Published:  00:00 Monday - November 16, 2009

The International Gong festival concluded on November 15 after four days with 14 events taking place in Pleiku and one in Hanoi.

The closing ceremony left a deep impression on audiences.

Speaking on the occasion, Pham The Dung, chairman of the Gia Lai provincial People’s Committee and head of the organising board, said that the festival had closed with a call to people to preserve and promote the value of gong for peace, solidarity, friendship and development of ethnic minority groups in the country and the region. It also provided a good opportunity for the Central Highlands to promote its potential.

During the four-day festival, 63 domestic and foreign groups of gong players gave special gong performances using fascinating collections of gongs. Thousands of domestic and foreign visitors enjoyed the unique cultural identities of the ethnic minority groups, such as a festival to welcome new crops, a buffalo festival, sculpturing a burial tomb and a culinary village.

Many domestic and foreign specialists attended a seminar to discuss ways of preserving and promoting the gong culture in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.