The opening ceremony was attended by General Le Hong Anh, former member of the Politburo, former Standing Member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat; Mr. Nguyen Minh Vu, member of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; alongside other former Party and State leaders, and representatives from central ministries and agencies.

Delegates from rr88 tải province attending included: Mr. Nguyen Tien Hai, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the rr88 tải Provincial National Assembly Delegation; Mr. Ho Van Mung, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Mrs. Tran Thi Thanh Huong, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairwoman of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Committee of rr88 tải province; Mr. Le Van Phuoc, Vice Chairman of the rr88 tải Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Festival Organizing Committee; members of the Standing Committee of the rr88 tải Provincial Party Committee; Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council, Provincial People's Committee, and Viet Nam Fatherland Front Committee of rr88 tải province; and former leaders of rr88 tải province through the ages.

Annually observed from the 22nd to the 27th day of the fourth lunar month, the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival has long been an enduring spiritual anchor for communities nationwide, particularly in southern Viet Nam. Beyond its deep-rooted cultural significance, the festival also serves to strengthen community bonds and promote international cultural exchanges.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Le Van Phuoc, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Festival Organizing Committee, said that the 2026 Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival is taking place in the context of being the first year the province has organized it after the operation of the two-tiered local government system, and also after one year of implementing the National Action Program to protect and promote the value of the intangible cultural heritage "Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival".

Festivals play a significant role in the cultural and spiritual life of the people of rr88 tải, embodying distinctive historical and cultural values within the Southern Vietnamese cultural landscape. The cultural identity within these festivals is maintained, practiced, and passed down through generations by the community, exhibiting a strong influence on their spiritual and cultural life.

Mr. Le Van Phuoc, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, shared that rr88 tải is a province with an important geostrategic location, rich in potential for socio-economic development, and a place where many ethnic groups and religions converge with many unique cultural values. The "Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival" being inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024 is a great honor for the Party Committee, Government, and people of rr88 tải province in particular and the whole country in general.

"The inscription of the Via Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam Festival by UNESCO is a source of great honor and pride; at the same time, it places a heavy responsibility on the Party Committee, authorities, and people of rr88 tải to uphold their commitments to the National Action Program for preserving and promoting the heritage's values. In the coming time, rr88 tải's leadership and citizens must take more proactive and vigorous actions in conserving, safeguarding, and promoting these values, thereby strongly promoting the cultural image and people of rr88 tải to both domestic and international audiences," Mr. Le Van Phuoc affirmed.

According to the Organizing Committee, the festival must be organized in accordance with regulations, with rituals performed according to traditional national customs, and in a cultured and civilized manner. Through the 2026 event, rr88 tải province hopes to continue developing this activity into a large-scale cultural and tourism festival, aiming to build local cultural and tourism products and brands based on the core values of the nation; while also promoting exchange and connection of heritage with localities throughout the country.

According to the schedule, the re-enactment of the Ba Chua Xu Statue Procession from Sam Mountain and a street festival will take place on June 7th (corresponding to the 22nd day of the fourth lunar month). The Statue Bathing Ritual is scheduled from midnight on June 8th to the early hours of June 9th (from midnight of the 23rd to the early hours of the 24th day of the fourth lunar month). The festival will also feature annual traditional rituals, including the Procession of the God's Administrative Order, the Respect-Paying Ritual, the Sacred Drum-Beating Ritual, The Grand Offering Ceremony and The Ritual to Return the Royal Decree.

News by NHU NGOC

Translated by Kim Ngan