No license to organize festivals for commercial purposes

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recommends that localities reduce the frequency and scale of festivals and festivals; do not grant licenses or organize festivals for commercial purposes, violating regulations on implementing civilized lifestyles.

This is one of the notable contents of Official Dispatch No. 4237/BVHTTDL-VHCS sent to the People's Committees of provinces/cities under the Central Government on "Strengthening the management and organization of festivals in 2017."

Participants trampled each other to get the Phet fruit during the Phet Hien Quan festival (Phu Tho) in 2015. Photo for illustration purposes only.

Also in this document, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requested the People's Committees of provinces/cities to direct local authorities to stop organizing previously licensed festivals that have offensive content, incite violence, and cause outrage in society.

In recent years, many traditional festivals related to animal sacrifice, animal stabbing and fighting rituals (stabbing buffaloes, cutting pigs, etc.) and violent fights and robberies that endanger the safety of people and tourists at some festivals (such as the Gióng festival - Hanoi, Phết festival - Phú Thọ, etc.) have caused heated and controversial debates in the community.

Faced with that reality, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Official Dispatch No. 459/BVHTTDL-DSVH (dated February 19) on the organization of buffalo fighting festivals and buffalo fighting festivals; in which it requested not to grant licenses to organize buffalo fighting festivals and buffalo fighting festivals if they are not traditional local festivals.

A representative of the Department of Grassroots Culture (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) said that there are many traditional buffalo fighting festivals across the country, typically the Hai Luu buffalo fighting festival (Vinh Phuc), Do Son buffalo fighting festival (Hai Phong), Phu Ninh buffalo fighting festival (Phu Tho), Ham Yen buffalo fighting festival (Tuyen Quang)...

Buffalo fighting festivals in other localities such as Phuc Tho (Hanoi), Phu Son (Bac Ninh), Bao Thang (Lao Cai)... are all newly organized festivals and have a commercial nature.

In addition, "not bringing foreign mascots or strange artifacts that are not suitable to Vietnamese customs and traditions into relic sites and worship areas, ensuring the integrity of relics in accordance with the Law on Cultural Heritage" is also a key requirement in festival management and organization in 2017.

According to Vietnam+