The celebration was associated with the opening of the 2015 Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival.
Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu addresses the commemorative ceremony
The Hai Duong provincial People's Committee solemnly held the 50th anniversary of Uncle Ho's visit to Con Son and opened the 2015 Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival on March 6 evening in Con Son.
The ceremony began with a musical item praising the native land, country, and Con Son – Kiep Bac beautiful scenery performed by artists and actors of Hai Duong Cheo (traditional operetta) Theatre.
On behalf of the provincial Party Committee, People's Council and Committee, and Fatherland Front Committee, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Bui Thanh Quyen delivered a speech reviewing Uncle Ho's visit to Con Son 50 years ago and opening Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival.
The speech clearly stated that Uncle Ho visited Hai Duong the 5th and also the last time on February 15, 1965. After arriving in Hong Thai commune (Ninh Giang), the pioneer in an irrigation movement throughout the northern region, the unit receiving Uncle Ho's Revolving Flag together with Nam Chinh commune (Nam Sach), and the unit having the best hygiene movement in the province, Uncle Ho visited Con Son.
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Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Bui Thanh Quyen delivers a speech reviewing Uncle Ho's visit to Con Son 50 years ago and opening Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival
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He burned incense at Con Son pagoda, read Con Son Tu Phuc Tu Bi (the stele of Con Son Tu Phuc pagoda), and contemplated the scenery of Thanh Hu cave and Thach Ban where Nguyen Trai often sat reading books.
He recommended Hai Duong officials, residents, and monks to actively plant trees to green and turn Con Son relic into a local tourist attraction and a beautiful “tung lam” (a pagoda or a pine forest).
The Secretary of the provincial Party Committee affirmed that for the past 50 years, Hai Duong officials and residents have been trying to develop the economy, society, and a pure and strong Party, protecting, renovating, and promoting the historical value of Con Son – Kiep Bac relic site together with the people all over the country. Many newly-planted trees have made the inherently beautiful natural landscape of Con Son more beautiful.
Numerous delegates, locals, and tourists from everywhere attend the opening of the 2015 Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival
The Prime Minister in 2010 approved a master plan for preserving and bringing into play the value of Con Son – Kiep Bac relic site associated with tourism development.
In 2012, Con Son – Kiep Bac relic site was classified as a special national relic.
Con Son – Kiep Bac festival has been glorified as part of the national intangible cultural heritage.
The Secretary of the provincial Party Committee stressed that this year's Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival coincides with the 50th anniversary of Uncle Ho's visit to Con Son and the 681st death anniversary of Venerable Huyen Quang, the Tertiary Patriarch of Truc Lam Zen, an occasion for Hai Duong officials and residents and compatriots across the country to come there and respectfully express their aspiration to deepen patriotism, self-help for self-improvement, and determination to defend the national independence.
Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Bui Thanh Quyen expressed Hai Duong's desire to receive further attention of comrades and compatriots in the whole country to the preservation and promotion of the value of Con Son – Kiep Bac special national relic site.
Addressing the ceremony, Mr. Uong Chu Luu, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, appreciated the efforts of Hai Duong provincial Party organization and residents into realizing Uncle Ho's teachings 50 years ago with the preservation and promotion of the relic site's value and turning of Con Son into a beautiful "tung lam" as Uncle Ho's desire.
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Mr. Uong Chu Luu, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, provincial leaders, and delegates offer incense at the festival opening ceremony
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The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly highlighted that the entire Party and people are trying hard in emulation to celebrate Party Congresses at all levels, including the implementation of the 9th Central Party Committee's Resolution (11th term) on building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet requirements of national sustainable development. The guideline of the Resolution is also the concretization and continuation of Uncle Ho's thought about developing a national culture for the people's happiness.
The things left after Uncle Ho's visit to Hai Duong province and Con Son relic site are very precious lessons for each official and Party member about working style, respect and promotion of the people's strength, concentration on mobilization and organization of patriotic emulation movements, timely encouragement, replication of advanced models, and especially the sense of preserving and bringing into play national cultural heritage.
Mr. Uong Chu Luu suggested that Hai Duong provincial officials and residents be further imbued with Uncle Ho’s recommendations and thoughts from learning and following his example and morals in a most practical way.
The National Assembly Vice Chairman also confirmed that the solemn organization of the 50th anniversary of Uncle Ho’s visit to Con Son and the opening of the traditional Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival was an opportunity to express unbounded gratitude to ancestors and continue to review memories and recommendations of President Ho Chi Minh, which are not only a motivation for the development of Hai Duong officials and residents in all aspects but also the pride and valuable legacies of the people throughout the country.
Mr. Nguyen Manh Hien, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, speaks at the ceremony
Mr. Nguyen Manh Hien, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, expressed his profound gratitude to leaders of the Party and State and compatriots in the whole country for their attention to and encouragement for Hai Duong in general and Con Son – Kiep Bac relic site in particular, showing their gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh and Venerable Huyen Quang, the Tertiary Patriarch of Truc Lam Zen.
He affirmed that the Party organization, government, and people of Hai Duong province will seriously and sufficiently absorb the National Assembly Vice Chairman’s directions to work out a specific action plan for successful completion of the provincial socio-economic development tasks.
The ceremony ended with the lively cheo piece "Con Son In Dau Chan Nguoi" (His footprints in Con Son) performed by actors of Hai Duong Cheo Theatre.
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| The cheo (traditional operetta) piece "Con Son In Dau Chan Nguoi" (His footprints in Con Son) reenacts Uncle Ho's visit to Con Son 50 years ago |
Many art activities attract a lot of viewers
* On the afternoon of the same day, the Organizing Board of Con Son – Kiep Bac Festival conducted a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of a Cuu Pham Lien Hoa (nine-storeyed lotus-shaped tower) in Con Son pagoda.
The Cuu Pham Lien Hoa work is expected to be accomplished in 2016 with the total investment exceeding VND75.8 billion and coming from Central funds and donation sources.
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Provincial leaders launch a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of a Cuu Pham Lien Hoa (nine-storeyed lotus-shaped tower) in Con Son pagoda
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* The 5th Open Hai Duong Provincial Clay Firecracker Festival jubilantly opened in the morning in the stone yard of Con Son pagoda.
The festival drew 130 competitors of five teams from the communes of Ninh Hoa, An Duc, and Tan Huong (Ninh Giang); Duc Xuong (Gia Loc); and Thang Thuy (Vinh Bao, Hai Phong).
The Organizing Board awarded the first prize to the firecracker team of Tan Huong commune, the second prize to the firecracker team of Ninh Hoa commune, and the third prize to the firecracker teams of Thang Thuy and Duc Xuong communes.
* In the afternoon, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism kicked off the 2015 (Open) Hai Duong Provincial National Wrestling Tournament.
Attending this year’s tournament were nearly 100 male and female wrestlers of 12 wrestling teams, including eight from Hai Duong province, namely Hai Duong city, Chi Linh, Tu Ky, Gia Loc, Nam Sach, Kinh Mon, Ninh Giang, and Binh Giang, and the others from the army, Ha Nam, Bac Ninh, and Bac Giang.
After an opening drumroll was a worshipping wrestling match with traditional rituals. The official competition part took place vibrantly, attracting numerous spectators. The tournament wound up on March 7.
THANH MAI – NGOC HUNG
