The central city will not host the 36th International Theatre Institute (ITI) World Congress in 2018 after failing to secure funds from sponsors and donors, director of Da Nang's sports and culture department Huynh Van Hung told Viet Nam News.

A performance of Tuong (Classic Drama) in Da Nang's Nguyễn Hiển Dỉnh Theatre. Da Nang city has cancelled the 36th International Theatre Institute World Congress in 2018 due to a lack of funds. — Photo courtesy Nguyen Hien Dinh Theatre

Hung said the biennial event, which was scheduled for August in the city with the participation of 1,000 artists from 90 countries, could not be held with only funding of VNĐ15.3 billion (US$675,000) from the state budget.

He said the funds could only cover 50 per cent of cost for hosting the event, while fundraising had failed for the budget shortfall.

Hung said the city’s leadership had sent a letter to the ITI’s President Mohammed Al-Afkham to explain the problem.

Da Nang was the first city in Viet Nam to hold performances of Tuong (Classic Drama), and Nguyen Hien Dinh Theatre is as a popular destination among foreign tourists.

The city preserves a collection of 204 classical Tuong plays written in Han Chinese script and Vietnamese ideographic characters (Nom), and published between 1802 and 1845. — VNS