A street art performance is held within Mường Ảng culture, sports and food festival. Photo Mường Ảng Online Facebook

ĐIỆN BIÊN A festival featuring the culture, sports and cuisine of diverse ethnic groups is held in Mường Ảng District in the northern province of Điện Biên on March 19-20.

The festival is within the opening celebration of National Tourism Year 2024 and the 70th anniversary of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory. It is held every two years and has become a distinctive cultural tourism product of the district.

Festival-goers have the chance to explore the vibrant and colourful cultures of the ethnic groups in Mường Áng District by participating in folk games and performances of xòe dance, a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity recognised by UNESCO.

Besides, the event includes exhibitions of local specialties and a culinary festival where people will be served free traditional dishes like thắng cố (simmered horse meat and offal).

This year's festival is held on a larger scale compared to previous editions, featuring activities organised for the first time such as street art performances, screening of documentary films about the Điện Biên Phủ campaign, and a photo exhibition on the historical campaign and the socio-economic development achievements of Mường Ảng District through time.

According to the organisers, the Cultural, Sports, and Food Festival of Mường Ảng District aims to preserve, promote and honour the cultural identity of ethnic groups within the district.

It also seeks to instil a sense of national pride, strengthen unity among the people, and enhance socio-economic development and the cultural and spiritual life of the population.

Mường Ảng District has inaugurated three key projects to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Điện Biên Phủ Victory: Mường Ảng District Conference and Cultural Centre, Hoa Hồng Kindergarten, and an archway and LED lighted gateway on National Highway 279. 

Mường Ảng District has launched a tree planting campaign in the centre of Mường Ảng Town. VNA/VNS Photo Trung Kiên

The district has also launched a tree planting campaign in the centre of Mường Ảng Town. The district has set a target to plant 240 hectares of forests and over 400 hectares of agricultural crops such as coffee, tea and fruit trees in 2024. Additionally, there is a collaboration with investors to implement reforestation for the biomass power plant within the district.

The district has set a target to strive for poverty eradication and achieve a forest coverage rate of 34.11 per cent by the year 2025. VNS