The Save the Children International (SCI) in Vietnam, in collaboration with the Standing Office of the provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Rescue, on October 3 provided cash aid for households affected by floods in 2024 in Tong Lanh and Tong Co communes, Thuan Chau district.

Son La is home to 12 ethnic groups, each with its own culture. As part of the efforts to preserve and promote the cultural values of the ethnic groups, the province has focused on cultural heritage inventory and reality assessment, while sketching out solutions to better the conservation work.

The “Khau ho” Festival 2024 opened in Muong Va commune, Sop Cop district on September 17. This year, due to the impacts of Typhoon Yagi and subsequent floods and landslides, only the ceremonial part was held.

Apart from the stunning landscape, visitors to the Moc Chau National Tourist Area can experience the unique local culture when putting on traditional ethnic costumes, participating in activities and folk games such as the Xoe and Khen (a traditional musical instrument) dances, pounding banh day (ground glutinous rice cake), nem con (colourful fabric ball throwing), and bamboo pole dance, and enjoying ethnic dishes there.

The Son La provincial Museum organised a performance and experience programme of “Xoe Thai”, a unique folk dance of the Thai ethnic minority group, on September 1.

The People's Committee of Son La city organised a training workshop on tourism skills in Chieng Co commune from August 26-30 for 42 representatives from families involved in community-based tourism services and officials in the locality.

A competition featuring performances of folk arts of highland ethnic groups in Thuan Chau district kicked off on August 31 in Co Ma commune.

As part of the 2024 Culture and Tourism Week, Moc Chau district held a display of intangible cultural heritages on August 31, with the theme “Preserving Heritage - Essence of Identity.”

Son La city on August 21 held a conference to honour ethnic cultural clubs and review their performance.

An exhibition featuring beautiful photos of Quynh Nhai tourism took place at the district's Cultural and Communication Center on August 17.

Quynh Nhai district held a competition to arrange a traditional food tray for Xip xi, the New Year (Tet) festival of the White Thai people, and a cultural space in celebration of the festival on August 17.

The People's Committee of Quynh Nhai district on August 17 morning held a ceremony to receive a certificate recognising the ritual part of “Xip xi”, the New Year (Tet) Festival of the White Thai people in Quynh Nhai, as national intangible cultural heritage.

Various cultural activities and folk games took place at the historical site of Chu communal house in Quang Huy commune, Phu Yen district on August 16, within the framework of this year’s “Tet xip xi” (Xip xi Festival), drawing a large number of people and tourists.

The “Xip xi” Festival in Muong Chien was held on August 13, or the 10th day of the seventh lunar month. This is Tet, a major festival of the White Thai ethnic people, which has been preserved for generations.

Within the framework of the "Xip Xi Tet" Festival in 2024, the Women's Union of Phu Yen district on August 13 organised a contest to promote the Thai ethnic group’s costumes in Phu Yen district.

‘Tet xip xi” (Xip xi festival) of the White Thai people in Quynh Nhai and Phu Yen districts has been recognised as national intangible cultural heritage, according to an August 9 decision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Van Ho district, home to five ethnic groups of Mong, Thai, Muong, Kinh and Dao, is a place where many unique cultural values in festivals, customs, practices, rituals, costumes and traditional crafts converge. To preserve and promote the traditional cultural beauty of ethnic groups, over the past time, the women's unions at all levels in the district have implemented various practical activities, drawing the active participation of their members.

In the long-standing, unique traditional culture of mountainous ethnic groups, costume is a highly identifiable element, expressing the unique characteristics of each ethnic group. Costume contains the history and culture of each ethnic group, and is a heritage that has eternal value and needs to be preserved.

An art troupe from Son La province bagged two gold and three silver medals at the folk cultural performance competition for ethnic groups, which wrapped up in the central province of Quang Ngai on August 4.

The Military Region 2 held the closing ceremony of the 2024 Young Disseminator Contest on August 1.