Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has inspected the preparations for the United Nations (UN) Day of Vesak 2019 at the Tam Chuc Buddhist Cultural Centre in Ba Sao commune, Kim Bang district of the northern Ha Nam province, the host of the event.

A programme entitled Colour of Spring across the Motherland’s Regions opened in Hanoi on February 12, featuring the culture of 25 ethnic minority groups from 17 provinces and cities throughout the country.

The Tay Ninh Caodai Church in the southern province of Tay Ninh held the grand ritual dedicated to the Đức Chí Tôn (Supreme Being) or Great Father who they believe to be the ancestor of the world, on February 12.

Tens of thousands of locals in the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang as well as tourists flocked to Chiem Hoa district on February 12 to join the Long Tong (going to the field) festival.

Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình joined farmers and ploughed a field on February 11, at a festival that dates back to more than 1,000 years ago and has been restored in recent years.

A festival dedicated to Mother Âu Cơ – the legendary mother of Vietnam – opened in Hiền Lương commune of Hạ Hòa district, the northern province of Phu Tho, on February 11 (or the seventh day of the first month of the Year of the Pig).

A Spring festival kicked off in Dai Tue pagoda located in Nghe An province’s Nam Dan district at a ceremony held on February 9.

The opening ceremony of the 2019 Bai Dinh Pagoda festival was held in Gia Sinh commune, Gia Vien district, the northern province of Ninh Binh on February 10 or the 6th day of the lunar new year.

An estimated 50,000 pilgrims flocked to Huong or Perfume pagoda in Hanoi on February 10, the first day of Vietnam’s longest festival. To reach the main pagoda, visitors must take a one-hour boat trip on the Yen stream.

A holy ceremony was solemnly held on February 8 at the Our Lady of La Vang Pilgrimage Centre located in Quang Tri province for welcoming the Lunar New Year of the Pig.

The Con Son-Kiep Bac spring festival 2019 is scheduled to take place at the Con Son-Kiep Bac special national relic site in the northern province of Hai Duong from February 14-27, or the 10th-23rd day of the first lunar month. 

A delegation of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s (VBS) Executive Committee in Hanoi city led by Most Venerable Vice President of the VBS’s Executive Council Thích Bảo Nghiêm paid a visit on January 30 to Hanoi municipal authorities, ahead of Lunar New Year (Tet) 2019. 

The annual capital dragon boat race will be held on February 16th and 17th in West Lake, at Lý Tự Trọng Statue Garden, Thanh Niên Road, and Nguyễn Đình Thi Street in Tây Hồ District, said a representative of Hà Nội People’s Committee Department of Culture and Sports.

On occasion of a pre-Tet visit to Tay Ninh province, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyễn Thiện Nhân visited the Tay Ninh Caodai Church on January 29.

 A ceremony to plant Neu (a tall bamboo pole with red garment strips used to ward off evil spirits during the lunar New Year) was reenacted at the Hue Imperial Citadel in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue’s Hue City on January 28.