Fourth Season of ‘Vietnam’s Next Top Model’ to be aired

The reality television show ‘Vietnam’s Next Top Model’ has become a great attraction and drawing a large audience throughout the country.

This year’s competition attracted around 2,000 contestants nationwide. About 70 percent of the participants are students who can speak English better than last years’ contestants.

Model Thanh Hang was chosen as the host of the fourth season of the reality TV model search, together with fashion designer Do Manh Cuong, make-up artist Nam Trung and renowned Australian model coach Adam Williams.

Winner of this year’s show will receive a two-year contract worth VND1 billion with BeU Models, a front cover shot for F-Fashion magazine and a cash prize of VND200 million from the magazine, a one-year contract worth VND200 million with Nokia and free use of the latest cell phones of the brand, an apartment at The Vista project for 12 months and other valuable prizes from Bourjois cosmetics, Pamas-Beauty Clinic, Canifa fashion and California Fitness & Yoga Centers.

Successful models of the last contests including Hoang Thuy, Tra My and Mai Giang have chance to take part in fashion shows abroad, appear on leading fashion magazines and gradually integrate in the world fashion stage.

‘Vietnam’s Next Top Model’ is the Vietnamese version of the US reality television show ‘America’s Next Top Model’ by CBS Studios International.

Contestants  between 18 and 25 years of age, of minimum height 1.65m will compete in a catwalk contest, present their talents and skills and participate in an interview with jury members.

The show is an opportunity for thousands of contestants to compete for the title of Vietnam’s Next Top Model and a platform to start a career in the modeling industry.

A total of 18 male and female models who have qualified for the finals of the fourth series of Vietnam’s Next Top Model will live together in a house for two months, while cameras will record their interpersonal relationships. The jury will then choose the winning contestant.

11 episodes will be aired on VTV3 every Sunday at 8pm starting from October 6.

Rare celadon glaze objects on display in Ha Noi

A rare exhibition showcasing vases, jars and pots made of a precious glaze called Celadon, dating back to the Ly dynasty (IX – XII), opens today in Ha Noi.

"Celadon" is a term for ceramics denoting both a type of glaze and a ware of a specific colour. Celadon glaze refers to a family of transparent glazes, with many forming pronounced cracks, used on porcelain and stoneware. Pieces made with it are often referred to as "celadons".

These works belong to culturist Nguyen Viet who has successfully researched and completed a study on glazes from the Ly and Tran dynasties.

About one-third of the 50 exhibits feature patterns and images from the paintings of famous artist Le Thiet Cuong.

"I granted him the right to use my paintings. The details are carefully engraved on the celadons before they are glazed," said Cuong.

The exhibition runs until October 7 at Gallery 39 Ly Quoc Su Street.

Hue to restore royal ancient temple

Ta Tung Tu (Left Temple), a construction in the quintessential style of Hue’s Imperial Citadel, will be restored at a total capital of VND11.5 billion, according to the Thua Thien-Hue Province People’s Committee.

Recent scientific and technological advancements in combination with original materials and traditional techniques will be applied in the restoration to properly preserve the artifact’s intrinsic architectural, cultural, artistic, and historical style.

The temple covering an area of more than 210 square meters was built in 1843. The complex including Ta Tung Tu, Huu Tung Tu (Right Temple), Sung An Palace, and Hien Duc Mon was built aiming at worshiping Emperor Minh Mang (1791-1841), his empress and other high ranking mandarins. It was badly damaged by war, time and weather.

The restoration will contribute in preservation of the old Imperial complex of Hue ancient capital.

Boys dominate the Do Re Mi children singing contest

The six-year-old Quoc Thai, together with his seven-year-old teammate Nhat Minh, won the Do Re Mi (Do Re Mi) children singing contest last night in Ha Noi.

The children duo conquered judges and audiences by their surprising tenor voices when they duet the song Que Toi (My Homeland) by songwriter Anh Minh. Moreover, the duo exposed potential acting skills when they performed an opera-inspired act adapted from the Lion King.

The boys also won The Most Favourite Duo vote by audiences.

With the winning, the boys will have a trip to Australia to visit the Hello Music Land in Melbourne, where they will have chance to sharpen their singing and performing skills.

The finale of the seventh season challenged competitors to sing with music band and to perform an opera-inspired act.

The boy-and-girl duo Huong Thao and Ngoc Nhat, who performed the song Tu Rung Xanh Chau Ve Tham Lang Bac (A Child from Central Highlands Visits Ho's Mausoleum) and an extract from the Les Misérables, granted the second prize.

The girl duo Quynh Dao and Khanh Ngoc, who presented the song Em La Bong Hong Nho (I Am a Small Rose) in jazz style and staged The Little Match Girl, received the third prize.

7th int’l photo contest receives 15,360 entries

The Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists’ (VAPA) seventh international photo contest received around 15,360 entries from1,430 artists representing51 countries and territories across the world.

The Federation of International Art Photography (FIAP) sponsored the contest, which was open to submissions from May 30 until August 31.

Addressing a September 27 event marking the beginning of the shortlisting process, VAPA Chairman Vu Quoc Khanh said more than 4,000 entries are portraits, 2,688 are nature photography, 3,984 are travel photography, and 4,812 explore themes of freedom.

The contest’s jury will select each category’s best entries for announcing on October 2.

Apart from the VAPA awards, the FIAP will also present special prizes to the winners of each category.

Local winners are eligible for cash prizes of between VND1 million to VND10 million.

The contest’s best photos will be showcased at an exhibition in Hanoi later this year.

Water Tourism potential introduced

The Scientific Union for Sustainable Tourism Development (STDe) hosted a seminar in Hanoi on September 28, introducing the potential for developing water tourism in Vietnam.

Delegates emphasised the importance of Vietnamese tourism’s sustainable development, increasing customer satisfaction and business revenues while limiting the industry’s environmental impact.

STDe scientists and 100 Hanoi University of Civil Engineering students have developed ‘water tourism’ products to promote Vietnam’s tourism values.

The STDe’s resulting ideas for tourist attractions include giant soap bubbles, water and light shows, and fountains and light sculptures.

It regards water as one of the tourism sector’s most precious resources, and with proper management, water tourism can deliver many benefits to both local communities and the nation as a whole.

The seminar’s organising board also awarded certificates of merit to the university students who contributed to the STDe’s research.

Mass Xoe dance performance celebrates Yen Bai culture

Vietnam’s largest-ever mass performance of Xoe dancing - a folk genre practiced by the country’s Thai ethnic group - took place to celebrated the northwestern mountainous province of Yen Bai’s emergence as a cultural destination.

With over 2,000 local artisans and actors taking part in Nghia Lo town’s stadium on the evening of September 29, a new record was set and the approval of a major project to develop the town into a destination of culture and tourism in the 2013 – 2020 period was marked in appropriate style.

Xoe dancing, a unique feature of Thai culture, plays a significant role in the traditional dance canon of Vietnam . It depicts the daily lives of the country’s Thai people and shows their wish for a peaceful and prosperous life.

Xoe is an important collective dance of the Thai people, especially in the northwestern region. In total, Xoe comprises about 30 different dances.

The dance charms with its gentle and alluring rhythms. Dancers usually form a circle around a festive flame and move to the sound of melodic traditional music.

The dancers at the Nghia Lo performance, dressed in the traditional costume of the Thai ethnic minority, performed six core xoe dances while music was played by 50 traditional instrumentalists.

Three large LED screens were placed in different positions to ensure everyone in the huge audience could enjoy the performance.

Hoang Thi Hanh, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Nghia Lo town and head of the Organisation Board said three experts on Thai culture who have helped to popularise the six dances were invited to help arrange the performance.

Various cultural, sports and tourism activities have also been organised in the locality, including a buffalo fighting festival.

Mekong Delta Floating Market to be replicated in Hanoi

The Can Tho Floating Market will be presented in Hanoi for the first time this November, according to a representative of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho.

Accordingly, the floating market will cover a water surface area of more than one hectare with floating houses, boats and cruises at Dong Mo Lake of the Tourism and Culture Village of Vietnamese Ethnic Minority Groups.

Visitors will have a chance to experience how people exchange goods, fruits and many other commodities on their vessels, and also transport agricultural products. They can also enjoy Don Ca Tai Tu (Southern Amateur Music) at the floating market, and also see the daily activities and local life of Mekong Delta people on the river.

The event is part of the many activities in the framework of ‘Week of National Unity-Vietnam Cultural Heritage’ to take place in Son Tay Town in Hanoi this November.

The Cultural Week will mark the 83rd anniversary of Vietnam National United Front on November 18, the Vietnamese Cultural Heritage Day on November 23, and the inauguration of the Khmer Pagoda Complex in the Tourism and Culture Village of Vietnamese Ethnic Minority Groups.

Soc Trang to host first ‘Ngo’ Boat Race Festival

The first ‘Ngo’ Boat Race Festival of the ethnic Khmer people in the Mekong Delta region will be held from November 14-17 in Soc Trang Province.

‘Ngo’ boat (Ghe Ngo) is considered a sacred object of the ethnic Khmer people (Khmer people). The special boat is made of wood by artisans and Khmer Buddhist monks. The boat is decorated with images of dragons, tigers, elephants, lions and peacocks representing the power of the boat.

The annual ‘Ngo’ boat race is one of the highlights of the many traditional historical and cultural events of Khmer people.

This year’s festival will be a chance to promote tourism in Soc Trang and introduce the culture of the province to visitors. The race is expected to attract more than 60 teams from across the country, said Mr.Tran Thanh Nghiep, Deputy Chairman of the People’s Committee of Soc Trang Province.

‘Ngo’ boat race is also one of the activities to celebrate the Ok Om Bok Festival which is held on the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month every year with plenty of entertainment, art performances, traditional sports and games, and releasing of buoyant paper lanterns into the air and on the river.

During festival, people pray for good luck, happiness, good weather and a bumper crop, and express their sorrow and worries and pray that their god will bestow favors on them and give them a better life.

‘Ngo’ Boat Race Festival will also include a wide range of activities such as trade fairs, exhibitions, a traditional food festival, art performances and ethnic costume competitions.

The festival aims to preserve the cultural heritage of Khmer people as well as promote tourism potential of the province.

Tuan's art portrays ladies in red

The Saigon-based artist Bui Tien Tuan has taken a new turn with his latest Red Thread series, appropriating the traditional medium of do (poonah) paper with ink and watercolours.

"Floating in empty spaces dominated by the rough texture of the do paper, the women in in his collection recline, crouch and cavort in mid-air or over an invisible bed," a press release from the Craig Thomas Gallery says about the new work.

Tuan says this is a return to the origins of his career as he was at young age renowned for his do paper works, according to the gallery.

Tuan has been strongly influenced by the Japanese form of wood block painting known as Ukiyo-e, and the paintings of Red Thread echo the influence of this traditional Japanese art form.

"Different to silk which has a finer and softer look, do paper gives the Red Thread paintings uneven surfaces that hint at the real, stronger quality of actual skin with pores, fine hairs, and other small imperfections," according to the gallery's curator.

"In varying states of undress, there is a red thread in their delicate hands which spins around their semi-extended bare legs or their beautifully formed torsos. The facial features of Tuan's women are sometimes visible and sometimes hidden by their hair or an averted gaze, allowing us to fantasize about their identity," the press release said. "For Tuan, the ever-present Red Thread is a line that links the viewer to his labyrinthine world of poetic sensuality."

His solo exhibition of new ink and watercolour paintings on do paper will take place at Craig Thomas Gallery, 27i Tran Nhat Duat Street, District 1, HCM City, from October 3-23.

Provinces lack archaeological plans

Provinces have failed to submit archaeological masterplans despite a deliberate call to action enshrined in the 2010 National Cultural Heritage Law.

The law states that every province must create an archaeological masterplan; inclusive of maps identifying archaeological sites, and preferred excavation and preservation methods.

The issue was raised at the 48th National Archaeological Conference that took place in Ha Noi on Thursday.

"At the same conference two years ago, I informed that Khanh Hoa will be the first province in the country to complete the archaeological masterplan. However, the masterplan has not completed officially," said director of the Institute of Archaeology, Tong Trung Tin.

"No province has a completed archaeological masterplan. We are at the same stage we were back then," said Tin.

Although archaeological experts in Khanh Hoa had completed a masterplan, no document had been submitted to authorities for feedback or official approval.

"It is useless when the masterplan can't get the relevant authority approval," Tin said.

The problem appeared to show a similar trend in Ha Noi.

In 2003, a draft masterplan for archaeological sites in Ha Noi's four centre districts was developed by the Institute of Archaeology to mark the 990th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi.

The masterplan was submitted to the city's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which, until now, did not provide feedback on the document.

Alleging that the lack of archaeological masterplan has had serious consequences, Tin said "a survey found 80 to 90 per cent of iron-age archaeological sites had disappeared because they hadn't been on the preservation list. Among the disappeared sites were important locations such as the Phung Nguyen in Phu Tho Province, and the Thuy Nguyen graveyard in Hai Phong."

The same survey also indicated that many archaeological sites found during the construction of roads or houses had been damaged by local residents.

Tin also said that weak management by local authorities had also caused sites to disappear.

"Many years ago, we sent a group of experts to survey the Thuy Son boat graveyard site in Hai Phong, located within the masterplan zone of National Road 10. We emphasised the importance of the site and urged local authorities to protect it. We came back three years later and were shocked: the road was completed and the archaeological site had been cleared," Tin said.

The archeological expert also said that the institute was rarely informed when new archeological sites were discovered by local authorities.

"When we know about the discovery, it is sometimes too late to provide a suitable solution for protecting the specific site because damage may already be inflicted," the veteran archaeologist said.

Currently, cities and provinces, including Ha Noi, HCM City, Bac Ninh, Quang Ninh, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, have implemented archaeological masterplans and will complete necessary actions soon.

"If all provinces tried their best and worked hard, it would take around 10-15 years to complete all the provincial masterplans," Tin said.

Viet Nam, Laos and China hold traditional games festival

Viet Nam, Laos and China will co-host the third con festival – in which participants attempt to throw a sacred ball through a high ring – in the mountainous province of Dien Bien between October 25-27.

The festival expects to attract around 1500 participants from the provinces of Dien Bien and Lai Chau (Viet Nam), Yunnan (China), and Phongsaly (Laos). The first two festivals were held in Yunnan province, where participants threw balls through triangle rings in accordance with Chinese and Laotian traditions. Participants at the third festival will attempt the sport in the Vietnamese style, throwing the ball through a ring.

According to Vietnamese tradition, players gather on a level field with a 30-40cm ring fixed to a tall bamboo tree. Balls stuffed with rice grains and cotton seeds are decorated with a multi-coloured tassel and thrown through the ring.

Participants will also compete in other sports and traditional games.

Vietravel launches Asian spiritual tours to Buddhist holy lands

Vietravel Ha Noi has launched special spiritual tours to India, Nepal, Tibet, Myanmar and Cambodia. The company expects the tour to be the bridge connecting tourists and Buddhists to Buddhism holy lands. It offers many promotions for customers of these tours from September 9 to November 30.

Tourists flock to Lao Cai for rice field bloom season

According to travel companies, tourists and photographers are flocking to the northern province of Lao Cai to witness the beauty of terraced fields of ripening rice.

The most popular destination is Bat Xat-Y Ty, followed by villages of Trung Chai, Sa Pa, Ta Phin, Lao Chai and Ta Van of Sa Pa District, which was voted one of the seven most beautiful and magnificently terraced fields by US-based Travel & Leisure magazine in 2009.

Vu Lung Sung village, Trung Chai Commune, Sa Pa District has 121 terraces more than 100 years old. They are considered the most beautiful.

Festival highlights terraced fields

A four-day festival highlighting the terraced fields in Mu Cang Chai district wrapped up in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai on September 29.

The event aimed to promote Mu Cang Chai’s magnificent terraced rice fields, which are recognised as a national scenic site, while introducing to domestic and foreign visitors the farming habits and unique culture of the Mong ethnic people.

As one of the most popular destinations of the northwest, Mu Cang Chai terraced fields have long been known by many visitors because of the fields’ spectacular beauty.

The fields are visible from virtually everywhere in the district as they expand over 2,600 hectares.

In addition to promoting the land and people of the region, the festival also meant to raise local awareness of preserving and upholding the northwest’s historical values in line with sustainable tourism development.

As part of the region’s culture, sports and tourism week, the event was expected to raise visitors’ love for the diligent people of the district.

A string of activities were held during the event, including a sports festival, a photo exhibition themed “Mu Cang Chai – golden stairs”, a mountainous market, and contests to make Day cakes and plough rice fields.

Hanoi hosts first street art festival

A festival featuring street arts took place in the capital city of Hanoi on September 28 as part of a campaign called “I Love Hanoi” initiated by the Hanoi Youth Union.

As many as 120 teams and individuals competed in three types of street entertainment, namely Patin, Freestyle football and Allstyle showcase.

The festival, which also aimed to celebrate the 59th anniversary of the liberation of Hanoi (October 10, 1954-2013), offered a chance for young people to share their passions and show off themselves in a modern healthy way.

Concluding the festival, the organisers awarded the first, second, third and consolation prizes to outstanding teams and individuals in each category.-

UK dance performance to be presented during cultural week

The British contemporary dance company Candoco makes its debut performance in Hanoi in the night of September 29 to kick off the Great Week – which aims to showcase the best of the UK in Vietnam.

Founded in 1991, the company consists of both disabled and non-disabled artists.

Their performance in Hanoi Opera House will be opened by an act presented by four Vietnamese disabled children from the Nghi Luc Song (The Will to Live) Centre and artists from the Youth Theatre. The act will be choreographed by Candoco in the days prior to the show.

This opening piece - called "choreographic residence" - is an idea initiated by the company as they tour the world and create opportunities to bring changes in the perception of, and association with, disability. Moreover, disabled participants gain a huge sense of achievement, pride and confidence through taking part in the performances.

Among eight Candoco artists coming to Vietnam, three have physical disabilities. Together they will showcase special contemporary dances, including Studies for C, Set and Reset/Reset, and Imperfect Storm.

After the debut show, Candoco will also take part in the international dance festival "Europe Meets Asia in Contemporary Dance" in Hanoi.

The artists then will travel to Ho Chi Minh City where they will present their repertoire at the city's Opera House on October 3. In addition, they will also conduct a dance workshop for street and migrant children in collaboration with SOUL Academy.

Alongside the Candoco's performances, the Great Week will also present a film festival dedicated to British comedies. The cinema event will take place in five of Vietnam's major cities from September 30.

The film collection to be presented includes Local Hero (1983), A Private Function (1984), The Witches (1990), Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) and Shaun of the Dead (2004). The films will be screened in Hanoi, HCM City, Hai Phong, Can Tho and Da Nang – where for the first time outdoor showings will be organised in the rural district of Hoa Vang.

The British Council Vietnam's country director Chris Brown said: "The UK has a great tradition of comedy – it is fun and carries some powerful messages at the same time."

"Many of our selections are classics. They are great and timeless. We want to share them with you instead of just keeping them for ourselves."

All shows are free and tickets can be collected from September 25 at the following address: In Hanoi, at the British Council, 20 Thuy Khue Street; in Hai Phong, at the External Relations Department, 15 Tran Quang Khai Street, and the MegaStar Thuy Duong Plaza on Le Hong Phong Street; in Da Nang, at the MegaStar Vinh Trung Plaza on Hung Vuong Street; in HCM City, at the British Council, 25 Le Duan Street; in Can Tho, at the Ninh Kieu Cinema, 91 Vo Van Kieu Street.

Phuong My unveils Fall-Winter collection

Vietnamese-American Phuong My has debuted her Fall-Winter 2013 collection featuring the crafting of fabric designs made from wool silk which is described as ‘warm as wool and light as silk’.

The inner pieces are kept short sleeved and feminine, carrying on from the Spring/Summer 2013 collection. Women can wear the inner pieces in HCMC in hot and humid weather conditions. The mixture of fabric for this season’s collection, including wool, opaque organza, delicate silk net, and silk lace are the newest materials made especially for Phuong My.

Her choices of color for the season are cobalt blue, purple and red and gold in addition to the traditional pastel colors of beige, cream, ivory white and chalky pink.

This season, the designer’s main goal is to introduce the newest way to wear oversized collar jackets which a woman wears by button up, button down, or pinning the collar together in a fashionable way.

Chau Van singing festival celebrates artistic values

The first Chau Van (Spiritual) Singing Festival which is being held in Hanoi from September 25 to October 5, aims to honour the artistic and spiritual values of the folk performance genre.

This year’s festival draws the participation of the local mediums and Chau Van singing groups from 29 districts in Hanoi.

The festival features hau dong (mediumship) rituals performed to honour Mother Goddesses and connect with other gods.

The festival is divided into two rounds, starting with the district-level round, which runs from September 25-30 at four temples: Lam Du (Bo De ward, Long Bien district), Yen Phu (Lien Tri commune, Thanh Tri district), Cay Que (Trung Hoa ward, Cau Giay district) and Kim Giang (Kim Giang ward, Thanh Xuan district).

The ten most outstanding performances will be selected for the second round, which is scheduled to take place at the Worker Theatre on October 4 and 5.

According to Deputy Director Nguyen Khac Loi of the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the organising board will not present prizes for singing performances. Medals, titles and certifications will however be awarded to mediums in order to honour their performances at the festival.

This is the first time Hanoi has hosted the Chau Van singing festival. Other provinces and cities, such as Hai Phong, Hai Duong and Nam Dinh have organised the event many times. Mediumship and Chau Van singing were also introduced in localities where Chau Van is not popular, including Con Dao, Tien Giang and Phu Quoc. A wide variety of mediums has registered to take part in the festival in Hanoi.

On the occasion, a seminar entitled ‘Preserving and Promoting Precious Values of Chau Van Rituals in Contemporary Life’ is also be held on October 5. The event is expected to attract numerous scientists, cultural managers, Chau Van singing teams, mediums and instrumentalists.

Chau van was created during the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400). Northern Nam Dinh province is considered its birthplace. The main musical instrument used in the genre is the dan nguyet (moon-shaped lute).

The festival contributes to work on a dossier submitted to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for recognition of Hanoi’s traditional singing genre as National Intangible Cultural Heritage, according to Deputy Director Nguyen Khac Loi.

The festival aims to help people gain further understanding about the significance and the cultural and artistic values of Chau Van rituals, said Professor Ngo Duc Thinh.

The 2013 Chau Van Singing Festival also promotes standard methods of Chau Van performance, contributing to the maintenance of the cultural, artistic and spiritual values of this ritual in all localities around the country.

In particular, many mediums who performed ancient mediumships also take part in the festival. Through ancient manifestations, audiences can understand more about this traditional art form.

They also have a great reason to research this genre, particularly in seeking National Intangible Cultural Heritage status for Hanoi’s Chau Van rituals.

Special week to honour Vietnam’s cultural identity

The ‘National Great Solidarity – Vietnam Cultural Heritage’ Week is scheduled to be held at the Culture-Tourism Village of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups in Dong Mo, Son Tay, Hanoi from November 18 to 24.

Many traditional festivals will be re-enacted, including the Hoang Sa Soldier Feast and Commemoration Festival, the Bay Nui cow race festival and the Ok Om Bok festival.

Additionally, workshops on preserving and promoting heritage and cultural values will also be held during the event.

The week is organised by the Management Board of the Culture-Tourism Village of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups in collaboration with the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of provinces, cities such as Hanoi, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Son La, Cao Bang and Can Tho, as well as the Museum of the Cultures of Vietnam's Ethnic Groups and other relevant agencies.

The Week of ‘National Great Solidarity – Vietnam Cultural Heritage’ is an important cultural event that aims to honor Vietnamese cultural identity.

Ha Giang ethnic minority culture highlighted

The ‘Ha Giang Ethnic Minority Heritage, Culture and Tourism Week 2013’ is scheduled for November 19-23, according to an announcement from the Ha Giang People’s Committee.

The event will take place in several districts around Ha Giang province. There will be a flame dancing festival by Pa Then ethnic people in Quang Binh district, a Gau Tao festival in Yen Minh district and a traditional drumming and dancing festival of the Giay ethnic people in Meo Vac district.

Additionally, visitors can learn to make the traditional linen of H’mong ethnic people in Quan Ba district or visit the beautiful sites, well-known caves and cultural villages in Ha Giang. They can also enjoy the cuisines of ethnic minorities around the province.

The festival aims to boost solidarity and exchanges between ethnic groups in the locality and promote the province’s traditional identities and indigenous cultures to domestic and international friends.

The opening ceremony will be broadcast live on Vietnam Television.