Festival

Lao New Year Celebrated in Hanoi

The celebration of the Lao traditional Boun Pi Mai Lao in Hanoi, filled with joy and excitement, is an opportunity to strengthen the strong bond between the two countries.

Administrator

16 April, 2023

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Top Vietnamese leaders attended the Boun Pi Mai Lao (Lao New Year) in Hanoi on April 11, offering new-year wishes to the Lao people and strengthening the relationship between Vietnam and Laos. The event was filled with traditional customs and rituals, celebrating the start of a new year.

The leaders included Politburo member Truong Thi Mai, Permanent Member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, former Vietnamese veterans and military experts in Laos, representatives of Lao students studying in Vietnam, and several others.

Participants in the celebration of Boun Pi Mai Lao or Lao New Year 2023 held in Hanoi. Photo: Quan doi nhan dan

The Embassy of Laos in Vietnam hosted a remarkable event.

At the ceremony, Politburo member and Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man extended warm New Year’s greetings to the Party, State, and people of Laos on behalf of the leaders of the Party, State, and people of Vietnam.

He emphasized that generations of leaders and citizens of the two nations have successfully upheld the close relationship between Vietnam and Laos, which was nurtured by Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Kaysone Phomvihane. It has become an exceptional, dedicated, unblemished, and extraordinary bond in the history of international relations and a priceless treasure shared by the two countries.

He stated that “the Vietnamese Party, State, and people are overjoyed to wholeheartedly congratulate Laos on its incredible, far-reaching, and momentous accomplishments, viewing them as a triumph and the shared delight of the two countries.”

Despite the difficult circumstances in the world and the region, the special relationship and cooperation between Vietnam and Laos have grown steadily in recent years, bringing a plethora of tangible benefits to both countries’ peoples. The Vietnamese Party and State have consistently accorded the utmost priority to the fostering and deepening of the two countries’ great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation.

As proof of this extraordinary bond, President Vo Van Thuong made Laos the destination of his inaugural official visit from April 10th to 11th.

The colorful Boun Pi Mai Lao. Photo: New Way Travel

Sengphet HoungBoungnuang, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam, declared this year’s Boun Pi Mai Lao would occur between April 14 and 16. After the Covid-19 pandemic had made it impossible to celebrate the event for the past three years, the event is once again being organized in Vietnam.

He said that Vietnam-Laos relations have been constantly promoted towards effectiveness and practical results. He believed that Vietnam will continue to make new and greater achievements in the cause of preserving, protecting, and developing the country and achieving strategic goals in the coming years.

The Boun Pi Mai Lao is a traditional Laotian New Year holiday celebrated annually in mid-April. During this festive period, people engage in the custom of splashing water, which is believed to bring good luck, ward off evil spirits and illnesses, and signify a new start with good health and longevity. Additionally, the tradition of tying string ‘bracelets’ on the wrists of others is commonly practiced to bring good luck. Overall, the Boun Pi Mai ceremony conveys Lao aspirations for joy and harmony.