The festival highlighting national sea and islands began on July 17 in the central province of Phu Yen.

Over 2,000 young pioneers from central and southern localities attended the opening.

Besides musical performances, the “Bup sen Hong” or “Pink Lotus Bud” festival includes a painting contest themed “We love our national sea and islands”.

All paintings will be collected to make a huge art piece that will be exhibited.

The four-day festival also features folk games and a food stall.

At the opening ceremony, the organising board presented gifts to four heroic Vietnamese mothers and 14 scholarships to disadvantaged students who have performed well at school.-VNA