The Vietnamese Ethnic Group Cultural Festival with the theme "Opportunities in the Year of Dragon" will be held at the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism (Dong Mo, Son Tay Town, Ha Noi) for 2 days (18 and 19 April 2012) under the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Assembly’s Ethnic Council; Central Public Relations Committee, Propaganda and Training Committee; Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs; Viet Nam Television Station; Voice of Viet Nam.
The Management Board of the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism will preside and coordinate with the Ethnic Culture Department, the departments under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the related-units from ministries, provinces to organize the festival.

This event aims to celebrate 65th anniversary of the day President Ho Chi Minh sent his letter to the Congress of Southern Ethnic Minority Groups in Pleiku (19/4/1947-19/4/2012); honour the culture of Vietnamese ethnic groups; boost cultural exchanges and strengthen national unity of Vietnamese ethnic groups. This is also an opportunity to promote and introduce the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism to visitors.

The festival consists of 8 main contents: preliminary conference to review 03 years of implementing Decision 1668/QD-TTg on 17/11/2008 of the Prime Minister on "Viet Nam Ethnic Group Cultural Day" on 19 April; conference on promotion and investment to develop culture-tourism products; a gala night to honour the culture of Vietnamese ethnic groups; northern mountain markets; activity programs of representatives of 13 ethnic community groups at the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism; traditional craft village exhibition; performance of traditional games, sports; and camping festival of Ho Chi Minh Youth Union of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Highlight of the festival is the Gala Night to honour the culture of Vietnamese ethnic groups with the participation of 13 ethnic groups from 08 provinces. It will take place from 20h00 to 22h00 on 19 April 2012 at the floating stage in the Ethnic Villages Area of the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism.

The festival will let cultural subjects speak for themselves at the "common house" of 54 ethnic groups in Viet Nam. All activities are carefully selected with cultural identities of ethnic minorities and regions, to ensure its quality, art content, characters of ethnicity, modernity, community, diversity, richness, and unique to contribute to honoring the Vietnamese ethnic culture. In addition, the programs will be associated with other tourism and sports activities to facilitate exchanges between ethnic groups, provinces, domestic and international visitors.

Within the framework of festival, the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism will guide travel enterprises to connect their tours and tourist destinations with cultural tourism programs at the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism; coordinate to hold Conference on promotion and investment to develop culture-tourism products; cooperate with press agencies to introduce the event and tourism products of the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism.


Thu Giang – Phuong Anh (TITC)