On the evening of May 18, 2026, the Provincial People's Committee (PPC) held the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Lotus Village Festival and officially announced the decision recognizing Kim Lien as a National Tourist Area.

Delegates attending the ceremony

As May arrives, millions of Vietnamese people once again find their hearts drawn to Sen Village. This humble yet sacred homeland, imbued with the soul of the Vietnamese countryside, lovingly preserves precious memories of President Ho Chi Minh – the revered Father of the Nation, “the man who brought glory to our nation, our people, and our homeland.”

over the past 45 years, from "Singing from Lang Sen Village" to the "Lang Sen Singing Festival," it has been elevated to the "Lang Sen Festival" in 2002 and is held annually at the provincial level and every five years on a national scale. Since then, the festival has been held annually at the provincial level and every five years on a nationwide scale. The festival carries profound political and cultural significance and serves as an important event commemorating the birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh. It is a traditional festival where people express their love and admiration for President Ho Chi Minh, the Communist Party, and their homeland through songs and cultural activities, thereby honoring and affirming the enduring vitality of the cultural values that bear the imprint of the Ho Chi Minh era. Through these activities, the festival reflects the deep respect and gratitude of people from all walks of life and of the Vietnamese nation as a whole for the immense contributions of President Ho Chi Minh - a national liberation hero, an eminent cultural figure, and a shining symbol in the golden pages of Vietnamese history and culture, as well as in the history of the Vietnamese nation and the Communist Party of Vietnam.

This is also an opportunity for friends from all over the country and the world to learn more about the people and homeland of Nghe An, one of Vietnam's most distinctive cultural regions, famous for its folk songs - a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, a land of "spiritual and talented people," which has given birth to many wise and talented individuals, and is the source of the formation of Ho Chi Minh's personality and culture. The people of Nghe An are known for their friendliness, honesty, diligence, and creativity. They proudly preserve their rich cultural heritage and traditional values while remaining open and ready to embrace new cultural and tourism experiences.

The 2026 Lotus Village Festival features a wide range of meaningful and vibrant activities, including flower- and incense-offering ceremonies, the procession of President Ho Chi Minh’s portrait, the “Lighting up Lotus Village” night tourism program, as well as various exhibitions and displays. The highlight of the Opening Ceremony is a special art performance featuring artists and performers from Ho Chi Minh City in collaboration with local art troupes. Carefully staged with a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity, the program recreates the life and revolutionary career of President Ho Chi Minh while honoring the unique cultural values of Nghe An Province.

This year’s festival is made even more significant as the Kim Lien Relic Site is honored with the First-Class Labor Order and Kim Lien is officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Tourist Area. These distinctions mark an important milestone in affirming the destination’s value and opening a new chapter in the cultural and tourism development of President Ho Chi Minh’s homeland.

Vice Chairman of the PPC Thai Van Thanh speaks

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Nghe An PPC Thai Van Thanh stated that, on the same day as the opening of the Lotus Village Festival, Nghe An Province also held the groundbreaking ceremonies for two key projects: the Quynh Lap LNG Thermal Power Plant and the Vinh–Thanh Thuy Expressway. These projects are not only significant for the province’s transport and energy infrastructure development, forming strategic links in the national transport and energy planning system, but also demonstrate the province’s growing capacity and positive momentum in attracting investment, creating a driving force for future development. This is also considered the most concrete and meaningful tribute that the Party Committee, authorities, and people of Nghe An Province offer to President Ho Chi Minh on the occasion of his birthday.

Provincial leaders expressed their hope that, from the Lotus Village Festival, the cultural heritage values of Ho Chi Minh and the positive impressions of Nghe An as a friendly and hospitable homeland will continue to spread widely and remain deeply engraved in the hearts of distinguished delegates, local people, and visitors from near and far.

On this occasion, on behalf of the Party Committee, authorities, and people of Nghe An Province, Vice Chairman of the PPC Thai Van Thanh extended his deepest gratitude to the leaders and former leaders of the Party and State, as well as to central ministries, agencies, departments, localities, and organizations for their special affection and attention to the homeland of beloved President Ho Chi Minh over the past period. At the same time, he expressed the hope that the province will continue to receive further attention, support, and assistance in the coming time, so that the Party Committee, authorities, and people of Nghe An will have greater motivation and determination to strive for breakthrough development, together with the whole country seizing new opportunities and prospects in a new era of development, and soon bringing Nghe An to become “one of the leading provinces in the North,” as President Ho Chi Minh once instructed.

Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Doan Minh Huan, attachs the First-Class Labor Order to the traditional flag of the Kim Lien Relic Site

Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Doan Minh Huan, presents the First-Class Labor Order to the Kim Lien Relic Site

Preserving and promoting the cultural heritage values of Ho Chi Minh in his homeland is identified by Nghe An Province as a particularly important political task. Over 70 years of construction and development, the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Site in Kim Lien has become a “red address” on the journey of remembrance for people and visitors from across the country. The Kim Lien Relic Site has also been honored with the First-Class Labor Order by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

On this occasion, on May 13, 2026, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 1076/QD-BVHTTDL recognizing Kim Lien as a National Tourist Area.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh present the Decision recognizing Kim Lien National Tourist Area

The spectacular art program the theme “Lotus initiates new energy” consists of three parts. Part 1: Lotus Blossoms in the Homeland; Part 2: Footprints of the Era; Part 3: Enduring Beauty and Fragrance. The program focuses on praising Kim Lien - the place where President Ho Chi Minh was born, where he spent his childhood, and where his early patriotic ideology was formed; at the same time, it recreates his journey of traveling in search of a path to national salvation, devoting his entire life to the cause of national liberation and opening a new era for the country. Through this, it affirms that the ideology, morality, and style of President Ho Chi Minh always live on with time, serving as a source of inspiration and a guiding principle for present and future generations to continue building the country.

The art program is elaborately staged, combining traditional and modern elements, recreating the life and revolutionary career of President Ho Chi Minh, while also honoring the distinctive cultural values of his homeland, Nghe An Province

The program is jointly directed in terms of content by the Nghe An PPC and the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, with the participation of art units from both regions. It reflects the close relationship and warm sentiments between Nghe An (the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh) and Ho Chi Minh City, marking five consecutive years of coordination in organizing the Lotus Village Festival between the two localities. The art program creates a distinctive and visually impressive festival space, thereby contributing to promoting the image, culture, and people of Nghe An to domestic and international visitors, and helping to boost local tourism development.