Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Women's Union (VWU) on February 29 launched the annual Vietnam Ao Dai Week 2024 and organised an art performance programme to promote the value of the traditional costume in life, culture, and society.

The Vietnam Ao Dai Week was first held in 2019 by the VWU in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism under the theme “Ao dai – Vietnamese Cultural Heritage”. Since then, the event has been held in the first week of March every year, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, to celebrate the International Women's Day (March 8).

Speaking at the event, President of the VWU Ha Thi Nga said that the Vietnam Ao Dai Week aims to evoke love, pride, and responsibility for preserving and promoting the heritage value of the costume. It also aims to introduce the Vietnamese culture, Vietnamese people in general and Vietnamese women in particular to international friends.

Since the first Vietnam Ao Dai Week, various activities to honour the Vietnamese costume have been organised including “ao dai” photo contests, large-scale performances, parades, giving “ao dai” to poor/ disadvantaged women, free online course on making/designing ao dai, and a design campaign "Proud of Vietnamese Ao Dai".

Responding to the Vietnam Ao Dai Week, the VWU on February 29 evening organised a musical programme together with "ao dai" performances.

Collections of “ao dai” by more than 50 domestic designers were introduced at the event. Moreover, spouses of foreign ambassadors attended the programme wearing the traditional Vietnamese ao dai.

On the occasion of the 144th anniversary of International Women’s Day (March 8), diverse activities will be held in many localities nationwide./.