The Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival of ethnic groups in the northwest region will take place in Hoa Binh province on November 16 -18.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho Anh Tuan told a recent press briefing in Hanoi that the three-day festival, themed ‘Northwest Ethnic Groups Unite, Integrate and Look towards Future’, will bring together participants from six regional provinces, including Hoa Binh, Son La, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Lao Cai and Yen Bai.

The event will not only honour and promote the cultural identities of the region’s ethnic groups but also help strengthen the great national unity.

It will also offer a good opportunity for participating localities to exchange experience, thus raising their responsibilities in building and upholding the Vietnamese culture imbued with national identities.

A wide range of activities are scheduled for the event, including an incense offering at the statute of Uncle Ho, an arts programme, a photo exhibition, a rural market, folk games, and a fair featuring indigenous cultural and tourism products.

Cultural rituals practiced by the region’s ethnic groups as well as their traditional costumes will also be introduced to visitors.

The 11th festival was held in Lai Chau province in 2009, seeing the participation of more than 600 artisans and people from the six localities.-VNA