HA NOi Local authorities in the Mekong Delta provinces of Bac Lieu, Ca Mau and An Giang have visited and presented gifts to Khmer people to congratulate them on the traditional Sene Dolta Festival.
The Sene Dolta Festival is organised from the 30th day of the seventh lunar month to the second day of the eighth lunar month, September 18-20 this year.
Leaders of Bac Lieu joined officials of the Steering Committee for the South-Western Region to visit and present gifts to monks and nuns at the Prochumsake and Ghositaram pagodas in Bac Lieu Town and Vinh Loi District, respectively.
On this occasion, authorities in the southernmost province of Ca Mau, which is home to more than 37,000 Khmer people, visited and presented gifts to all Khmer pagodas, monks, nuns and several local families.
Many localities in the province have hosted various cultural activities such as folk games and art performances to serve the Khmer people.
This year, the Khmer ethnic group in An Giang enjoyed their traditional festival with more happiness and joys as they have harvested a bumper crop and received support from the local authorities.
Since the beginning of this year, An Giang has invested close to VND200 billion (US$11.2 million) in building roads to Khmer villages, medical establishments, communal houses and houses for poor families.
To mark the event, Can Tho city s authorities raised funds to buy gifts for 12 Khmer pagodas and a number of families of social policy beneficiaries and outstanding households.
The Sene Dolta Festival is one of the largest annual festivals of the Khmer, besides the Chol Chnam Thmay (New Year) and the Ooc Oom Bok a festival to thank the Moon for a good harvest.
It serves as a chance for nearly 1.3 million Khmer people in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces and cities to gather together to pay tributes to their ancestors, and enjoy traditional songs and dances and other light-hearted activities after a hard working year. VNS