Khmer ethnic people in Soc Trang enjoy merrier Sene Dolta festival
Many communes in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang, which are home to a large number of Khmer ethnic people, are enjoying a warmer, merrier Sene Dolta festival this year as they have met new-style rural area status with povery rate declining, according a local official for ethnic minority affairs.
Khmer monks in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang pray to honour ancestors before having a meal. (Photo: VNA)
Soc Trang (VNA) – Many communes in the Mekong Deltaprovince of Soc Trang, which are home to a largenumber of Khmer ethnic people, are enjoying a warmer, merrier Sene Doltafestival this year as they have met new-style rural area status with poverty rate declining, according a local official for ethnicminority affairs.
Sene Dolta is one of themost important religious festivals for Khmer ethnic people, alongwith Chol Chnam Thmay (New Year) and Ooc Oom Bok to thank the Moon for a goodharvest.
Duringthe event, people gather to pay homage to their ancestors and enjoy traditionalsinging and dancing after a year of hard work.
Sene Dolta is celebratedfrom the 30th of the eighth lunar month to the second of the ninth lunar month each year, falling on September 28 – 30 this year.
My Xuyen district, where Khmer people account for over 33percent of the district’s population, have all the 10 communes earn new-style rural area status ahead the festival this year.
Thanks to concerted efforts of the local authority andpeople for many years, My Xuyen’s communes have got a facelift with higher living standards and improved economic lives of farmers, said ViceChairman of the district’s People’s Committee Dao Dac Hung.
The poverty rate was brought from 26 percent in 2011 to about 4 percent this year and the annual per capita income reached 42.5 millionVND (1,827 USD), a 3.5-fold increase from eight years ago, he added.
Son Soc, a farmer from Thanh Quoi commune, said few daysbefore the festival, his entire family gathered to decorate the house and make“banh tet” (cylindical sticky rice dumpling with pork), an indispensabletraditional dish of SeneDolta.
On September 28, a grand ceremony was held at Moni SrasKeo pagoda in Thanh Tri district and broadcast live by the local television,featuring various Khmer cultural and arts performances.
On the occasion, provincial authorities have visited and presentedgifts to 92 Khmer pagodas in the province and met and expressed greetings to key figures of the community and those renderingservice to the nation.
SocTrang provinceis home to over 397,000 Khmer people who account for 30 percent of the province’spopulation. They live mainly in Chau Thanh, Long Phu, My Xuyen, Cu Lao Dung and My Tu districts./.
Ooc Om Bok Festival, also called the Festival of Worshiping the Moon, will take place in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang from November 16-22, with various activities to celebrate the traditional Khmer festival.
The 12th culture, sport and tourism festival of the Khmer ethnic people in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is taking place in Go Quao township, Go Quao district from November 21 to 23, attracting thousands of visitors.
Ahead of Sene Dolta festival (September 27-29), a major event of the Khmer ethnic group to remember ancestors, local people are busy preparing Tet (cylindrical sticky rice) cakes.
A thrill of excitement has overwhelmed the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh these days as the Khmer people are celebrating their traditional Sene Dolta festival, which falls on September 27-29 this year.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Austria, with prestigious conductors like Mahler and Karajan who shape its legacy. Its New Year’s Concert, broadcast to over 90 countries annually, stands as a global symbol of classical music excellence.
PM Chinh lauded the press’s historic role in the nation’s fight for independence and its ongoing process of national development, affirming that the Government always highly appreciates the close partnership and steadfast support of press agencies and journalists nationwide.
In recent decades, Vietnam’s mainstream media has become a reliable and persuasive channel for showcasing the nation’s development policies and achievements, especially in economic matters, according to a senior assistant editor at the Times of India.
A hub for sharing best practices, the event aims to forge solutions for financial sustainability, public media contracts, audience engagement, content innovation, and newsroom restructuring. It is also a moment for Vietnam’s media to accelerate its progress and figure out what the “revolutionary press” means in a new era.
From “Thanh nien”, Vietnam’s first revolutionary newspaper founded by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later President Ho Chi Minh) on June 21, 1925, the revolutionary press has remained devoted to its sacred missions -accompanying the nation, serving the Fatherland, and working for the people.
The official launch of Emirates’ Dubai–Da Nang route on June 2 has sparked a “tourism revolution” for Vietnam’s central coastal city. Da Nang is emerging as a top destination for high-end travelers, particularly from the lucrative Middle Eastern market.
Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said VNA has been a consistent and reliable partner in OANA, contributing actively to the regional media landscape through content sharing, coordination, and policy discussions. Their coverage of ASEAN and Indochina issues adds valuable perspectives. Bernama appreciates the collaboration with VNA.
In this era of global integration and digitalisation, the press must adopt modern multimedia models to not only meet increasing information and communication demands but also align with the broader socio-economic development of the country.
A master plan on implementation of recommendations accepted by Vietnam under the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) took effect on June 17.
Running until June 21, the festival brings together more than 80 central and local media organisations, featuring nearly 130 exhibition booths that cover the full spectrum of national life, encompassing economy, politics, culture, society, defence, security, and foreign affairs.
As of June 17, Ca Mau province had achieved its target of supporting the construction and renovation of 4,400 homes, with a total budget of over 235 billion VND (about 9 million USD).
Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA) Le Quoc Minh has called for technology to be leveraged not to replace identity, but to enhance it—allowing Vietnamese journalism to reach both local and global audiences.
In recent years, with strong support from the Party and State, and building on its tradition as a heroic news agency, the VNA has not only actively participated in OANA but also proactively proposed various ideas for cooperation, helping shape a fresh image of effective media collaboration in the digital era, said VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang.
The education sector has been one of the foundations playing a vital role in deepening Vietnam – New Zealand ties, said Prof. Damon Salesa, Vice-Chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology (AUT).
Tien Giang province has addressed the housing needs of 608 poor, near-poor, and policy-beneficiary families facing housing difficulties. Of these, 370 houses were newly constructed while 238 underwent major renovations.
Khmer monks in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang pray to honour ancestors before having a meal. (Photo: VNA)
