Preserving cultural values alongside creating livelihoods for ethnic minority communities
Under the theme “Preserving and promoting Cham ethnic cultural identity in a new era,” the 6th Cham Ethnic Culture Festival in Khanh Hoa Province is scheduled to take place from June 26–28. The festival will not only provide an opportunity for ethnic communities to interact and strengthen the great national unity bloc but also serve as a chance to promote tourism and boost the socio-economic development of localities.
According to Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy, the organisation of the 6th Cham Ethnic Culture Festival must both preserve and honour Cham culture while promoting and introducing it in ways that contribute to tourism development.
“Preserving cultural values must go hand in hand with creating sustainable livelihoods for ethnic minority communities across the country. Through activities at the 6th Cham Ethnic Culture Festival, it is necessary to introduce products and the distinctive values of each locality in association with sustainable tourism development in areas inhabited by Cham ethnic communities,” Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy shared.
Accordingly, regarding communication work, localities need to comprehensively promote the contributions of Cham ethnic communities across the country in socio-economic development, ensuring security and social order, strengthening national solidarity, poverty reduction, and sustainable local development.
Through this, the values generated by the 6th Cham Ethnic Culture Festival in Khanh Hoa will continue spreading widely within Cham ethnic communities, contributing effectively to preserving and promoting heritage values.
“Preserving cultural values must go hand in hand with creating sustainable livelihoods for ethnic minority communities across the country. Through activities at the 6th Cham Ethnic Culture Festival, it is necessary to introduce products and the distinctive values of each locality in association with sustainable tourism development in areas inhabited by Cham ethnic communities.”
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy
Calling for stronger communication activities before, during, and after the festival, Pham Van Thuy, Deputy Head of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism, stated: “The 6th Cham Ethnic Culture Festival is an opportunity to promote and spread the image and traditional culture of Cham ethnic communities. From there, socio-economic development in local areas can be further promoted. Therefore, not only the host locality but all participating localities need to strengthen communication, increase cooperation, and exchange content to support one another.”
Pham Van Thuy also proposed that, on this occasion, the Organising Committee should hold activities honouring Cham artisans and individuals who have made achievements and contributions to economic development as well as the preservation and promotion of traditional culture in local communities.
Regarding the workshop “Preserving and promoting Cham cultural heritage values associated with sustainable tourism development,” the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism stands ready to coordinate in inviting travel enterprises to participate in order to provide practical recommendations and contribute to promoting and expanding tourism economic development in ethnic minority areas.
Cham cultural identity spreads throughout the festival
Vice Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Long Bien said the 6th Cham Ethnic Culture Festival would provide Cham ethnic communities with further opportunities to exchange, learn, and participate in many important activities.
In that spirit, Nguyen Long Bien said Khanh Hoa Province is actively implementing plans in line with directions from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, focusing on reviewing festival contents, ceremonial rituals, and opening and closing ceremony scripts to ensure the participation of Cham communities from various localities.
In addition, the locality will review preparations related to logistics, accommodation, and price stabilisation of services, while coordinating with relevant units to ensure the festival is organised successfully, safely, and with high quality.
The festival will see the participation of Cham ethnic people, artisans, performers, and mass sports athletes currently living, studying, and working in Khanh Hoa, as well as localities including Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, An Giang, Tay Ninh, and Ho Chi Minh City.
The festival will feature cultural and artistic activities, exhibitions, and displays, including the joint opening ceremony for cultural, sports, and tourism activities; performances and introductions of excerpts from festivals and traditional Cham cultural rituals; exhibitions introducing and promoting local traditional Cham culture; and demonstrations and introductions of traditional Cham handicrafts.
In addition, the public will enjoy mass art performances, Cham traditional costume showcases, community tourism guiding skill competitions, sports competitions, and folk games such as football, men’s volleyball, stick pushing, and water-carrying contests.
Within the framework of the festival, many meaningful activities inviting visitors to explore will also take place. Highlights include the multimedia installation art space “Cham Colours – Convergence and Dissemination”; the thematic exhibition “Distinctive features of Cham culture within the cultural community of Viet Nam’s ethnic groups”; and the workshop “Preserving and promoting Cham cultural heritage values associated with sustainable tourism development”.
According to the plan, the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival are scheduled to take place respectively at 8pm on June 26 and June 28 at the Square-16/4 Monument stage in Khanh Hoa Province. The programme will be broadcast live on Viet Nam Television’s VTV8 channel and relayed by newspapers as well as radio and television stations of participating localities.
