Inspecting the organization and management work of the festival: Many positive progresses have been made

(Cinet)- Based on Decision dated 18th February 2008 setting up a Delegation inspecting the festival activities and cultural activities and cultural service business, Inspector of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in cooperation with local authorities carried out checking the organization and management work of the festival at some “hot” places, as follows:

Phu Day (Nam Dinh), Yen Tu, Cua Ong Temple (Quang Ninh), Lim festival and Ba Chua Kho Temple (Bac Ninh), Perfume Pagoda and Duc Thanh Ca Temple (Ha Tay). According to general assessment, this year, the festival season has made remarkable progresses; however, a few existing negative problems need continuously regulating.

Clearly, infrastructure has been gradually upgraded and environmental preservation has been paid much attention to. Ceremonial activities have been performed solemnly, contributing partly to maintaining festivals’ national characters and traditional history. The festival space is also livelier than that of several traditionally folk games such as rowing boats, swinging, fighting chickens, wrestling…or others like Vietnamese popular opera, and “chau van” to serve every pilgrim

Ensuring public order and safety for tourists is one of many major criteria cared by locals. Negative expressions and social evils, for example begging, gambling, superstitious tricks…have been overcome step by step.

However, according to Tran Van Khoi, these situations still exist under many forms and become an unsolved problem. A negative expression as a painful problem is that selling goods is still arbitrary and many sellers make use of the festival to make profits illegally by selling tourists goods at the highest prices…

Overcoming those existing negative situations is very difficult. “Some places such as Yen Tu, Con Son – Kiep Bac…have taken several successful measures, including organizing a training class on cultural behavioral in the festival for the whole people when they join festival activities. Additionally, other activities like holding service bids for serving the festival need controlling closely.

Besides reminding people of not burning widespread incense and votive paper at forbidden places.., this year, the inspection work has conducted lots of treatment measures.  For instance, at Yen Tu, over 2,000 books containing superstitious contents and some violation goods have been confiscated and punished in such an administrative way

Source: VH