Khmer people in the southern region in general and the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long in particular, always consider pagodas their community’s religious, cultural and spiritual centre, holding a firm position in their social and spiritual life.

All activities of Khmer people during their lives take place in pagoda, which contains all unique characteristics of the Khmer culture, including customs, religious activities and folk art.

The Chol Chnam Thmay festival, which falls on mid-April annually and is one of the most important festivals of the Khmer people in the year is usually organised in pagodas.

The Khmer Theravada pagoda in the province is considered a museum and an encyclopedia that keep national cultural heritages such as script, literary works, customs and traditional rituals.

It is also a place where young Buddhist monks and Khmer people learn Khmer and Vietnamese writings, social and natural sciences and the Buddhist dogmas as well as read newspapers.

Vinh Long province is home to 13 Khmer pagodas, mainly in Tam Binh, Binh Minh, Tra On and Vung Liem districts, meeting the demands for religious practices, cultural activities and traditional festivals of more than 24,000 local Khmer residents.

Over the past years, Vinh Long province has provided due support for pagodas in all fields in order to serve the Khmer people’s religious and cultural activities, said Son Ry Ta, Head of the provincial Department for Ethnic Affairs./.