Addressing a celebration for the Bunpimay Festival 2022, the traditional New Year of Laos, in Da Nang on Saturday, Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Ho Ky Minh emphasised that, over the past 60 years since the establishment of the Viet Nam-Laos diplomatic ties, the two countries have always joined hands and stood shoulder to shoulder in the struggle for national liberation as well as the cause of national construction and defence.

Standing Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Ho Ky Minh addresses a celebration for the Bunpimay Festival 2022, the traditional New Year of Laos, in Da Nang, April 4, 2022. Photo: LE VAN THOM

Over the past time, the friendship and cooperative ties between Da Nang and Laos have been strengthened regularly and deepened in the fields of politics, economy, defense-security, and education and culture.

Up to now, Da Nang has inked more than 30 documents of agreements and memorandums of understanding with 7 localities of Laos, namely the capital city of Vientiane and the provinces of Sayaburi, Savannakhet, Champasak, Sekong, Salavan and Attapeu.

Under the agreements, Da Nang focused on conducting programmes and projects to support the Laotian localities in the field of upgrading of schools and public works, setting up Vietnamese language teaching centres, granting scholarships to Laotian students studying in Da Nang, sending teachers to teach Vietnamese in Laos, welcoming Laotian officials for field trips to Da Nang, supporting cultivation, animal husbandry and research on socio-economic development planning in these Laotian localities.

In particular, the Consulate General of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in Da Nang has actively accompanied the city to implement many cooperation programmes with positive results, thus contributing to strengthening the “forever green and forever sustainable” friendship and solidarity between the 2 countries.

Standing Vice Chairman Minh said that the traditional Bunpimay Festival celebrations in Da Nang help Lao officials and students living, working and studying in Da Nang welcome a warm and joyful traditional New Year, and also offer an opportunity for Da Nang people, especially students to have deeper insight into the cultural Laotian values, thereby promoting cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Standing Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Ho Ky Minh performs the ritual of bathing the Buddha at the Bunpimay Festival 2022. Photo: LE VAN THOM

Laotian Consul Generalin Da Nang, Mr. Viengxay Phommachanh, the Bunpimay Water Festival is a jubilant affair held during the three-day Lunar New Year festivities from 13 to 15 April.

Celebrated mostly in Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng, the festival sees water being used to cleanse homes and buddha images, in addition to soaking friends and passers-by. All this is done in the belief that water will help to wash away bad luck and diseases in exchange for fortune and health. Other activities include worshipping at the temples, as well as dancing to traditional Lao music.

In 2021, despite many difficulties triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries' trade turnover still grew, reaching US$1.3 billion, an increase of more than 30% as compared to 2020. Viet Nam's investment capital in Laos reached US$112 million, up 27% over the same period in 2020.

Many projects have achieved good results, creating stable jobs for thousands of Laotian workers, making an important contribution to the development of the Laotian economy.

This year’s Bunpimay Festival celebrations will take place at the Da Nang Dong A University with traditional rituals and such activities as tying strings around people's wrists, Buddha bathing, splashing water for good luck, cultural and artistic exchanges and the introduction of the characteristics of culinary culture of the two countries, photo exhibitions about the country and people of Laos, the special friendship relationship between the two countries and cooperation activities between Da Nang and Lao localities.

Reporting by LE VAN THOM- Translating by A.THU