The President attends the opening ceremony of the Festival of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups.

The Festival of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups is an annual event organized to contribute to the preservation and promotion of the traditional cultural values ​​of the nation.

On the evening of April 16th, the opening ceremony of the Vietnamese Ethnic Groups Festival and the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's letter to the Congress of Ethnic Minorities in Southern Vietnam (April 19, 1946 - April 19, 2016) took place at the Vietnam National Ethnic Culture Village in Dong Mo, Hanoi. President Tran Dai Quang attended and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony.

President Tran Dai Quang delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the Festival of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups.

The Festival of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups is an annual event organized jointly by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of provinces and cities. Its purpose is to contribute to the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values ​​of the nation, strengthen the unity of Vietnamese ethnic groups, attract tourists, and promote the introduction of Vietnamese ethnic groups.

This year's festival attracted 120 village elders, community leaders, artisans, and people from eight ethnic groups across eight provinces, representing various ethnic groups and regions nationwide. These included the Muong (Hoa Binh), Thai (Nghe An), Kho Mu (Dien Bien), Ede (Dak Lak), Gie Trieng (Kon Tum), San Chay (Thai Nguyen), Dao (Tuyen Quang), and Khmer (Soc Trang). With the theme "A Thousand Quintessences Converge," the opening ceremony was a highlight, featuring approximately 300 professional performers and 100 amateur actors.

The program showcases the unique cultural identities of the 54 ethnic groups through works of art.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Tran Dai Quang extended his best wishes and greetings to the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam. The President emphasized that Vietnamese culture is the result of thousands of years of creative labor, tenacious struggle in nation-building and heroic defense, forging the soul, spirit, and character of the Vietnamese people, and illuminating the glorious history of our nation.

Throughout the entire process of the Party's and State's leadership in culture, culture has consistently been affirmed as an integral part of the revolutionary cause, deeply intertwined with the spiritual life of the people. The Central Committee Resolution No. 9 (11th Congress) "On building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development" identified the goal of building "Culture to truly become a solid spiritual foundation of society, an important intrinsic strength ensuring sustainable development and firmly protecting the Fatherland for the goal of a prosperous people, a strong nation, democracy, fairness, and civilization."

The government's decision to designate April 19th as the annual Day of Vietnamese Ethnic Cultures, starting in 2009, aims to honor the cultural values ​​of the 54 ethnic groups, strengthen national unity, contribute to the tradition of patriotism, compassion, and loyalty, and awaken pride in the heroic nation of Vietnam.

The President said: “The Day of Vietnamese Ethnic Cultures is gradually spreading and deeply permeating the Vietnamese ethnic communities, truly becoming a festival for people of all ethnic groups to meet, interact, and immerse themselves in traditional festivals, thereby contributing to introducing and honoring beautiful cultural values ​​and enriching the spiritual life of our people. Many tangible and intangible cultural heritages are preserved and restored; many customs and traditions of ethnic groups are researched, collected, and revived; and the spiritual and cultural activities of the people are given attention. Practical and meaningful activities and actions on preserving and promoting cultural heritage associated with socio-economic development, environmental protection, poverty alleviation, etc., by all levels, sectors, and strata of the people have contributed to affirming the vitality and longevity of Vietnamese ethnic cultures. In particular, the Vietnamese Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village has been inaugurated and is operating increasingly effectively, becoming a "The common home of 54 ethnic groups."

Highly appreciating and warmly commending the efforts and achievements of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, ministries, departments, localities, and people of all ethnic groups in the cause of preserving and developing the culture of Vietnamese ethnic groups, President Tran Dai Quang emphasized that, in order to better preserve and promote the cultural values ​​of the nation, contributing to the eternal survival and development of the Vietnamese nation, in the coming time, it is necessary to continue to effectively implement the Resolution of the 9th Conference of the Central Committee of the 11th Party Congress "On building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development" and the Cultural Development Strategy to 2020.

Focus on promoting the preservation and development of the fine values ​​of national culture, the diversity and cultural identity of ethnic groups, consolidating and enhancing the unity in diversity of Vietnamese culture, and building new cultural values; at the same time, proactively expanding international cultural exchange, selectively absorbing the best of world culture, enriching the national culture, and progressing with the development of the times.

At the same time, create all conditions to improve the level of enjoyment and participation in cultural creative activities of the people; strive to gradually narrow the gap in access to culture and art between urban and rural areas, between the plains and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities, remote areas, border regions, and islands; harmoniously combine the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage values ​​with sustainable economic and tourism development activities.

Further promote the dissemination and education of the Day of Vietnamese Ethnic Cultures to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and mutual respect among ethnic groups, consolidate ethnic solidarity, awaken self-respect and pride in national cultural traditions, and foster the will and determination to build a prosperous, beautiful, and civilized nation; and promote the image and culture of the Vietnamese people to international friends.

The President urged all levels and sectors to uphold a sense of responsibility, cherish, respect, and take practical actions to honor, preserve, and promote the beautiful cultural values ​​of the nation, both tangible and intangible, and actively combat uncivilized and anti-cultural behaviors. With that in mind, the President wished the opening ceremony of the activities celebrating the Day of Vietnamese Ethnic Cultures great success.

According to VOV