Requiem and festival of flower garlands and coloured lanterns held in Ninh Binh

Member of the Party Central Committeeand Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Doan Minh Huan, Chairman of the provincial People's Council Mai Van Tuat and Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Pham Quang Ngoc attended the event.

Most Venerable Thich Bao Nghiem, Standing Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; and representatives of provincial departments, sectors and agencies, and local people were also present at the event.

The requiem and festival is held annually to pay tribute to King Dinh Tien Hoang, ancestors, heroic martyrs and war invalids who sacrificed their bone and blood to safeguard the country's independence and freedom.

 This is the first traditional ritual of the Hoa Lu festival. The ritual, which was once called Quang Chieu lantern festival, first appeared in the Ly dynasty, and used to be a national ritual and chaired by the King to pray for the whole country's peace and prosperity.

Following commemorative rituals, participants offered incense and released flower garlands on Sao Khe river to pray for a year of favourable weather without natural disasters and diseases, peace for the nation and happiness for the people.

Translated by Nguyen Thuy