The first ever Đồng hương Quảng Nam (Quảng Nam People) Festival will be held at the Tân Bình Sport and Cultural Centre in the city’s Tân Bình District to deepen bilateral ties between Quảng Nam and HCM City and foster multifaceted growth, the organiser told a press conference on Tuesday. VNS Photo Gia Linh

HCM CITY – HCM City will host the first Đồng Hương Quảng Nam (Quảng Nam People) Festival during July 18-21, with a series of activities and exciting festivities, the organiser said at a press conference on Tuesday.

The festival will be held at the Tân Bình Sport and Cultural Centre in the city’s Tân Bình District by Quảng Nam Province and the Đồng hương Quảng Nam (Quảng Nam People) Association, focusing on facilitating investment, increasing trade, supporting startups, and promoting services, culture, and tourism in the province.

On the first day will be the second HCM City - Quảng Nam TechFest 2024, a startup promotion event that will feature Quảng Nam’s startup initiatives and products, while helping entrepreneurs seek support from experts, and providing jobs for students in the province.

A programme to connect startups and support them in developing their businesses will be started in the evening and last until the end of the event.

A forum on expanding the province’s startup ecosystem will be held on the second day to seek cooperation from HCM City and other localities and discuss experiences in the field.

On the third day, in the evening, there will be a conference on facilitating investment in the province and a programme to promote trade and introduce standout OCOP items.

“There will be around 100 products displayed at the event, mainly local specialties such as ginseng and herbal medicine,” said Phạm Ngọc Sinh, deputy director of the province Department of Science and Technology.

A meeting with experts in startups and trade will be organised in the evening of the last day for businesses to devise solutions and seek further interprovincial cooperation.

The Quảng Nam TechFest 5, held in June in the province, has attracted thousands of startup initiatives and products, OCOP items, and standout rural industrial goods. VNA/VNS Photo Trịnh Bang Nhiệm

Musical performances promoting Quảng Nam cultural charms, such as the bài chòi art recognised by UNESCO and the gong dancing of Trà My ethnic people, will be held throughout the event, said chairman of the association Mai Phúc.

Visitors can enjoy local specialties such as Hội An chicken rice, Phú Chiêm quảng noodle, and Quế Sơn cassava noodle, he said.

Sinh said the event will also focus on boosting tourism to the province, especially in green tourism, smart tourism, and promoting craft villages that embark on a digital transformation.

The festival is formerly known as Những Ngày Văn Hóa Đồng Hương Quảng Nam (Quảng Nam Cultural Days) Programme. It was held last year at the city’s Đầm Sen Park and attracted over 100,000 visitors.

Nguyễn Hồng Lai, deputy director of the province Department of Information and Communications, said that starting from this year, the festival will be held annually as a channel to deepen bilateral ties between Quảng Nam and HCM City and foster multifaceted growth. – VNS