The 10th Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival for ethnic minority groups will take place in the northern province of Vinh Phuc from November 2-4.

At a press conference held in Hanoi on October 26, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the provincial Department of Tourism said that this year event is themed “Preserving and Promoting Northeast Ethnic Culture in the Reform Process: Integration and Sustainable Development”.

This is the first time Vinh Phuc province has host such event, which is expected to draw over 1,000 artists, artisans and musicians from ethnic groups in the ten provinces of Vinh Phuc, Bac Kan, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Bac Giang, Quang Ninh and Thanh Hoa. It will help raise public awareness of preserving ethnic culture and promoting solidarity among ethnic groups.

The opening ceremony will be held on November 2 at the Vinh Phuc Theatre with a dazzling art performance. At this ceremony, the UNESCO Office in Vietnam will hand over the inscription certificate for tug-of-war game and ritual as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Within the framework of the festival, the ministry and relevant localities and agencies will review five years implementing Decision No.4686/QD-BVHTTDL dated on December 12, 2013 on the regular organisation of the culture, sports and tourism festival for ethnic groups in regional and national scale.

Other programmes featured at the festival include performances of ethnic rituals and traditional costumes, popularisation of local staples and tourist attractions, tug-of-war, stick-pushing, and ethnic wrestling, among others.-VNA