Endeavoring to create positive impressions for residents and visitors, says Nguyen Thu Cuc, Chairwoman of the Thu Dau Mot city People's Committee

The Full Moon Festival in lunar January is a vibrant cultural event that draws a significant number of residents and tourists to celebrate the arrival of spring in Thu Dau Mot city, Binh Duong province. To provide insights into the activities and preparations, reporters from Binh Duong Newspaper conducted an interview with Nguyen Thu Cuc, Chairwoman of the Thu Dau Mot City People's Committee and Head of the Steering Committee for the January 2025 Full Moon Festival, discussing various related topics. 

-Following the Lunar New Year, spring festival activities continue to thrive in numerous localities. In the initial days of the new spring of At Ty 2025, how have the festival activities, particularly during the Full Moon Festival in lunar January, unfolded in Thu Dau Mot city, Madam? 

-The Full Moon Festival in the first lunar month of the Year of the Snake 2025 represents a continuation of numerous activities designed to celebrate the new year and to commemorate significant events in Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong, and across the nation in 2025.

In the initial days of spring, both residents and visitors have observed the central streets of Thu Dau Mot city adorned with vibrant and sparkling decorations. The early spring festival serves as a "thermometer," reflecting the sentiments, lives, and aspirations of the community as one year concludes and another begins. As in previous years, this year's Full Moon Festival in Thu Dau Mot city will feature two prominent activities: the procession of the Lady's palanquin on the afternoon of the 9th day of the Lunar New Year in the heart of the new city, and the procession of the Lady Thien Hau Thanh Mau palanquin on the afternoon of the 15th day of the first lunar month at the center of Thu Dau Mot city.

-During the annual Full Moon Festival activities in the city, the Thien Hau Thanh Mau Temple Festival draws a significant number of local residents and visitors. This year, how have the leaders of Thu Dau Mot City guided the relevant localities and establishments organizing festivals in the area to prioritize safety in all aspects, thereby fostering a positive impression among tourists from near and far who come to Thu Dau Mot to partake in the festival, madam? 

-Just prior to the Lunar New Year of 2025, the leaders of Thu Dau Mot city convened with the Board of Directors of Thien Hau Thanh Mau Temple and relevant stakeholders to thoroughly evaluate the scale and significance of the 2025 festival and to formulate timely plans. Concurrently, the city directed all venues hosting cultural and religious activities, as well as spring festivals, to adhere to general regulations governing festivals, comply with legal requirements, and facilitate the smooth execution of events in a joyful, engaging, safe, and economical manner.

The Steering Committee of the City’s Full Moon Festival has delineated three critical tasks for organizing this year’s event: preserving and promoting traditional cultural beauty; ensuring security and order, including fire prevention and traffic safety; and coordinating volunteer efforts. When these three "pillars" are effectively managed, alongside the consensus and active participation of both residents and visitors, we will achieve a successful early spring festival season.

-Madam, how will Thu Dau Mot City continue to promote the cultural allure of "free festivals" this year, which have established themselves as a distinctive "brand" of Thu Dau Mot - Binh Duong? 

-It is important to acknowledge that, for nearly a decade, the free festival has evolved into a vibrant cultural event in Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong, coinciding with the Full Moon Festival in January and reflecting the civility, friendliness, and warmth of the local community. Each year, numerous organizations, units, and hundreds of households generously contribute drinking water, cold towels, and food, while also guiding and assisting visitors from across the nation in attending the festival. What began as individual efforts has progressively transformed into a more professional, thoughtful, and systematic volunteer initiative, attracting an increasing number of individuals, organizations, and businesses from the region to participate.

The city's perspective on this matter is not to establish any specific objectives or plans for volunteer activities. The festival's Steering Committee merely requires participating organizations, households, and individuals to ensure security, order, and food safety, as well as to register with the local authorities, facilitating the city's ability to conduct statistics and express gratitude following the festival.

We aspire for the ethos of free and voluntary work to flourish organically and gracefully as an integral aspect of the identity of the people of Thu Dau Mot.

- Thank you very much! 

Aim to create the most favorable impression and evoke positive emotions.  To ensure the local Full Moon Festival in January continues to disseminate its unique values, attracts a substantial audience for subsequent festival seasons, and evolves into a cultural product that positively impacts the city's overall development, do you have any additional insights to share?  -Effectively managing, organizing, and successfully executing a festival necessitates the collaboration and collective efforts of various sectors, fields, units, and localities. The annual Full Moon Festival in January has significantly contributed to depicting the image of the cultured and warm-hearted people of Thu - Binh Duong, as well as showcasing a vibrant, beautiful, and welcoming Southern city.  On the local front, the leaders of Thu Dau Mot City and the Festival Steering Committee consistently endeavor to fulfill a coordinating role, uniting all stakeholders to ensure that the January Full Moon Festival in the city leaves a lasting positive impression on both residents and visitors.  On this occasion, I extend my best wishes to all individuals and visitors from around the globe attending the Full Moon Festival this January in Thua Thien Hue, wishing you a fulfilling, peaceful, and fortunate start to the spring season!

Interviewed by Hong Thuan - Translated by Vi Bao