capital.
The event attracted 820 Vietnamese and foreign martial artists and coaches, 30 teams from across the nation and 50 international groups.
The event was attended by National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Kien and representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Binh Dinh Province People’s Committee and other provinces and cities.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of National Assembly Kien said that the event creates opportunities for artists to share their experiences and bring attention to Vietnamese martial arts, as well as help promote them beyond national borders and enhance the cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and other nations around the world.
The festival runs through August 4.
On the same day, an exhibition displaying traditional Vietnamese martial art weaponry and clothes opened at Quang Trung Museum, in Binh Dinh Province’s Tay Son District.
During the event, participants and tourists will have the opportunity to visit Binh Dinh's popular martial arts schools, said organizers.
Binh Dinh is widely known for its great martial arts masters.