Fest marks capital birthday

A night festival with flowers and coloured lanterns, entitled Thang Long Hallmark, was held at the Thang Long Royal Citadel, near the HCM Mausoleum, on Saturday to celebrate the 1,000th birthday of the capital.
The festival, co-organised by the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee and the Ha Noi Buddhist branch, honoured predecessors, like King Ly Thai To and Buddhist priests who founded Thang Long capital.
The festival opened with singing, dancing and drumming.
A ceremony to call for a peaceful world and prosperity took place with more than 7,000 candles burning.
The festival concluded with special song and dance performances to praise Buddha and the 1,000 year-old culture of Ha Noi.
On the same night, a live television programme linking Ha Noi, Vientiane and Paris was aired to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi and to commemorate the 120th birthday anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh.