According to the organizers, including the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Son La provincial People’s Committee, the festival themed “Deepening the special friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Laos” will see the participation of some 100 people from ten Lao provinces which share the borderline with Vietnam and some 900 people of different ethnic minority groups and artists from nine Vietnamese provinces and cities. 

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The press conference 

As part of the festival, 88 Lao high-ranking cadres will be presented with Order from the State President of Vietnam and a memorial house in the Vietnam-Laos revolutionary-historical relic site at Lao Kho village, Phieng Khoai commune, Yen Chau district, Son La province will be inaugurated. The Vietnam-Laos revolutionary-historical relic site is the place that witnessed the revolutionary activities of the leader of the Lao revolution Kaysone Phomvihane and the Laos-Bac volunteer group in the period of 1948-1950. Recognized as a national relic site in 2012, this site is an important heritage with great historical values symbolizing the time-honored relationship between the two neighboring countries of Vietnam and Laos. 

The exchange, with numerous activities, aims to popularize and honor typical cultural identities and culture, sports and tourism strengths of the two countries’ ethnic minority groups, which have been preserved and brought into full play; and to confirm the long-lasting friendship and solidarity, comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos and Vietnam’s Party’s, State’s and people’s consistent viewpoints on promoting the special ties between the two Parties and States. 

The festival is among special activities to mark the 55th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Laos (September 5, 1962-2017), and 40 years since Vietnam and Laos signed their Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (July 18, 1977-2017). 

Translated by Mai Huong