ĐIỆN BIÊN — The Ban Flower Festival and the fifth Culture - Sport - Tourism Festival is in its full swing in the northern province of Điện Biên with a range of activities.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân and representatives from the relevant ministries and departments as well as delegates from Laos and representatives of the local ethnic people in Điện Biên Province participated in the event.

"Điện Biên is proud to be associated with the Điện Biên Phủ Victory, a centre for the ban flower and home to 19 different ethnic groups with diverse cultural features, he said. The preservation of a special national historic relic — Điện Biên Phủ Battlefield, as well as the ethnic minorities’ cultural identity is an important task with great political and socioeconomic value," said Chairman of Điện Biên province’s People’s Committee, Mùa A Sơn.

"Given the importance of the preservation effort, Điện Biên Province hosts the Ban Flower Festival in March every year, as this is when the historic Điện Biên Phủ campaign was launched, marking a proud milestone in the country’s history of its foundation and defence," said Sơn.

This year’s festival features a number of activities that aim to "honour, preserve and promote the tangible and intangible cultural icons of the country as well as 19 ethnic groups of the province."

A music performance by more than 250 artists and actors introduced to the audience the history of Điện Biên, portraying its scenic landscapes and honouring those who had made great contributions to the area.

The festival also includes exhibitions showcasing traditional culture, books as well as folk sports, singing and dancing. The final round of the Miss Ban Flower pageant, to be held on Tuesday night, will see the participation of beauties from five northwestern provinces.

Ban flower is ubiquitous and characteristic of the northwest provinces of Việt Nam and is the symbol of love between a girl named Ban and a boy named Khum in an ancient Thái ethnic legend. — VNS