Nine art troupes across the region have gathered at a five-day traditional music festival of the Association Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in northern Thanh Hoa province, beginning on August 1.

Artists from eight ASEAN member states - Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippine, Myanmar and host Vietnam- are joined by counterparts from the Republic of Korea at the event.

Addressing the opening night, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vuong Duy Bien said the event marks the 20-year ASEAN membership of Vietnam and the 48 years history of the bloc ahead of the formation of the ASEAN Community at the end of this year.

The concert aims to promote valuable musical features of regional countries and to enhance mutual understanding among their peoples.

As such, it will give stimulation to tourism growth in Vietnam and across ASEAN, Bien noted.

The festival will last five days, during which participating troupes will also perform at the local Sam Son beach resort town, a well-known tourist destination in Vietnam, besides the official programme.

A seminar on the diversity of ASEAN traditional music will take place as part of the event.

Source: VOV