The 2018 Tay Nguyen Gong Culture Festival wrapped up with a colourful closing ceremony held in Pleiku city, the Central Highlands (Tay Nguyen) province of Gia Lai, on the night of December 2.
A street festival during the 2018 Tay Nguyen Gong Culture Festival (Photo: VNA)
GiaLai (VNA) – The 2018 Tay Nguyen Gong Culture Festival wrapped upwith a colourful closing ceremony held in Pleiku city, the Central Highlands(Tay Nguyen) province of Gia Lai, on the night of December 2.
Thehighlight of the closing event was a gong and traditional music and danceperformance typical of the cultures of the Central Highlands, home to manyethnic minority groups.
Addressing the ceremony, Chairman of Gia Lai provincialPeople’s Committee Vo Ngoc Thanh said the festival was a big feast of not only wonderfulgong performances by excellent gong artists but also traditional music of otherlocalities in the country.
“The2018 Tay Nguyen Gong Culture Festival sends the message for all people to joinhands in conserving and developing the cultural values of the gong, which hasbeen recognised by UNESCO as a masterpiece of theoral and intangible heritage of the humanity,” Thanh said.
Takingplace from November 30, the festival’s main activities includedtraditional rituals, folk wood sculpture, brocade weaving, epic recitals, photoand document exhibitions, and conferences on the preservation and promotion ofgong culture legacy of ethnic races in the region, among others.
The gong is closely linked tothe daily life of local people in Tay Nguyen. Their belief systems form amystical world where the gongs serve as a privileged language between men,divinities and the supernatural world.
Currently, Tay Nguyen has more than 10,000sets of gongs, over half of which are kept in Gia Lai province.-VNA
More than 1,000 artisans from five Central Highlands provinces will perform at the 2018 Gong Cultural Festival scheduled to take place from November 30 to December 2 in Gia Lai province.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged the administrations and people of Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) localities to work harder to preserve and promote the value of their gong culture as well as other traditional practices and religious rituals.
The organizing board of the Tay Nguyen Gong Culture Festival 2018 started the activities within the framework of the festival in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai on December 1.
Nguyen Trong Nha Uyen has made history for Vietnam’s dancesport by clinching a bronze medal in the solo Latin category at the WDSF World Championship 2025 in Germany.
The ambassador noted that among the 300,000 Vietnamese residing in the RoK, around 3,000 are living in Pyeongtaek and contributing actively to the local economy. Ho expressed his hope that the local authorities will continue support the overseas Vietnamese community in the city.
This is the first time since the adoption of the Convention that a country has served two consecutive terms on the Committee. The outcome shows the trust and recognition that member states have given Vietnam for its efforts and achievements in carrying out and promoting the Convention, as well as for its active role, strong standing, and growing credibility at UNESCO.
Quang Duc pottery is known for its wide range of forms, including wine bottles, jars, lime pots, vases, plant pots, incense burners and candle stands. Decorative motifs are equally rich, featuring mythical creatures, pastoral scenes, floral patterns, deer, peacocks, bats and more.
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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.
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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.
A street festival during the 2018 Tay Nguyen Gong Culture Festival (Photo: VNA) 
