The Bunpimay (Lao New Year) celebration is an annual event held by Ha Long University for Lao students.

Bunpimay, observed annually from April 14 to 16, is the traditional New Year of the Lao people based on the Buddhist calendar. During the programme, Lao and Vietnamese students took part in cultural exchanges featuring music performances, Lamvong dances, and a number of traditional rituals, including water-splashing, hand-washing ceremonies to express gratitude, and wrist-tying rituals for peace and good fortune in the new year.

Lao students recreate the Lam Vong dance and the traditional water-splashing ritual.

A wrist-tying ceremony is performed to wish for luck and well-being in the New Year.

Vietnamese students perform in a cultural exchange program.

In addition, since early April, Lao students at Ha Long University have visited various scenic sites across Quang Ninh and participated in cultural and sports exchange activities with Vietnamese students in celebration of the festival.

The Bunpimay celebration is an annual activity of Ha Long University, reflecting its’s care and support for Lao students celebrating the New Year away from home. It also contributes to strengthening solidarity between Vietnamese and Lao students, enhance mutual understanding and foster the long-standing traditional friendship between the two nations.

By Xuan Hoa