A delegation from the Southwest Region’s Steering Committee, led by its deputy head Bui Ngoc Suong, visited the Khmer ethnic community in the southern province of Soc Trang on October 11 to wish them well during the 2012 Sene Dolta Festival. The delegation visited the provincial Patriotic United Buddhist Association and the southern school of complementary Pali education, and presented gifts to monks and nuns from the Khleang and Prek On Dok pagodas, as well as poor households in the locality. Later the same day, another deputy head, Huynh Minh Doan, also visited the association and people of the community in the southern province of Bac Lieu. Doan said that he hopes the people will promote solidarity for economic development and poverty reduction. On October 10, the steering committee held a get-together for officials, monks, nuns and students of the Khmer community from the Mekong Delta region. On this occasion, the 400-year-old Pysey Varapram pagoda in the southern province of Tra Vinh received a National Relic Site Certificate. During the war, the pagoda was a secret base of many prominent revolutionary leaders. An Giang provincial authorities also recently paid visits to 65 Khmer pagodas across the province. Sene Dolta is one of the largest Khmer festivals that pays tribute to ancestors and those who have made big contributions to the homeland. It is held from the 30th day of the 8th lunar month to the 2nd day of the 9th lunar month each year, which this year falls on October 14-16. The majority of the Khmer population in Vietnam live in the southwestern region, which counts 453 Khmer pagodas. (vietnamplus.vn Oct 12)
