The ceremony, which was joined by StatePresident Truong Tan Sang, was held to coincidence with the opening ofthe traditional Pho Hien festival.
The Pho Hienrelic complex lies in the villages of Dang Chau and Ne Chau. It containscountless pagodas and temples. The site was also once a bustlingcommercial port on the Red River, reaching its heyday in the 17th - 18thcentury.
Pho Hien was second only to theImperial capital city of Thang Long as a trading point. It waswell-known among foreign traders, especially those from China, Japan andthe Netherlands.
The annual Pho Hien Cultural Festival takes place across all thearea’s relic sites. It features traditional rituals, games and artperformances, bringing alive the history, spirituality and culture ofthe street.
Addressing the opening event, ViceChairman of the Hung Yen People’s Committee Dang Ngoc Quynh highlightedthe cultural and traditional diversity of the province, saying that ithouses more than 1,200 relic sites and more than 400 local traditionalfestivals.
The locality is also home to a numberof national heroes and cultural celebrities, such as King Trieu VietVuong, who reigned from 548-571; Pham Ngu Lao, a general in the Trandynasty in the 14 th century; Hoang Hoa Tham, who led the Yen Therebellion against France in between 1884-1913; and late GeneralSecretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Van Linh, whoinitiated the nation’s successful reform period.
During the event, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism DangThi Bich Lien hailed the significance of the Pho Hien relic complex,saying that it is both an important cultural landmark and an attractivetourism destination.
She urged the province toexpand publicity campaigns enhancing preservation work to protect theancient street, upholding traditional values and promoting tourism.
Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Doan The Cuong said theregion aims to lure investment to fully tap the local potential forsocio-economic and tourism development in the Northern Region economictriangle.-VNA