On the occasion of the Hung Kings Temple Festival, which falls on April 29 this year (the 10th day of the third lunar month), Vietnamese communities, agencies, and organisations in countries across the world will celebrate the “Vietnam Ancestral Global Day” (VAGD).
The worshipping ritual of the Hung Kings is honoured by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2012. (Photo: VNA)
The annual event, starting in 2015, aims to connect and engage overseas Vietnamese and international friends in activities on preserving Vietnamese cultural intangible heritage and cement national solidarity.
A ceremony will be held in German on April 24 and another in Laos on April 29 with the participation of delegates and overseas Vietnamese from nearly 20 countries and territories. The ceremonies will be broadcast to dozens of places all over the world via mass media and social network platforms.
Within the VAGD framework, incense offering to pay tribute to Hung Kings will be held in countries. Other activities include art and musical performances, scientific seminars and workshops, and ceremonies to honour Vietnamese and foreigners with outstanding contributions to the social community, the operation of VAGD Project Board, and the friendship between Vietnam and international friends.
Legend has it that the Hung Kings ruled Vietnam from 2879 BC until 258 BC and they are considered the founders of the nation. To honour the Kings, the 10th day of the third lunar month is designated as their national commemorative anniversary date.
The worshipping rituals of the Hung Kings are closely related to the ancestral worshipping tradition of most Vietnamese families which forms an important part of people's spiritual life. It was recognised by UNESCO as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.
The annual Hung Kings’ Temple Festival is usually celebrated by overseas Vietnamese like that at home. However, in the past, as expats held the celebrations sporadically and without a centralised format, they generally attracted little attention from community members and international friends.
Since 2015, the VAGD Project has moved towards three key goals: To preserve and spread the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hung Kings worship rite abroad; to hold discussions, seminars, and workshops to connect and promote intercultural exchange between Vietnamese and other cultures in the world; and to build a strategy to spread and popularise Vietnamese cultural (spiritual) values in the life of overseas Vietnamese, host countries and international friends./.
Source: en.vietnamplus.vn
