Hoa Lu Festival 2025 officially opens in Ninh Binh

The opening ceremony was attended by Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long; Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Nguyen Thi Thu Ha; Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan newspaper and Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association Le Quoc Minh and Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong. Leaders of Ninh Binh province and thousands of people and tourists from all over the country were also present at the event.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Pham Quang Ngoc emphasized that the Hoa Lu Festival, which is held annually as a intangible national heritage, is a long-standing cultural activity, vividly reflecting the life, background and career of King Dinh Tien Hoang and Vietnamese history through the Dinh-Tien and Le-Ly dynasties.

The Hoa Lu Festival is an occasion for Ninh Binh people and the whole country to pay tribute to King Ding Tien Hoang as well as other kings and ancestors who united the country and built an independent country of Dai Co Viet, and arouse patriotic traditions and the spirit of great solidarity of the Vietnamese people in the cause of national construction and defence and international integration.

In his speech, Deputy PM Le Thanh Long spoke highly of the efforts of the provincial Party Organization, administrations and local people in preserving historical and cultural values and natural heritages of the ancient capital.

Long also put forth some tasks for Ninh Binh to develop in the new era. The province should take tourism and cultural industry as a spearhead economic sector; apply advanced scientific and technological advances, innovation and digital transformation as breakthroughs; and promote the outstanding values of Trang An heritage, he said.

Ninh Binh should focus on sustainable development and better resolve the relationship between heritage conservation and economic development associated with environmental protection, Long suggested.

The province needs to continue to research, deepen and focus on disseminating and raising awareness, especially for the younger generation, about the historical and cultural values ​​of Hoa Lu ancient capital and Dai Co Viet State, the Deputy PM noted.In particular, Ninh Binh should promote investment in building infrastructure, preserving the sacred spiritual space of the Festival; closely link activities to preserve and promote the Hoa Lu Festival with tourism activities at the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital Historical and Cultural Relic Site.

At the opening ceremony, Deputy PM Le Thanh Long beat the drum to open the festival.

The festival opened with a spectacular art programme and a low-altitude firework display.

The Hoa Lu Festival 2025 takes place from April 5 to 7. Many exciting cultural, artistic, sporting activities and folk games will be held as part of the festival./.