The third version of the Vietnam - Laos cultural, sports and tourism exchange is scheduled to take place in early October in the northern mountain province of Dien Bien, according to details provided by the Dien Bien Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The official ceremony of the festival is due to take place at 8 p.m. on October 1 and will be broadcast live on Vietnam Television (VTV), the Voice of Vietnam (VOV), and throughout other provinces in the country.
The opening ceremony will last for 120 minutes at 7/5 Square in Dien Bien Phu city, with the event starting with a special art programme featuring the participation of hundreds of actors and artisans from both Vietnam and Laos.
Upon addressing the event, Nguyen Hoang Hiep, deputy director of the Dien Bien Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasised that there will be a wide range of activities taking place during the festival. This includes an incense offering ceremony at the martyr temple, ritual ceremonies of cultural activities, shows featuring traditional costumes, an exhibition of the ethnic minority community residing in the Vietnam - Laos border area, famtrip activities, and surveys.
The event is behind held as part of activities celebrating the country’s 77th National Day, the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Laos diplomatic ties, and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam - Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.
A total of nine Vietnamese provinces and 10 Lao provinces along the shared borderline will participate in the occasion.
The main aim of the festival is to strengthen the solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between the two nations, as well as reaffirming the country’s consistent policy of maintaining, consolidating, and enhancing its special relationship with the neighbouring nation.
Furthermore, it is also expected to promote the tourism potential and traditional cultures of ethnic minorities that reside along the Vietnam - Laos border to both domestic and international friends, thereby contributing to preserving ethnic identities.
The previous schedule for the event is from September 23 to September 25.