Gia Lai (VNA) – The ninth Vietnam International Traditional Martial Arts Festival will welcome 16 foreign martial arts delegations from nine countries and 43 domestic teams when it takes place in Gia Lai province from August 2 to 5.
The provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said at a July 21 press briefing that more than 250 martial arts masters and practitioners from abroad have registered for the event.
The festival will feature a packed programme of cultural and sporting activities, including flower- and incense-offering ceremonies at Kinh Thien Monument and the Quang Trung Museum, large-scale martial arts performances, exchange demonstrations, tours of traditional martial arts schools, and visits to historical, cultural and scenic sites across the central province.
In addition, it will host a series of professional events, including an international referee training course, the second national and international traditional martial arts belt promotion and conversion examinations, and the 15th Expanded Vietnam Traditional Martial Arts Clubs Championship.
The event will conclude with a photo exhibition highlighting the activities of traditional martial arts schools and organisations from Vietnam and around the world.
One of this year's key highlights is the strong participation of the Vietnam Traditional Martial Arts Federation and the World Vietnam Traditional Martial Arts Federation.
Addressing the press conference, Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich, Vice Chairwoman of the Gia Lai People's Committee, said the province regards traditional martial arts as both a valuable cultural asset and a driving force for its "heritage economy", one of five key pillars of local economic development./.
