Opening Ceremony of the First Son La Coffee Festival 2023.

Attending the opening ceremony were Comrade Vuong Dinh Hue - Member of the Political Bureau, Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Comrade Tong Thi Phong, former Member of the Political Bureau, former Standing Vice Chairman of the National Assembly; Comrade Bui Van Cuong, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary General and Head of the National Assembly Office; Comrade Le Minh Hoan, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; leaders and former leaders of the Party and State; members of the Central Executive Committee of the Party, leaders of central ministries, departments and agencies; National Assembly delegates and leaders of provinces and cities; Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Lao People's Democratic Republic to Vietnam and the delegation from Hua Phan province (Lao People's Democratic Republic); organizations, business associations, industry leaders, leaders of corporations, general companies, banks, and Vietnamese enterprises.

 Comrade Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam attended the Opening Ceremony.

Representing Son La province were Comrade Nguyen Huu Dong, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation; members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial Party Executive Committee; members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee, and the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee; leaders of departments, agencies, mass organizations, armed forces, People's Committees of districts and cities, units, enterprises, and cooperatives; leaders of delegations and localities participating in the Festival; and the people of Son La province and tourists from all over the country.

Comrade Nguyen Huu Dong delivered the opening speech at the first Son La Coffee Festival in 2023.

In his opening remarks at the festival, Mr. Nguyen Huu Dong emphasized: The first Son La Coffee Festival in 2023 is an important event, creating opportunities for Son La province and other Northwestern provinces to introduce and promote Arabica coffee products; to honor coffee growers, producers, processors, and traders, contributing to the development of high-quality Arabica coffee growing areas, enhancing the value and affirming the position of Arabica coffee in domestic and international markets; aiming to achieve the goal of linking provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains in the production, processing, and consumption of coffee; making Son La province a center for processing agricultural products in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region. At the same time, it aims to attract businesses to invest in processing plants, thereby increasing product value and contributing to promoting the consumption and export of agricultural products of the province in general and Arabica coffee in particular. Making good use of the potential and advantages of natural conditions in the production, preliminary processing, processing, and consumption of coffee, applying high technology, protecting the environment, and promoting sustainable development in the province...

Delegates attending the Opening Ceremony.

As a locality with suitable climate and soil conditions for cultivating Arabica coffee, the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, and the Provincial People's Committee have directed the implementation of the "Arabica Coffee Development Program" since the late 1980s. Through many ups and downs, with the efforts, dedication, and creativity of coffee growers, and the involvement of the entire political system in the province, Arabica coffee has grown and developed well in the province. The area under coffee cultivation increased from 278 hectares in 1990 to over 20,000 hectares in 2023, accounting for 41.2% of the country's Arabica coffee area and making it the province with the largest Arabica coffee growing area in the country. Of this, nearly 18,000 hectares have been certified as sustainable or equivalent, with a production of 204,000 tons of fresh fruit. The revenue from the sale of fresh fruit is estimated at over 2,045 billion VND, and the export value is estimated at over 83 million USD.

A large number of people from various ethnic groups in Son La province attended the Opening Ceremony.

To date, the province has established several concentrated, specialized production areas, following a production, processing, and consumption chain based on the application of science and technology, gradually meeting the needs of production, consumption, and export. Two coffee growing areas have been recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as high-tech agricultural zones, and one geographical indication, Son La Coffee, has been granted. Son La coffee products have been exported to 20 countries in the EU, North America, the Middle East, and ASEAN countries with stable, high prices, contributing to increased income for coffee growers, creating more jobs, and restructuring production towards enhancing the value of coffee in Son La.

Comrade Le Minh Hoan delivered a speech at the Opening Ceremony.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Comrade Le Minh Hoan, Member of the Central Committee of the Party and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized: "Today's event marks the 70-year journey of Son La coffee, from a crop that improved livelihoods to a specialty brand reaching the world, favored in many countries and territories. Son La coffee has always made a positive contribution to the overall development of Vietnam's coffee industry. The Son La Coffee Festival is an opportunity for us to meet and exchange ideas, to continue realizing the sustainable development of the province's coffee industry, and to send a message to the world: think of coffee, think of Vietnam. Enjoying Son La coffee is experiencing the flavor of the Northwest mountains and forests."

Comrade Bui Van Cuong presents social welfare gifts to help eliminate temporary housing for poor households in Son La province.

On this occasion, Comrade Vuong Dinh Hue - Member of the Political Bureau, Chairman of the National Assembly, and the National Assembly delegation visited and worked in Son La province. Also, during the peak month for the poor in 2023, the Chairman of the National Assembly mobilized and collected donations from philanthropists to support 100 social welfare gift packages to eliminate temporary housing for poor households in Son La province.

Opening Ceremony Art Program of the First Son La Coffee Festival 2023.

Following the ceremony, the opening art program of the first Son La Coffee Festival in 2023 took place, with the participation of over 700 professional and amateur artists and performers. With the theme "Son La Arabica - The Flavor of the Northwest Mountains," the performances were elaborately and uniquely staged, reflecting the rich cultural identity of Son La and the Northwest region, and celebrating and honoring coffee beans and the people who grow, produce, and process them.

Cultural performances at the Opening Ceremony.

The artistic program concluded with a circle dance symbolizing unity among the ethnic groups of Son La province and a spectacular fireworks display, creating a memorable highlight of the first Son La Coffee Festival in 2023.

The Chairman of the National Assembly participated in the solidarity circle dance.

Comrade Tong Thi Phong participated in the solidarity dance.

The circle dance symbolizing unity among the ethnic groups of Son La province.

The fireworks display brought the cultural program to a close.

Prior to the opening ceremony, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue visited the booths at the "Son La Coffee - Integration and Development" exhibition. The exhibition featured 100 booths showcasing the province's socio-economic development achievements; coffee products from within and outside the province; tourism products; safe agricultural products from Son La province and other provinces and cities; and products and spaces showcasing handcrafted coffee...

The Chairman of the National Assembly and other delegates visited the booths showcasing coffee products.

Within the framework of the first Son La Coffee Festival in 2023, from October 20th to October 23rd, 2023, many meaningful activities will take place to promote Son La coffee, develop high-quality coffee, contribute to enhancing its value, and affirm the position of Son La coffee in domestic and international markets; honor coffee growers, producers, processors, and traders; and encourage the community to work together to cultivate the development of coffee culture in Son La province in particular and Vietnam in general. It is also an opportunity for Son La province to showcase its unique coffee culture, people, potential strengths, and tourism, creating an image of Son La as a friendly and hospitable province, attracting investors and tourists to Son La.

Le Hong - Quoc Tuan