A boat race during Ooc-om-bok festival. (Photo: Bac Lieu online)
The ethnic Khmer people in the Mekong Delta will celebrate Ooc-om-bok Festival, one of their most important traditional festivals, on November 25-26.
The festival, known as the Moon Worshipping Ceremony, takes place on the evening of the 14th of the 10th lunar month. It begins around 7-8pm when the moon's position is high in the sky. People celebrate at home outdoors or at ceremonies at Khmer pagodas. They pray for good luck, happiness, good weather and bumper crops.
On the second day, the long boat race is held. A boat is about 24m long, 1.2m wide and is able to hold about 40 people. Each team represents a pagoda, village or community.
In Soc Trang province, the boat race will be held in Soc Trang city. Every year, the race attracts thousands of people who watch from the riverbanks. The sound of Khmer music instruments contribute to an exciting atmosphere along the river.-VNA
Vietnam should carry out a long-term campaign to conserve and develop folk festivals because people from industrialised countries are fascinated by culture of agricultural societies, experts say.
An exciting boat race kicked off the Khmer community's Ooc Om Bok religious ceremony on Nov. 9in Soc Trang Province to worship the Moon God who brought them a good crop and abundant fish this year.
Nearly 3,000 athletes from the southern province of Soc Trang and a number of neighbouring provinces have registered for the Ngo boat race taking place on November 5-6 alongside the 2014 Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum.
Vietnam’s cinematic appeal lies in its diverse settings, from terraced mountains and limestone karsts to bustling markets and ancient towns. Its mix of ethnic vibes, buzzing street life, and old traditions gives directors a goldmine for storytelling.
The Vietnamese team will gather on June 26 in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, where they will train until July 14 before departing for Indonesia for the ASEAN U23 Championship 2025, which runs from July 15 to 29. Vietnam will face Laos on July 19 and Cambodia on July 22 in the group stage.
The exhibition showcases more than 100 valuable documents and artifacts, divided into two main parts: “Journalist Nguyen Ai Quoc – Ho Chi Minh” and “President Ho Chi Minh – Founder and Mentor of Vietnamese Revolutionary Press.” This is an opportunity to recall the late leader’s journalism journey and affirm his exceptional role in founding and guiding the revolutionary press in Vietnam.
For the first time, the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) has granted Vietnam hosting rights for the two championships, including the Asian women’s solo category, which debuts this year as an officially recognised event.
Eight teams will join the tournament, divided into two groups. Group A features Vietnam, the Philippines, Sichuan Club (China), and Australia, while Group B consists of Vietnam U21, Korabelka Club (Russia), Taiwan (China), and U21 Thailand.
Despite strong home support and high expectations, Vietnam were unable to overcome the defending champions, who secured their third consecutive win over Vietnam in a regional final, following previous victories in 2014 and 2023.
The event, part of Vietnam’s cultural diplomacy strategy through 2030, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela and USM’s Faculty of International Relations. It attracted thousands of students from universities across Venezuela.
For the first time, Vietnamese audiences will have the opportunity to experience the ballet masterpiece "Don Quixote" in its original version by renowned choreographer Marius Petipa.
The contest carried deep meaning as it was the first time the life of Vietnamese women abroad had been highlighted as the central theme, said poet and writer Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association.
The event formed part of Vietnam’s ongoing campaign to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the complex at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, scheduled to take place in Paris in July.
Creative cultural festivals are fast emerging as a new catalyst for tourism development in Vietnam, as localities increasingly invest in these vibrant events on a more systematic and larger scale.
This marks the first time Vietnam has hosted a continental-level Muay event which will feature competitions across 28 weight categories in combat and eight performance categories.
Coming to the Vietnamese booth, visitors had the chance to take part in a bamboo dance, a workshop on painting woven bamboo or rattan, or quizzes about Vietnam.
These are impressive achievements, not only showing the efforts and prowess of Vietnamese paddlers but also serving as proof of the sports sector’s strategic and systematic investment.
The cultural event in Canberra not only fostered cultural exchanges between Vietnam and Australia but also contributed to promoting Vietnam’s image internationally
The U23 competition will run from June 16 to 22, followed by the U17 event from June 23 to 28, while athletes competing in the U23 category will undergo weight and skill checks ahead of the matches starting June 18, while similar checks for U17 athletes will take place before June 23.
A boat race during Ooc-om-bok festival. (Photo: Bac Lieu online)
