People's Artist Thanh Thuy is charming at the 2025 Ao Ba Ba Festival

The festival is organized by the Go Vap District Culture and Sports Center in coordination with the Fatherland Front Committee, the Department of Culture, Science and Information, the Women's Union, the Department of Education and Training of Go Vap District, and the Vietnam Food Travel Social Network (Food Travel Vietnam).

Attending the opening ceremony were Ms. Trinh Thi Thanh - Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union; People's Artist Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy - Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports; Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong - Deputy Chief of Office of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism...

NSND Thanh Thúy duyên dáng tại Lễ hội — People's Artist Thanh Thuy (second from right) at the opening ceremony of the "Ao Ba Ba 2025" Festival with the theme "Colors of Go Vap Homeland"

At the opening ceremony, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan - Director of the Go Vap District Culture and Sports Center, shared: "In the joyful and excited atmosphere of the people of Ho Chi Minh City in general, Go Vap District in particular, looking forward to the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of the South - National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025), we gather here to attend the "Ao Ba Ba 2025" Festival - an event imbued with the cultural identity of the South, to honor the simple yet graceful beauty of the Ao Ba Ba - a symbol of the gentle and honest people of the South".

The "Ao Ba Ba 2025" festival will be held for 2 days, April 12 and 13, with the following contents: "Ao Ba Ba Parade with Bicycles"; "Exhibition of beautiful Ao Ba Ba photos through the ages"; "3D Ao Ba Ba Design Contest on A0 paper size"; "Display, sewing and selling Ao Ba Ba products"; "Countryside market with agricultural products and traditional cakes of the South"; "Ao Ba Ba Charming Contest"; "Art program celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South - National Reunification Day".

"The Ao Ba Ba Festival is not only an opportunity to admire traditional beauty through performances and competitions, but also an opportunity to exchange, connect, and promote the image of Go Vap land and people to friends near and far. The festival also aims to contribute to promoting and developing the "Go Vap - a hundred years of finding the old traces" tour..." - Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan added.

People's Artist Thanh Thuy said: "The Ao Ba Ba is associated with the image, culture, identifiable values, and characteristics of the Southern people in general and Southern women in particular. In addition, the image of the checkered scarf, a unique cultural exchange of the Kinh, Khmer, and Chinese people.

The image of the scarf has become a dual-purpose object. It not only helps farmers protect themselves from the sun and rain, wipe away sweat in the fields, or makes women more graceful and men more strong and dynamic in life. The image of the scarf is also associated with the image of Ms. Ba Dinh, Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh and a symbol of "indomitable hero, loyal and responsible".

"We believe that in the future, the Ao Ba Ba will not only be a dual-purpose outfit but will be loved by young people and spread that cultural beauty through their love. I believe that from this first festival, Go Vap district will continue to expand and organize it into an annual festival to become the beauty of Go Vap, the beauty of a land rich in cultural traditions and generosity of the Southern people" - People's Artist Thanh Thuy said.