Taking place from November 4 to 6 (on the 15th–17th day of the 9th lunar month), the festival features a variety of activities, including the moon-worshiping ritual, a trade fair showcasing local products, exhibitions of Khmer cultural artifacts and images, and book displays.
A highlight of the festival is the traditional Ngo Boat Race. According to the Organizing Committee, the event is expected to attract approximately 200,000 to 250,000 visitors from both within and outside the province.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of An Giang Province, Le Trung Ho, said that the annual Culture, Sports, and Tourism Festival of Khmer people is a significant cultural event. It aims to preserve, honor, and promote traditional cultural values while supporting the spiritual and cultural life of the Khmer community in the province.
The festival also serves as an opportunity for all ethnic communities, particularly the Khmer people of the Southern region, to strengthen their awareness and responsibility toward preserving traditional culture and to reinforce national unity. Through the festival’s activities, the cultural values of the Khmer community in the province are celebrated and showcased to the people nationwide. It also provides a platform for people of all ethnicities to meet, interact, and participate in cultural, artistic, and sports activities, thereby fostering solidarity and close bonds among the nation’s diverse communities.
The festival also aims to promote the event’s image to visitors both within and outside the province, reflecting the Party and State’s commitment to preserving and developing the cultural values of the Khmer community amid the country’s integration. It seeks to create favorable conditions for socio-economic development and improve the material and spiritual well-being of residents, enabling the Khmer community to advance together with the nation into a new era of growth and progress.
Immediately following the opening ceremony, the Ngo Boat Race of the Khmer ethnic group kicked off with competitions in the 800-meter men’s, 800-meter mixed, and 1,200-meter men’s categories.
