Festival for Peace 2024 – Joining hands to create peaceful world

Festival for Peace 2024 was kicked off in the evening of July 6 at Hien Luong – Ben Hai Special National Historical Relic, Quang Tri, by the Quang Tri People’s Committee in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Representatives of the central and Quang Tri agencies and international organizations at Festival for Peace held on July 6 in Quang Tri Province: Photos: Tran Truyen

The event marked the attendance of Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, Secretary of the Quang Tri Party Committee Le Quang Tung, Chairman of the Quang Tri People’s Committee Vo Van Hung, Chairman of the Quang Tri People’s Council Nguyen Dang Quang, and representatives of central agencies and Quang Tri units, representatives of foreign diplomatic missions and organizations, people with merits to the nation, Heroic Mothers, and people in Quang Tri.

Vo Van Hung, Chairman of Quang Tri Provincial People’s Committee, speaks at the Opening Ceremony.

Speaking at the event, Vo Van Hung, Chairman of Quang Tri Provincial People’s Committee, said: “Quang Tri organizes the Festival for Peace to pay tribute to the Heroic Martyrs who heroically sacrificed for the longevity of the Fatherland; commemorate war victims; and convey the message that Vietnam loves peace and that Vietnamese people are filial, tolerant, benevolent and wish to contribute to creating and preserving peace for humanity,”

The festival is centered around the theme “Joining Hands to Create a Peaceful World,” inspired by the historic Hien Luong Bridge, representing the spirit of tying together the values of the past, present, and future in the nation of peace-loving people. In addition, the program promotes justice, prosperity, happiness, kindness, and peace.

People who attend the Festival for Peace will get a sense that peace is not just the absence of conflict but also the presence of equality, respect, friendship, collaboration, and development among nations; love among individuals, between individuals and communities, and between communities, he added.

Hung stressed that July offers a variety of political, cultural, artistic, sporting, and travel opportunities, in addition to a series of meaningful memorial and gratitude activities that are kicked off by the opening art program with the theme "Connecting bridges."

Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of Festival for Peace.

Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan expressed her appreciation for Quang Tri Province’s initiative in arranging the Festival for Peace during her speech at the opening ceremony. Quang Tri has emerged victorious from a war-torn land. The festival will serve as a platform for the vibrant message of the Vietnamese people’s love of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development. This will help inspire the international community to create and defend peace for all nations and peoples.

The Festival for Peace’s effective administration advances the country’s noble objective of strengthening its value system.

Xuan said the Festival for Peace 2024 will only get more appealing as it gains broad support, response, and involvement from businesses, individuals, and domestic and foreign tourists. It will also raise the festival’s profile and make it a distinctive and prestigious cultural brand representing Quang Tri nationally and worldwide.

The event is kicked off at Hien Luong - Ben Hai Special National Historical Relics.

Quang Tri Province initiated and organized the Festival for Peace 2024. Because peace is humanity's eternal wish and aspiration, this festival is open to all, with only one opening day and a schedule of events.

Overview of the Festival for Peace 2024.

The festival will provide a significant impetus for Quang Tri to become a destination for peace, a gathering place for friends who value peace from around the globe, and a cultural hub for peace. It will also aid in advancing, drawing in investment, boosting tourism, and supporting Quang Tri’s and the surrounding communities' sustainable socioeconomic development.

Message for peace.

The festival is divided into three main sections: “Prayers” and “Connecting Sounds,” which see Quang Tri land as its focal point to encourage the country’s desire for peace. Through group performances, the Hien Luong Bridge serves as both an artistic representation and a symbolic image that tells the tale of time and space. “Song of Joy” begins a story of the future constructed from the actions of the present, connecting inspiration from all over the world.

The festival’s spirit was "Working together to build a peaceful world - Preserve peace with daily thoughts and deeds to realize peace around the world."

Vietnamese solidarity and resilience spirit contribute to a world of peace.

The Festival for Peace 2024 aims to commemorate the losses brought about by war, pay tribute to the brave martyrs who devoted their lives to the country, and honor the value of peace by encouraging everyone to work together to fight for, preserve, and build a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable life for the nation and humanity.

Splendid overview of the Festival for Peace.

The Festival for Peace 2024 takes place in July and features a wide range of events, including Music Night of Trinh Cong Son, a legendary Vietnamese musician, with the theme “Peace Song”; International Culinary and Cultural Festival with the theme “Taste of the Sunny Flower Region”; Le Ba Dang’s art exhibition with the theme “Desire for Peace”; Painting exhibition with the theme of revival; Political art program “The 17th Parallel yearns for peace”; International conference “Lessons on peace seen from Vietnamese practice”; and the “Wish for Peace” program, which includes activities like the release of flower lanterns and lighting candles in honor of fallen heroes.

The festival gathers the attendance of different groups, including youth volunteers, soldiers, among others.

From Paris, France, Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), sent a message to the festival. It reads: With its reunification, Vietnam embarked on a protracted path toward reconciliation. The country has been accomplishing seemingly impossible goals: mending historical scars and advancing the nation’s development.

Minh Duc – Linh Pham