Also attending the program were comrades: Nguyen Minh Triet, former Politburo member, former President; Nguyen Van Nen, Politburo member, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; Tran Hong Ha, member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister; Truong My Hoa, former Vice President...

President Vo Van Thuong attends the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival. Photo: VNA

President Vo Van Thuong, leaders and former leaders of the Party and State attend the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival. Photo: VNA.

Comrade Phan Van Mai, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee delivered the opening speech of the program.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the program, Mr. Phan Van Mai, member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, stated that rivers and canals not only contribute to the shape and appearance of Saigon-Gia Dinh-Ho Chi Minh City, but also carry the flow of cultural diversity to converge and transform into the cultural identity of the South, forming the generous, liberal, open, optimistic and aspirational character of the people of Ho Chi Minh City. The program "The River Tells Stories" held right at Saigon Port, on the Saigon River is a greeting from Ho Chi Minh City, a peaceful, vibrant, open and constantly creative river city. The program is also a message from a city rich in internal strength, courage and readiness to cooperate with friends from all over the world in the strategy of developing a riverside city.

The program "The River Tells Stories" recreates the history of development along the Saigon River through many periods.

The large number of participants were immersed in the live scene, multi-dimensional art space on the harbor of the program "The River Tells Stories". The program was directed by Director Le Hai Yen, gathering nearly 700 professional, semi-professional and amateur actors; many folk artists, excellent artists, reformed opera artists, singers...; by combining many art forms, associated with live scenes, lighting effects, it recreated the history of the formation of nature and people through the development periods of Gia Dinh - Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City, associated with the characteristics of the river city.

The historical flow of Ho Chi Minh City past and present for thousands of years and most clearly the more than 325 years of forming the river city is told in 5 artistic chapters: Reclamation - Land opening - On the wharf, under the boat - Pearl of the Far East - Brilliant City by the river. Throughout the ups and downs of history, the Saigon River is like a witness, a place to preserve ancient memories to the present, nurturing the pride of Ho Chi Minh City people in the new development stage.

The space "On the wharf, under the boat" has been preserved throughout the history of formation and development of the river city of Ho Chi Minh City.
The cast performed a scene about the belief that Ho Chi Minh City will develop rapidly in the future.

The program left an impression on thousands of residents and visitors about the story of the Saigon River, the canal system in Ho Chi Minh City through historical periods in a realistic way, portrayed through vivid images of the commercial port, boats, commercial activities on the river wharves, cultural life and scenes of humanity, generosity, love for the city, the aspiration to build a prosperous city, increasingly developed...

According to the organizers, the program "Storytelling River" is expected to become a unique tourism product, associated with preserving and promoting the historical values ​​of culture and urban life in Ho Chi Minh City.

News and photos: KIEN HAI

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