The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi, has launched a week-long campaign of wearing ao dai (traditional long dress of Vietnamese women) among the union's women members to welcome the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

From November 11-19, all girls and women will wear ao dai to offices and schools to display the beauty of Vietnamese girls as well as of the country's thousand-year-old capital.

Hoan Kiem district in the centre of Hanoi has some famous places known as the old quarter and Hoan Kiem lake. Many luxury hotels and headquarters of important administrative agencies, international organisations are also located in the district.

Meanwhile, to welcome the APEC Meeting and Vietnam's admission to the World Trade Organisation, a music programme with the participation of Vietnamese and foreign artists will be jointly held by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organisations and foreign embassies on November 18.

A chorus of 40 artists from 10 countries, including China, Russia, Australia and the UK, will perform their traditional and contemporary music works, dances and song.

***  The APEC Vietnam 2006 trade fair opened in Ho Chi Minh City on November 11 with the participation of 300 domestic and foreign enterprises.

The nine-day fair aims to create opportunities for enterprises from Vietnam and other APEC member economies to introduce their products and services, as well as boost cooperation, technology transfer and trade promotion.

During the fair, a roundtable between Vietnamese exporters and US importers as well as trade promotion programmes, and cultural and art activities will take place.

An area for education exhibition and a festival launched by Vietnamese students to welcome the 14^th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is expected to attract thousands of local and foreign scientists, teachers and students form 21 universities and colleges.