Hanoi (VNA) - Nine Vietnamese provinces and 10 Lao provinces along the shared borderline will participate in the third cultural, sports and tourism exchangefestival, scheduled to be held in the northern province of Dien Bien inSeptember.
The event aims to celebrate the 60th founding anniversary of diplomaticties and 40 years since the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperationbetween the two countries.
It is also expected to promote tourismpotential and traditional cultures of ethnic minorities along the Vietnam-Laosborder to domestic and international friends, contributing to preserving ethnicidentities.
The festival is to strengthen the solidarity and comprehensive cooperationbetween Vietnam and Laos, and reaffirm Vietnam's consistent policy of maintaining, consolidating and enhancing its special relationship with the neighbour.
The event will include musical performances, shows featuring traditionalcostumes, cultural products and images of Vietnamese people as well as socio-economicachievements of some localities that have cooperative ties with Lao counterparts.
An exhibition featuring cultural space, traditional crafts, agricultural tools ofethnic groups living on the Vietnam-Laos border areas will also be organised.
The Vietnamese provinces joining the festival include Dien Bien, Quang Tri, Quang Binh, Son La,Thua Thien-Hue, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Nam and Kon Tum and the Lao provinces are Luang Prabang, Huaphanh, Attapeu, Sekong, Xiengkhuang, Borikhamxay, Khammouan, Savannakhet, Saravane and Phongsaly./.
