Attending the ceremony were General Le Hong Anh, former Politburo member and former permanent member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat; Nguyen Tien Hai, Party Central Committee member and Secretary of the An Giang Provincial Party Committee; along with thousands of delegates and local residents.
On this occasion, the organising committee also staged a fireworks display at the Sam Mountain National Tourist Area on the same evening.
The 2026 Via Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain continues efforts to preserve and promote the value of the Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, while also promoting the image, culture and tourism of An Giang to domestic and international visitors.
The opening programme featured a solemn ceremonial section with traditional rituals, an opening speech, the screening of a documentary film on the heritage, and a drum-beating ceremony to officially commence the festival.
This was accompanied by a special art performance showcasing the distinctive cultural values of An Giang Province and the heritage of the Via Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain.
The highlight of the festival is a series of traditional rituals taking place from June 6 to 12, 2026. In addition, a series of artistic performances from June 6 to 8 features the participation of numerous artists and singers from Ho Chi Minh City.
Speaking at the ceremony, Le Van Phuoc, Vice Chairman of the An Giang Provincial People’s Committee, emphasised that the Via Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain was inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024. He described the recognition as an event of special significance and a great honour for the Party organisation, authorities and people of An Giang Province in particular, and for the country as a whole.
He also noted that the 2026 Via Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain is taking place in the context of the province’s first year operating under the two-tier local government model, as well as one year after the implementation of the National Action Programme for safeguarding and promoting the intangible cultural heritage value of the festival.
The festival plays an important role in the spiritual and cultural life of the people of An Giang and embodies distinctive historical and cultural values within the broader cultural flow of southern Viet Nam, he added.
On the same day, the Hue City People’s Committee, in coordination with Chan May-Lang Co Commune, held the opening ceremony for the programme entitled “Lang Co – World Beautiful Bay” 2026.
The two-day programme forms part of Hue Festival 2026 and features a series of distinctive cultural, sporting and tourism activities. The event aims to further promote the image of the homeland, honour the unique values of Lang Co, and create a space for cultural, tourism and community exchange.
The title “Lang Co – World Beautiful Bay” is not only an honour, but also a responsibility to protect the environment, preserve the natural landscape, promote traditional cultural values, and build Lang Co into a green, friendly, safe and attractive destination.
Lang Co is a land blessed by nature with rare beauty, where blue seas, white sands, majestic mountains and poetic lagoons come together in harmony. Beyond its outstanding natural scenery, Lang Co is also a region rich in historical traditions, culture and community identity preserved through generations.
For a long time, Lang Co has served as an important connection point along the north-south trade route and as a gateway linking Hue and Da Nang. Today, together with the development of the Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone and the East-West Economic Corridor, the area is gradually affirming its position as an important tourism and service hub in central Viet Nam.
Notably, in May 2009, Lang Co Bay was recognised as the 30th member of the “World’s Most Beautiful Bays Club”.
