The Visit Vietnam Year-Dien Bien 2024 and the Ban Flower Festival were launched at May 7 Park in the city on Saturday evening under the themes of ‘Glorious Dien Bien – Infinite Experiences’ and ‘Returning to the Land of Ban Flowers.’ The event attracted thousands of locals and visitors.
These activities are part of a series of events planned to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Vietnamese revolutionary army’s victory over French colonialists on May 7, 1954.
Preliminary activities for the Ban Flower Festival were carried out three days prior to the official launch ceremony.
During the opening ceremony, Tran Quoc Cuong, secretary of the provincial Party Committee, highlighted that 70 years ago, the Vietnamese revolutionary army defeated French colonial troops in a 56-day military campaign in Muong Thanh Valley, which is now Dien Bien Province. This victory directly resulted in the signing of the Geneva Accords, which ended the war and restored peace in Indochina.
Dien Bien has become an attractive destination that always leaves a good impression on visitors from around the world, Cuong said.
He believed that Visit Vietnam Year-Dien Bien 2024 would showcase the province’s landscapes and people to both local and international travelers and attract more tourists to the area.
One of the highlights of the opening night was a mesmerizing drone light show that featured 200 colorful devices, depicting scenes commemorating the Dien Bien Phu victory and showcasing renowned destinations in Dien Bien and other parts of Vietnam.
Among the impressive drone light performances was one that depicted a Vietnamese soldier raising the national flag on the roof of French General Christian de Castries’ bunker, marking the victory of the Dien Bien Phu campaign.
Another captivating image was that of the Pieu brocade, a traditional scarf of the Thai ethnic group in the northwestern mountainous region of Vietnam.
The Ban Flower Festival will continue with the Highland Cultural Space program and the Thai Traditional Dance and Hmong Panpipe Festival from March 16-18, among other activities, according to the Vietnam News Agency.
The festival features live shows portraying legends, history, and traditional dances that highlight the unique folklore and cultural heritage of the Thai ethnic group, which represents 38.4 percent of the province’s population.
Additionally, an incense offering ceremony took place at the Martyr’s Temple on the former battlefield of Dien Bien Phu on Saturday, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized that the theme of the National Tourism Year 2024 is based on the heroic spirit of the Dien Bien Phu victory and the image of the ban flower, which symbolizes the unique beauty of Dien Bien and the desire for perpetual peace.
Dien Bien offers visitors the opportunity to experience the magnificence of the overlapping mountains and forests, seas of clouds on mountaintops, stilt houses, terraced fields, and traditional festivals, according to local authorities.
