Nguyen Nga, a Vietnamese French – Director of the House of Arts is very interested in the contemporary painting on kites. Ba Giang Village in Dan Phuong, Ha Tay is well known for kite making and playing in the northern delta. Transporting kites to the playground. Artisan Pham Hong Nham from Ba Noi kite-making village in Dan Phuong, Ha Tay has nearly half a century of playing kites. Testing the flute before releasing the kite. Preparing for releasing the kites. Produce paintings on the kites. A kite festival titled “Contemporary Painting on Kites” with the participation of 38 kites made by artisans from famous kite-making villages in the northern delta and prominent painters has been held at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi with the aim to raise funds for Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange. Kites from villages Located by the bank of the Red River, Ba Giang Village in Dan Phuong, Ha Tay Province is one of kite-making villages which has been renowned for years. Artisan Nguyen Huu Khiem, President of Ba Giang Traditional Kite Club recalled: “When I was young, I was told by the elders that the kites of my village were made to call deities from heaven to come to earth so as to make heaven and earth closer”. From normal kites, people renovate them by connecting a single or a series of flutes to produce nice sound when they flutter through air. Ba Giang kites, made of dried bamboo, poonah paper and rice paper, are diverse in categories and shapes. The flutes which are attached to the kites are made of bamboo or rattan tubes. Ba Giang villagers are crazy about kites. Not only children but also people of up to 80 years old are very interested in kite flying and making, with some kites being 3-4 meters long, displaying a series of flutes. There are families which have up to six generations involving in making kites. So popular is the sport that kites can be seen flying at anytime of the day or night, as long as there is a supporting breeze. A connoisseur of kites can distinguish different types of kites by listening to the sound of flute-kites and even can say exactly who the owner of the kite is. The sound of flute-kites has a spiritual meaning which gives a sign of clement weather and warding off diseases and pandemic in the village. Going to the city Living far from the homeland for a long time, Nguyen Nga, a Vietnamese/French always remembers the image of Vietnam with flying kites. She said: “While walking along the dyke of the Red River during my visit to Vietnam , I was engulfed in enjoying the romantic beauty of flying kites”. Returning to her homeland she established the House of Arts (Maison des Arts) with a desire to create a playground for contemporary artworks. With a wish to do something to help the Agent Orange victims, she thought of the kites and established a programme titled “Painting on Kites” to start a charity fund for children. Nguyen Nga went to the renowned kite making villages of Ba Giang (in Ha Tay Province) and Kim Mon (in Hai Duong Province) to meet the artisans and received support from them. Kites have been transported from these villages to the House of Arts in Hanoi and attracted the participation of painters of different ages. The works “My Sky” by old painter Luc Quoc Nhuong and “I Want to Fly Far, Mom” reflect the authors’ childhood with a soaring soul and nice dreams. Releasing dreams Thirty eight kites were carried through many streets for a manifestation purpose before arriving at My Dinh National Stadium. Thousands of people flocked to the stadium to attend the festival including 100 Agent Orange child victims coming from the Children’s Villages and 100 poor students from Tu Liem District (Hanoi ).  At the festival, these children not only enjoyed contemplating flying kites but also painted on small kites made by artisans, under the instructions of the painters. With paints and brush they painted on the kites their dreams and images of villages. The festival was an opportunity for them to know the kite-making craft and the beauty of Vietnamese traditional kites as well as participate in interesting activities. Several days after the festival, an auction to raise money was held at the Metropole Hotel Hanoi which attracted many people who have an interest in Vietnamese kites and sympathy for unfortunate children. The money raised at the festival has been forwarded to Vietnam ’s Agent Orange Victims Fund. Story by Vuong Mo - Photos by Thanh Dat