On November 15, on the banks of Cai Lon River, Go Quao District, the Department of Culture - Sports of Kien Giang Province officially opened the 16th Cultural, Sports and Tourism Festival of Khmer people in Kien Giang Province in 2024.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the festival, Vice Chairman of Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee Le Trung Ho said that the festival is a traditional cultural activity of great and practical significance to preserve, honor and promote traditional cultural identity, and care for the spiritual life of Khmer ethnic people in the province.
The festival is also an opportunity for ethnic people in general and the Khmer ethnic people in the South in particular to raise their sense of responsibility for traditional culture, consolidate the strength of the great national unity bloc, contribute to socio-economic development, strengthen national defense and security, and ensure the successful implementation of the targets and tasks set forth by the Resolutions of Party Congresses at all levels.
Through the activities of the festival, it is also aimed to honor and promote the cultural values of the Khmer people in the province to the people of the whole country, so that people of all ethnic groups have the opportunity to meet, exchange, participate in cultural, artistic, physical education and sports activities; creating solidarity and cohesion between ethnic groups inside and outside the province.
Thereby, promoting the image of the local cultural festival to tourists inside and outside the province; demonstrating the attention of the Party and State to the preservation and development of the cultural values of the Khmer people in the integration trend of the country; creating conditions to promote socio-economic development, taking care of the material and spiritual life of the people better and better.
The festival takes place from November 13 to 16, 2024 (October 13 to 16 of the lunar calendar), on the occasion of Ok Om Bok Festival - a major festival of the year for the Khmer people in the South.
This year's festival is organized with many activities of the Ceremony and Festival parts: Moon Worship Ceremony, Trade Fair and introduction of local products; display of images and artifacts of Khmer people; exhibition, display and introduction of books; beautiful water-land frame competition; sports activities such as: men's football tournament, tug of war tournament, stick pushing tournament...
In particular, the highlight of the festival is the Ghe Ngo Race for men and women; art performances and the 2024 Kien Giang Province Khmer Traditional Arts Festival. Thereby, it aims to promote the rich and unique culture of the Khmer ethnic group; promote artistic talents, create conditions to improve the quality of cultural - artistic and sports movements in areas with a large Khmer ethnic group living in the province.
The festival's activities are expected to attract about 200 - 250 thousand people from inside and outside the province.