The circle dance of unity - a distinctive cultural feature of the Thai ethnic group.

Promoting the spiritual foundation

Son La is home to 12 ethnic groups that have lived together for a long time, each with its own treasure trove of cultural heritage, creating a unique and rich cultural value for the province.

On July 26, 2021, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee issued Conclusion No. 335-KL/TU “On approving the Project on building and developing culture and people of Son La to meet the requirements of sustainable development in the period 2021-2025, with orientation to 2030”, focusing on building and developing Son La's culture to gradually become an important resource for the goal of sustainable development and international integration; promoting endogenous strengths and the foundation of traditional culture; paying attention to raising the intellectual level of the people, especially scientific knowledge and training social skills, improving the stature of the people of Son La.

Expressing delight at the achievements in the cultural sector, Mr. Pham Hong Thu, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: "The Party committees and authorities at all levels have paid attention to leading and directing the construction and development of culture and people in Son La, achieving many accomplishments and creating strong changes in social life; awareness of the position and role of culture has been raised, forming many cultural movements that attract a large number of people to participate, contributing to maintaining political stability, social order, preserving national cultural identity, and promoting economic development."

The Pang A festival of the La Ha ethnic group.

Cultural institutions have received significant investment, linked to the criteria for building new rural areas. The "All People Unite to Build a Culturally Rich Life" movement contributes to building good thoughts, morals, lifestyles, and traditions, as well as a healthy cultural environment. In 2024, 74.5% of households in the province achieved the title of "Culturally Rich Family".

Performing arts, cultural activities, sports, and fine arts are given attention and developed. The province has 2,284 amateur performing arts groups in villages, hamlets, and sub-districts; and 510 sports clubs. To date, the province has 17 intangible cultural heritage sites recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and included in the national list of intangible cultural heritage, including the Thai Xoe dance, which has been inscribed by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity; in addition, there are 64 classified historical sites whose value is promoted, attracting a large number of tourists to visit, study, and research.

Party committees and authorities at all levels have led and implemented the work of building a comprehensively developed Son La people, closely and harmoniously integrating traditional and modern values, possessing all the criteria of a Vietnamese person, while also embodying the distinctive characteristics of the Son La people: "Patriotic, united, compassionate, loyal, honest, resilient, friendly, diligent, and creative," aiming towards the standard of a civilized, modern, intelligent, courageous, confident, self-respecting, innovative, daring to think and act, with the will and aspiration to master science and technology and absorb the cultural essence of humanity.

A proud achievement in the cultural and human development of Son La is the city's recognition as a member of the "Global Learning Cities" network. To date, the city has launched and maintained 81 "Houses of Wisdom" and 47 "Libraries of Compassion"; 95.7% of registered citizens have achieved the "Learning Citizen" status, 95.9% of households have achieved the "Learning Family" status; 14 "Learning Clan" models have been established; 100% of communes, wards, and villages have achieved the "Learning Community" status, and 100% of agencies, units, businesses, and schools have achieved the "Learning Unit" status.

Mr. Do Van Tru, Chairman of the People's Committee of the City, said: After being inscribed by UNESCO into the "Global Learning Cities" network, the city has strengthened and improved its educational infrastructure; built and developed community learning spaces and learning models, creating the best conditions for people to access lifelong knowledge.

Make a good impression on tourists.

Leveraging cultural and natural tourism resources, community-based tourism in our province has seen positive development. Several localities have established codes of conduct within their communities, fostering habits, standards, and cultural values ​​in welcoming tourists. Comrade Tran Dan Khoi, Secretary of the Moc Chau District Party Committee, stated: The district is developing the cultural identity of each ethnic group to become a symbol and ambassador promoting the Moc Chau National Tourist Area to visitors. Maintaining the implementation of the Code of Conduct "Building the Cultural Beauty of Moc Chau People," the aim is for each Moc Chau resident to be a friendly tour guide and tourism promoter, creating a positive impression on visitors to Moc Chau – a leading regional natural destination in the world.

One of the typical community-based tourism destinations is Vat village in Muong Sang commune, Moc Chau district, home to the Thai ethnic minority who still preserve traditional stilt houses. It boasts unique festivals, such as: the New Year's festival to ask for water and pray for rain; the May-June festival to bathe the statues; the August-September festival to celebrate the village and the community; and the October-November festival to celebrate the new rice harvest. The people are friendly, hospitable, and dynamic. Currently, Vat village has 20 households offering homestay tourism, generating an additional income of approximately 15-20 million VND per month for these households.

Introducing the cuisine of Son La.

Previously, Ms. Luong Thi Hong Tuoi, like other women in Vat village, lacked confidence and limited social interaction. With the support of the local government and various programs and projects, Ms. Tuoi and other women in the village learned about tourism business skills and how to welcome domestic and international tourists.

Ms. Tuoi shared: "We livestream and post images promoting the beautiful scenery and unique culture of our hometown on social media, attracting many tourists to visit and experience it. For guests staying at our homestay, we organize activities to help them experience the customs, production methods, cooking of ethnic dishes, and cultural exchanges with traditional dances, music, and songs of the Thai people."

Culture, along with beautiful natural landscapes, are the strengths that attract tourists to Son La. In addition, Son La has become known in recent years for its dynamism and comprehensive development in various fields, notably: its agricultural phenomenon nationwide; Moc Chau National Tourist Area being honored three times consecutively as a leading regional natural destination in Asia, and twice consecutively as a leading regional natural destination in the world… And a significant figure is that in the past four years, Son La has welcomed over 12 million tourists. This achievement is largely due to the strong cultural foundation, a culmination of the hands and minds of the people of Son La.

With the arrival of the new spring, continuing the cultural heritage and unleashing inherent strengths, the Party Committee, government, and people of all ethnic groups in Son La are determined to work together to build a green, rapid, and sustainable Son La province.

According to Son La Newspaper