LÂM ĐỒNG — The sound of heritage will echo through the mountains as Lâm Đồng Province prepares for the Southeast Asia Gong Harmony 2025, to be held from December 19 to 21 at Lâm Viên Square.

Under the theme "The Echo of the Central Highlands Gongs – Southeast Asia Convergence", the programme will feature 12 art troupes from Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk, Lâm Đồng and several northern provinces, along with performances by art troupes from Thailand, Laos, and Malaysia.

The event will include a wide range of activities, such as a cultural and sports festival highlighting ethnic minority traditions, community cultural programmes, and a gong harmony night with an open stage, creating a vibrant space for locals and visitors to experience gong culture.

The programme aims to honour the Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands, recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, while promoting the cultural identity and tourism potential of Lâm Đồng Province.

Gongs are an art form deeply rooted in the cultural history of the Central Highlands' ethnic groups living along the Trường Sơn mountain range.

The Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands encompasses not only the gongs and their music but also the festivals where they play an essential role and the communities that preserve these traditions.

This cultural space includes various ethnic groups such as Ê Đê, Ba Na, Mạ, Lặc, Xê Đăng, and Gia Rai.

For the ethnic groups of the Central Highlands, gongs are sacred musical instruments that convey spiritual messages, expressing both joy and sorrow. They are also treasured possessions and symbols of power and prosperity.

The year 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of UNESCO’s recognition of the Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Đinh Văn Tuấn, vice chairman of the Lâm Đồng Provincial People’s Committee (Administration), said that activities will be held simultaneously in three characteristic regions of the province: Đà Lạt, known as the "City of a Thousand Flowers"; Bình Thuận, with its blue seas; and Đắk Nông, rich in forests.

The event aims to establish a Gong Festival every two years, contributing to heritage preservation, promoting Southeast Asian musical exchange, and affirming Lâm Đồng’s position as a hub for spreading the cultural values of the Central Highlands to the world. — VNS