Tháp Nhạn (Nhạn Tower) will receive a certificate as the national special relic site on August 14. Photo dantocmiennui.vn

PHÚ YÊN — A festival on the cultural preservation and development of the ethnic Chăm community will be held in the central province of Phú Yên from August 13-16.

The fifth Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival includes the participation of ethnic Chăm from 11 provinces and cities, including Đà Nẵng, Quảng Nam, Bình Định, Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận, Tây Ninh, Bình Phước and HCM City.

“The festival will be a rich and unique expression of the spirit of the great solidarity of the Chăm community throughout the country,” said Trịnh Thị Thủy, deputy minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The main activities will include an art show, traditional costume and folklore art performances, photo exhibition, and food and folk game competitions.

The highlight will be a ceremony to receive the national special relic site certificate for Tháp Nhạn (Nhạn Tower) at April 1 Square on the evening of August 14.

Nhạn Tower was built by the Chăm from the 10th to 13th century at Nhạn Mountain on the Ba River side in Ward 1 in Tuy Hòa City. It is a quadrangle with four 23.5m high sides.

It is the only Chăm tower still intact in the province. An altar inside the tower is a unique architectural Chăm feature and one of the few remaining Chăm altars.

During the festival, tours will be designed to explore tourism spots in the province and a seminar on connecting Phú Yên tourism and other central south provinces will be held.

The festival will not only honor, promote and introduce the cultural heritage of the Chăm but also feature attractions of the southern and central south regions.

The festival organisers aim to improve national pride and strengthen solidarity and mutual understanding among Vietnamese ethnic groups. — VNS