Leaders of Hue city presenting flowers to representatives from Cergy City

Hue and Cergy cities officially established a cooperation relationship in April 2019 during the visit and participation of the Cergy delegation, led by Mayor Jean Paul Jeandon, at Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2019. Since then, many officials, artisans, and artists from both cities have implemented exchange programs, shared experiences in the management and organization of cultural and artistic activities. The most recent visit was in late February 2024, when a delegation led by Secretary of Hue City Party Committee Phan Thien Dinh attended the ‘Tet Festival - Passport to Asia event’, which was jointly organized by Cergy city, Vietnamese and Asian groups living in Cergy and artists from Hue.These cooperation activities have brought diverse, beneficial, and positively complement exchange opportunities.

In his opening speech, Mr. Vo Le Nhat, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hue City, emphasized that, based on recent achievements, leaders of the both cities agreed to strengthen cooperation, focusing on exploring the similarities and strengths of each side. The Hue - Cergy Cultural and Artistic Exchange Day, with the theme “From tradition to modernity”, is considered the beginning of a new phase of cooperation, helping people in Hue in particular and in Vietnam in general gain initial insights into the beautiful and dynamic Cergy City, with lots of development potential, located in the heart of France.

 Visitors exploring Hue - Cergy art exhibition space

Through Cergy, and potentially the urban community of Cergy Pontoise, Hue aims to enhance cultural and tourism promotion activities to help visitors from the Paris metropolitan area and surrounding regions better understand Hue as an ideal cultural and heritage destination in Vietnam, through unique cultural and artistic heritage activities of the ancient capital.

Mr. Moussa Diarra, Deputy Mayor in charge of International Relations of Cergy City, mentioned that the successful cooperation between the two cities relies on the active participation of citizens, associations, and support from both cities, along with sponsors such as the French Embassy and international organizations. While Cergy is a young city, Hue has a long history of formation and development, making their cooperation mutually beneficial. This collaboration honors the core values of global partnerships based on equality, humanity, and peace. Both cities learn from each other, with Cergy benefiting from Hue's cultural insights and vice versa, Cergy also has good things to share with Hue in the fields of culture and art...

During Hue International Arts Festival 2024, locals and tourists will have the opportunity to engage in hip-hop exchanges between dancers from Cergy and Hue's hip-hop clubs. Additionally, exhibition spaces will feature the Hue - Cergy art display “From tradition to modernity”, folk paintings from Sinh village, Hue kites, and lanterns.

On this occasion, Hue and Cergy are to organize an exchange with ceramic restoration artists on the theme “Preservation and restoration of heritage”, presented by Ms. Saenko Manon, President of the Vauréal Crafts and Ceramics Association of Cergy City. This event is considered an opportunity for artisans, craftsmen in general and ceramic artists in the province in particular to exchange and learn experience in making ceramic products.

By THANH HUONG