Ho Chi Minh City is encouraging women in the city to wear Ai dai- the traditional long gown of Vietnam – in the third Ao dai festival scheduled to be held from March 5 to 19.

As per the directive of the municipal people’s Committee, the Department of Tourism in co-ordination with the Department of Culture and Sports and related agencies to organize the third Ao Dai festival to honor the ‘ao dai’ – a Vietnamese traditional costume.
During the festival, the organizers encourage women to wear Ao Dai in daily activities and launching a trip “Ao Dai city- My loved city” from the Student Culture House to cultural and natural heritage sites for students who wear Ao dai and travel on bicycles to promote environmental protection campaign.
The city encourages also people wear the traditional costume in Sundays in a month to promote tourism activities.
Other activities including talks of Ao dai, history and changes of Ao dai throughout centuries as well as photo exhibition entitled ‘Ao Dai through the Ages’ will be launched at the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts, Ao Dai museum, War Remnants Museum, Chi Lang Park in Dong Khoi Street from March 5 to 31. The fair will also be held at the city Youth Culture House from March 18 to 20.