Nine stories of the lives, dreams and struggles of people living in the three Mekong River sub-regional countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are now spotlighted at an exhibition in Hanoi. “Mekong’s story: Challenge and dream, ” a mobile exhibition that opened at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology on November 25 aims to enhance intangible values and reflect the challenges the nations are facing in ensuring balance between preservation of cultural identities and development.
The telling stories focus on traditional and contemporary customs, the lives and culture of people in the three countries where generations have relied on the legendary river for their survival.
The stories are told via a collection of 200 artifacts as well as photos and sounds, providing visitors an insight into the lives of millions of Southeast Asian residents living along Mekong River as well as their struggles against natural disasters and environmental pollution.
Visitors to the show on every Saturday and Sunday will have a chance to enjoy dishes made of rice, fish and coconut copra and milk, and meet with students from Laos and Cambodia.
The three-month event is part of a cultural preservation project sponsored by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and carried out by 15 museums and agencies of these countries over the past four years.
The exhibition will conclude on February 25, 2010 and then move on to the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, and Cambodia, Laos and Sweden until 2012.
