Mường artisans, artists and athletes from six provinces and cities across Việt Nam will gather and perform at the second Mường Ethnic Culture Festival. — Photo baodulich.net.vn

THANH HÓA — A festival to honour and promote the cultural identity of the Mường ethnic minority will be held in the central province of Thanh Hóa on December 10-12.

Held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in co-ordination with the Thanh Hóa provincial People's Committee, the festival will gather hundreds of artisans, artists and athletes from six provinces and cities nationwide including Thanh Hóa, Hà Nội, Hòa Bình, Sơn La, Phú Thọ and Bình Phước.

There will also be performances of an art troupe from Laos's Houaphanh Province.

The second Mường Ethnic Culture Festival will feature many activities that showcase the cultural features of the Mường like a demonstration of weaving traditional clothes and handicraft products, performances of gongs, introductions to rituals and a photo exhibition.

During the event, a farm trip to survey Thanh Hóa Province’s community tourism and ecotourism will be organised, in addition to the tourism promotion stalls in the festival area.

The second Mường Ethnic Culture Festival is also an opportunity to promote and introduce the Mường culture to a large number of people and tourists, which will help to develop community tourism and support the preservation and development of ethnic cultures nationwide.

The first Mường Ethnic Culture Festival was held in the northern province of Hòa Bình in 2007.

The Mường ethnic group currently has more than 1 million members, residing mainly in the northern and northern central provinces, particularly in Hòa Bình and Thanh Hóa provinces.

The ethnic community maintains a rich folk cultural treasures, including epics, old tales and folk songs. VNS