An exhibition on ethnic minority of groups opened on May 9 in Hanoi, highlighting their contributions to national defense and construction. The four-day event, jointly held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Committee for Ethnic Affairs, is a major cultural festival of ethnic groups to welcome the 120th birthday of the late President Ho Chi Minh (May 19) and the first national ethnic minority congress slated for May 11-13. The exhibition, which presents ethnic groups’ progress in culture and economics during the renewal and integration process, is viewed as a chance to raise public awareness of preserving traditional cultural heritages along with increasing understanding and solidarity among ethnic groups. A number of images and documents provided by relevant ministries and agencies showcased at the exhibition will help visitors understand more deeply about state and government policies on ethnic minority groups during the 2005-2009 period. As part of the event, arts performances and fashion shows along with the screening of documentation films on ethnic people will take place.
