Community bonding day

Since 2007, the Ok Om Bok Festival has been elevated to a provincial-level Khmer ethnic minority cultural, sports, and tourism festival. Each year, the festival attracts hundreds of thousands of participants, becoming a shared cultural activity for the community, contributing to strengthening national unity and preserving and promoting the beautiful traditional culture of the Khmer people.

A cultural performance by the Khmer people at the festival. Photo: CAM TU

Once a year, the Khmer ethnic group's cultural, sports, and tourism festival in An Giang province is held in Go Quao commune, coinciding with the Ok Om Bok festival – the biggest festival of the year for the Khmer people in Southern Vietnam.

To date, the festival has become an important event with practical significance for the Khmer people and other ethnic groups in the province. The festival features many attractive and lively cultural, artistic, and sporting activities that attract a large number of people and tourists from inside and outside the province.

In 2025, the festival will take place over three days, from November 4th to 6th (corresponding to the 15th to 17th day of the 9th lunar month). This marks the 17th time the province has organized the festival, with careful coordination and preparation from relevant departments, agencies, and localities.

According to Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Trung Ho, the festival is a highly significant and practical activity aimed at preserving, honoring, and promoting the traditional cultural identity and caring for the spiritual life of the Khmer people in the province. The festival's activities honor, promote, and introduce the cultural values ​​of the Khmer people and other ethnic groups in the province to the whole country; create opportunities for people of different ethnic groups to meet, interact, and participate in cultural, artistic, and sports activities; strengthen national unity, and contribute to socio -economic development.

Khmer people perform traditional five-tone music at the 2024 Khmer Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival of the province. Photo: CAM TU

This year's festival includes both ceremonial and festive activities, such as the opening ceremony; moon worship; traditional boat racing; exhibition of images and artifacts of the Khmer people; book exhibitions; a trade fair and introduction of local products; a competition for the most beautiful floating and land-based art displays; cultural performances and the "Traditional Khmer Arts of An Giang Province" festival; and sports competitions.

The traditional boat race is one of the most attractive and exciting activities, drawing the largest number of locals and tourists. It is expected that the festival's activities will attract approximately 200,000 to 250,000 participants from within and outside the province.

Mr. Danh Thang, a resident of Go Quao commune, shared: “The festival was held during the Ok Om Bok festival, so it was very joyful. The lively atmosphere of the festival made all the people living in Go Quao commune excited. The festival is an opportunity for our Khmer people to promote and introduce our cultural values, exchange experiences, and learn from each other in preserving the beautiful cultural features of our ethnic group.”

The traditional boat race at the festival is eagerly awaited by many locals and tourists. Photo: CAM TU

It can be said that the Khmer Ethnic Group's Culture, Sports, and Tourism Festival in An Giang Province is a red thread connecting love and has a profound and widespread influence, attracting a large number of people and tourists to participate. One of the core values ​​of the festival is to awaken the spirit of solidarity among ethnic groups within and outside the province.

The event not only celebrates cultural beauty but also creates opportunities to promote the image and introduce local specialties and products. This contributes to the development of tourism, improves the lives of the people, and attracts investment resources into the province's potential and strengths.

CAM TU

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/ngay-hoi-gan-ket-cong-dong-a466024.html