Traditional New Year Festival of Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar in Ho Chi Minh City

On the morning of April 6, at Pho Minh Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh City, the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organizations (HUFO) coordinated with the International Buddhist Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Ho Chi Minh City to organize the Festival to celebrate the traditional New Year Bunpimay of the Lao people, Songkran of Thailand, Chol Chhnam Thmay of Cambodia and Thingyang of Myanmar.

Attending the ceremony were representatives of the City Department of Foreign Affairs, the City Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee; representatives of the Consulates General of Laos, Thailand, Cambodia in Ho Chi Minh City; along with a large number of students and communities of Lao, Thai, Cambodian, and Myanmar people living, working and studying in Ho Chi Minh City.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Ho Xuan Lam, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organizations, emphasized that Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand are close brotherly countries, living together in the ASEAN community, have had a lot of cooperation and mutual assistance over the years, always sharing the ups and downs in the cause of national construction and development, striving together towards a peaceful , stable, cooperative, and prosperous ASEAN community.

The traditional festival of Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar-Thailand in Ho Chi Minh City is organized annually by HUFO in coordination with relevant units to demonstrate the friendship between peoples of countries in the ASEAN region, contributing to further promoting mutual understanding between Vietnam and neighboring countries, enhancing cultural exchange and multi-faceted cooperation between the Vietnamese people in general, as well as the people of Ho Chi Minh City in particular, with friendly countries.

HUFO hopes that through recreating the customs and practices of the traditional New Year, with sacred rituals, it will bring to the Lao, Cambodian, Myanmar, and Thai communities living in the City, as well as the City's people, good impressions and memories of the traditional cultural beauty and the good solidarity and friendship of the brotherly countries in the ASEAN bloc.

Most Venerable Thich Thien Tam, Vice Chairman of the Executive Council and Vice Head of the Central Committee of the International Buddhist Sangha of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, performs the wrist-tying ritual to bless the festival. (Photo: Xuan Khu/VNA)

Most Venerable Thich Thien Tam, Vice President of the Executive Council, Vice Head of the International Buddhist Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee, Witness of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Ho Chi Minh City, Head of the International Buddhist Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Ho Chi Minh City, said that the traditional Cambodian-Lao-Myanmar-Thai New Year festival is organized to demonstrate the similarities in culture and religious activities among countries in the region; practically promoting the relationship of solidarity, harmony and cohesion among the peoples of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand in the cause of building peace and development of each country and the region.

On behalf of the Consulates General of the countries celebrating the traditional New Year, Mr. Phonesy Bounmixay, Consul General of Laos in Ho Chi Minh City expressed his honor and joy to attend the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Thailand Traditional New Year Festival held in Ho Chi Minh City.

Thanking the thoughtfulness and deep concern for the cultures of neighboring countries of the City government and people, Mr. Phonesy Bounmixay said that the organization of this traditional Tet Festival contributes to bringing people of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam closer together, expressing affection and solidarity, and working towards the goal of building and developing each country.

The festival took place in a joyful atmosphere, warm with solidarity, with traditional rituals of countries celebrating Tet such as burning incense, praying for peace, bathing Buddha, wishing blessings and receiving fortune on the occasion of the New Year./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/le-hoi-tet-co-truyen-cac-nuoc-lao-thai-lan-camuchia-myanmar-o-tp-ho-chi-minh-post1025113.vnp