The forest worship ceremony of the Pa Dí people in Lào Cai has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage.

On the evening of November 7, Mường Khương Commune, Lào Cai Province, held the opening ceremony of the first “Mường Khương – Colors of the Borderland” Festival 2026, featuring a range of distinctive cultural and artistic activities.

Lào Cai provincial leaders presented the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s decision to inscribe the “Pa Dí people’s forest-worshipping ritual” on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Photo: Mỹ Anh - Cao Cường. The festival was held to mark the 76th anniversary of the Liberation of Mường Khương (November 11, 1950–November 11, 2026). After 76 years of development, Mường Khương has undergone a remarkable transformation from a once underdeveloped region: infrastructure has received investment and been upgraded; residents’ material and spiritual lives have steadily improved; and distinctive agricultural products such as tea, bananas and mandarins have gradually established their standing and expanded into new markets. Speaking at the festival’s opening ceremony, Nguyễn Đình Thức, Vice Chairman of the Mường Khương Commune People’s Committee, affirmed that the “Borderland Colors” festival was an opportunity for people of all ethnic groups in the area to meet and ...