On January 20, 2018, BridgeFest 2018 – “Connecting people” Music Festival will take place at Dien Kinh Sport Stadium, Tran Huu Duc, Hanoi. The event is co-organized by Oxfam and the United States Embassy in Vietnam, in cooperation with Wake It Up and Hexagon JSC. BridgeFest 2018 will take place from 14:00 to 22:30 and is expected to attract up to 10,000 guests.
Carrying the message of “Connecting people”, BridgeFest 2018 is a community event that aims to break down barriers in Vietnam, such as gender, income, physical ability, geography, culture, religion, etc. to promote equality and social integration. The event also honors diversity and equality in society. BridgeFest 2018 will be a bridge for people to come closer through musical melodies by well-known national and international artists, guest speakers, and community activities by youth groups and civil society organizations.
BridgeFest 2018 is a music festival that converges diverse music genres such as Pop, Ballad, Dance, R&B, EDM, Remix, etc. There will be the participation of well-known artists and singers from Vietnam, Africa and the United States with a variety of culture, gender and age in this event.
"Idol of the youth" - Son Tung M-TP will bring songs with millions of views which built his reputation, along with the story of pursuing his dream to this event. Da LAB and Ngot Band - the two “indie” bands will fill the festival with lyrics about an innocent soul full of dreams. Da LAB, with their own compositions about society, will perform a special song dedicated to BridgeFest.
Rapper Đen Vâu, singer Yen Le, Kimmese, and “The Voice Vietnam 2013” winner Vu Thao My, all promising artists with beautiful voices, will bring to BridgeFest 2018 a variety of modern music. Rapper Den’s story of rising above difficulties to pursue a music career and Kimmese’s and Vu Thao My’s passion and perseverance in their music careers will be an inspiration for the audience.
ILL-AbilitiesTM – an international breakdancing crew, made up of dancers (primarily from the United States) with different physical limitations has inspired audiences around the world with their extraordinary performance. They will come to Vietnam to perform here for the first time.
BridgeFest 2018 is not only a diverse and colorful music festival but also a space for exhibitions, installations and dialogues with guest speakers. Young participants will have opportunities to understand the context of diversity and differences in society, the existing inequalities, the causes and the solutions through paintings or experience area to join hands and take action. Booths, and flashmob dances will transform BridgeFest 2018 into a true festival that connects a diverse audience towards the goal of prosperity for all and an inclusive society.
Ms Babeth Ngoc Han Lefur - Country Director, Oxfam in Viet Nam said: “Strategic objectives of Oxfam in Vietnam are supporting government in poverty reduction and narrowing the economic gap as well as strengthen voices and the involvement of underserved groups in society. We believe that young people - the future owners of the country should be equipped with knowledge and information on these social issues to build an equal, happy and prosperous country together. Music is a great way to access information, knowledge and connect people. That is the reason why we have reached out to our partners and created BridgeFest 2018.”
U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink said “The U.S. Government has been a proud partner of Vietnam in advancing many of its goals for more than twenty years, because we believe in a prosperous free, and independent Vietnam that respects human rights and the rule of law. But, for a nation to truly realize its potential, all of its people must be included and given equal opportunities to work, study and pursue their dreams. That’s what we hope to celebrate at BridgeFest 2018.”
Apart from well-known artists, 22 civil social organizations will also participate in the event.