Sunflower festival promotes the image and people of Nghe An

(Baonghean) - Comrade Le Minh Thong - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee answered an interview on the occasion of the Sunflower Festival 2016.

PV:This year, Nghe An organizes the Sunflower Festival for the first time, along with the activities of the Western Nghe An Spring Festival Night and the "Sunflower Festival" beauty contest. Could you please tell us the meaning and purpose of organizing this festival?

Tourists attend the Sunflower Festival. Photo: SN

Comrade Le Minh Thong:In recent years, each time the sunflower fields in Phu Quy land in Western Nghe An have bloomed, they have attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists to visit. Realizing that this is a destination with great tourism potential, and at the same time an opportunity to promote the image of Nghe An land and people to visitors from all over the world, this year the People's Committee of Nghe An province decided to organize the Sunflower Festival 2016. Organizing the festival in conjunction with activities such as the Western Spring Festival Night and the Sunflower Festival Beauty Contest, is an opportunity to connect, introduce, promote the image and traditional cultural values ​​of the ethnic groups in the province to friends at home and abroad, contributing to the preservation of the cultural identity of the Vietnamese people in general and Nghe An province in particular.

PV:So can you tell us the specific contents of this Sunflower Festival?

Comrade Le Minh Thong:Coming to this year's Sunflower Festival, in addition to sightseeing and taking souvenir photos with the largest sunflower field in Vietnam; learning about the customs and beautiful landscapes of Nghe An, visitors will also be able to immerse themselves in the Western Spring Festival, watch folk song and dance performances; folk rituals of Nghe An ethnic minorities (new house celebration, New Year's thunder welcoming ceremony, Xang Khan festival...); participate in gong playing, carving, bamboo dancing to celebrate the Spring Festival; compete in folk games of Nghe An ethnic minorities (crossbow shooting, throwing con, walking on stilts, swing playing...).

With the participation of mass art troupes from Nghia Dan, Tan Ky, Thai Hoa town, Quy Hop, Con Cuong, Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Quy Chau, Que Phong, Anh Son districts; Provincial folk music and dance troupe, Provincial Cultural Center... Along with that, visitors will witness the Sunflower Festival Beauty Contest, with many contents such as traditional costume performance of ethnic groups, evening gown, knowledge and behavior contest, talent contest... to learn more about the physical beauty, soul and intelligence of Nghe An girls. At the festival, visitors can also enjoy artistic photos from the beautiful sunflower photo exhibition...

PV:To make the festival successful and influential, what instructions has the Provincial People's Committee given, comrade?

Tourists take souvenir photos in the flower field. Photo: SN

Comrade Le Minh Thong:To prepare for the first successful Sunflower Festival in Nghe An, the Provincial People's Committee held meetings with relevant departments, branches, localities and units to plan the festival, and direct the departments and localities to coordinate the implementation. For example, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism was assigned to coordinate with the departments and localities to organize the Western Spring Festival, develop and approve the festival script; guide the mountainous districts and towns to develop art performance programs, excerpts of folk rituals imbued with the cultural identity of the participating ethnic groups to perform at the festival.

Direct the Provincial Cultural Center to announce the beauty contest, organize the reception of applications from contestants, organize the preliminary rounds, final rounds, and the final night. Direct the Provincial Literature and Arts Association to organize the Sunflower Photo Contest. Direct the Department of Industry and Trade to coordinate with the People's Committee of Nghia Dan district to organize booths to introduce local products, build tourist destinations for visitors to the festival outside the sunflower fields such as clean farm economic models, historical relics, scenic spots, etc.

Assign responsibility to relevant localities and sectors to arrange venues for the festival; carry out propaganda, attract people and tourists to participate in activities; ensure safety and order; accommodation for delegates and tourists from far away to attend the festival...

Sunflower fields continue to attract tourists to visit and admire.

With the participation and careful preparation of all levels, sectors, localities and related units, we believe that the activities of the festival will be widely promoted, attracting the participation of a large number of people and tourists, creating a cultural event that is lively in content, attractive in form, ensuring practicality, safety and savings, "Sunflower Festival 2016" will be successful and create a strong impression, contributing to promoting the image and people of Nghe An in general and creating a new and effective product for Nghe An tourism industry in particular.

Besides, through the organization of the Sunflower Festival 2016, the sectors, localities and units will also gain a lot of experience in organizing cultural and tourism events, thereby gradually building the brand, position and reputation of Nghe An tourism for tourists, connecting and forming tourism products between Nghe An and major centers in the country and the region, contributing to the socio-economic development of the province.

PV:Thank you, comrade!

Duc Chuyen(Perform)