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Cham Muslims welcome New Year

VGP - The Islamic Cham people on July in the central province of Binh Thuan officially launched a festival to welcome their Ramuwan (New Year) festival.

July 07, 2013 2:09 PM GMT+7

Ethnic Cham Bani people welcomes Ramuwan festival - Illustration photo

It's the biggest festival for the Islamic community in Viet Nam, and the one-month celebration includes several traditional rituals such as praying ceremonies and traditional activities like cleaning and decorating ancestors' graves.

The festival opened with the ritual of paying tribute to ancestors at their graves and then each family holds ceremonies at home in commemoration of their ancestors.

In recent years, the festival has attracted domestic and foreign tourists and researchers to explore the special cultural characteristics of the Islamic Cham community in Binh Thuan.

Provincial leaders visit Islamic Cham dignitaries at temples and mosques in the province to extend their New Year greetings.

Cultural and sporting activities are also held within the framework of the festival.

Binh Thuan province is home to 15,000 ethnic Cham Bani people./.

By Kim Loan