Traditional New Year festival of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand marked

The event was organised by the HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) and the municipal chapter of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha, attracting representatives of the consulate generals of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, and the countries’ expatriates in HCM City.

According to Le Hoang Minh, deputy director of the international relations unit of the city’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the event enabled the students to exchange and study the history of the Viet Nam-Laos-Cambodia relations, making significant contributions to nurturing the traditional solidarity and fruitful friendship among the youth of the three nations.

At the event, typical New Year customs of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand were re-enacted such as bathing the Buddha statue, tying a thread on the wrist, and splashing water.

The ceremony also featured songs and dances performed by the countries’ students in HCM City, along with other activities to introduce their traditional culture and cuisine.

UELVice Rector Le Tuan Loc affirmed to create favourable conditions for the Lao and Cambodian students so that they can have good results at university, helping build sound solidarity and friendship among the three nations.

As part of the event, a week-long photo exhibition will be held to popularise cultural identities, traditional rituals and New Year festivities of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

The countries’ traditional New Year festival takes place from around April 14th to 16th. It is known as Choul Chnam Thmey in Cambodia, Boun Pi Mai in Laos, Thingyan in Myanmar, and Songkran in Thailand.

It is one of their biggest traditional festivals held in the transition from the dry to the wet season, an occasion for people to visit pagodas and have festivities to pray for luck and happiness./.

                                                                                                            By Vien Nhu