Ooc Om Bok Festival, also called the Festival of Worshiping the Moon, will take place in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang from November 16-22, with various activities to celebrate the traditional Khmer festival.
"Ngo" boat race at last year's Ooc Om Bok festival
(Photo: VNA)
A moon-offering ritual, lantern-release ceremony, photo exhibition, Khmer
traditional dance festival and trade and cuisine fair will be held during the
event.
Notably, a "Ngo” boat race - the highlight of the festival - is scheduled for
November 21-22, bringing together 48 teams from Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau,
Hau Giang and Vinh Long provinces.
In addition, there will be a workshop on enhancing local small- and
medium-sized enterprises’ capacity to approach the Fourth Industrial Revolution
(Industry 4.0).
According to Danh Phuong, deputy head of the board for ethnic minority affairs
of Soc Trang province, the event aims to preserve and promote traditional
values of Khmer people while popularising local strengths in economy, culture
and tourism.
Ooc Om Bok is three main festivals, along with Sene Dolta and Chol Chnam Thmay,
that Khmer people celebrate every year. It begins around 7-8 pm on the evening
of 14th of the 10th lunar month when the moon’s position is high in the sky.
Khmer people celebrate at home outdoors or at Khmer pagodas, praying for good
luck, happiness, good weather and bumper crops.
Source: VNA
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
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