Hanoi (VNA) - Russian Ambassador Konstantin VasilievichVnukov will wear Vietnamese ao dai (traditional long robe)tailored from a 15m-long bolt of cloth at an event honouring the traditionalcostume.

An art performance featuring “ao dai” will be held on November 17 atthe Old Quarter Culture Exchange Centre, 50 Dao Duy Tu Street, Hanoi.

The event includes a fashion show of traditional long robes collected anddesigned by Dinh Lang Viet (Vietnamese Communal House) Group and long robes forwomen by designer Lan Anh.

The Indian and Indonesian ambassadors will also attend the event. Traditionalcostumes from India, Indonesia and Russia will also be on show.

“Traditional long robes will be worn by amateur models from Dinh Lang VietGroup at an installation space reflecting Vietnamese society in the 19th-20th centuries,” saidresearcher Nguyen Duc Binh from Dinh Lang Viet Group.

The models will wear the long robes and perform actitivites such as walkingdown the street, reading a book, holding a fan and writing calligraphy.

Although “ao dai” has not been popular with men for perhaps 70 years,women wear them on special occasions and, at times, some schoolchildren.

Artists and cultural groups are working to encourage Vietnamese men towear “ao dai”. Binh said he tries to wears the robe more often.

The group has carried out serious research on architecture and sculpture aswell as the threats that dinh (communal houses) face in the form ofencroachment and ravages of time.

Members are working with other experts to promote traditional cultural valuessuch as costume and music. There have been many modern “ao dai” designsfor women, but costumes for men receive little attention, painter Tran Manh Duc,member of the organising board, said.

“For both men and women, “ao dai” is not a costume but cultural heritageof the nation which has been preserved for centuries,” said Duc.

A seminar focusing on traditional long robe for men and its usage in the modernlife will be held on November 18.

It’s a part of the series of activities entitled "Origin", organisedat the Old Quarter from November 17- 26 to celebrate the Vietnam CulturalHeritage Day (November 23).

Tran Thuy Lan, vice chairwoman of the Old Quarter management board,said an exhibition featuring  traditional long robes and introducingthe former examinations system under feudalism would also be held from November17- 26 at the Hanoi Old Quarter Culture Exchange Centre.

Traditional tea culture will be in the spotlight at Heritage House (87 Ma MayStreet), featuring the participation of tea masters.

Meanwhile, visitors to Kim Ngan Temple (42-44 Hang Bac Street) will beintroduced to folklore music such as ca tru (ceremonial singing)and chao (traditional opera).

These performances will be held on November 17 and 18 evenings. Entrance isfree.-VNA