Free festival to be sustained

After 3 years of temporary hiatus due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Lunar January Full Moon Festival in Thu Dau Mot city was held again. Many organizations and individuals of "start-up" volunteer work have been all ready for a free festival that had become the trademark of Binh Duong.

Pham My Dung and a group of friends offer snacks and drinks to tourists in Binh Duong

A beautiful image

For many years now, the volunteer activities in lunar January have become a typical cultural feature of the people of Thu Dau Mot as the good news far reaches and the people of Binh Duong are proud. Volunteer activities during the first full moon festival season in January were spontaneously organized with households living along the main road leading to Mazu Goddess Temple in Phu Cuong ward. They distributed food and water to pilgrims in the spirit of sharing. Gradually, the government and mass organizations got involved, and in recent years, the free festival brand has become more and more popular, pleasing the locals and visitors on coming in the early spring.

Nguyen Thu Cuc - Chairwoman of Thu Dau Mot City People's Committee and Head of the Steering Committee for the Lunar January Full Moon Festival, said that the common spirit of this year is to organize a festival that shows the gratitude and hospitality of the people in Binh Duong in general and Thu Dau Mot in particular. Activities aimed at building and promoting a civilized, modern and loving city. Upholding such spirit, mass organizations of Women's Union and Youth Union, etc. join in volunteer work, helping visitors feel joyful and comfortable on coming to the Lunar January Full Moon Festival.

In recent days, free wifi has also covered at Ba Temple campus. At the first two points of Nguyen Du Street, the city's youth union give away free incense and money distribution trees to visitors. At the same time, along Cach Mang Thang 8 Street, Yersin Street, and Thich Quang Duc Street leading into the festival center, the Youth Union and some people offer free car drives and set up stops for tourists to rest and guide the way to the festival along with first-aid watching points for visitors in case of accidents.

As noted on the routes to the temple in the city, many points of free drinking water, cold handkerchiefs and bread have appeared for visitors. Nguyen Tuan Anh, a tourist from Bien Hoa city of Dong Nai province, said that every year he visits Binh Duong in the early spring days. He is into the friendliness of locals and worried free about being cheated by the prices.

Dang Thi Thu Ha – Deputy Chairwoman of Thu Dau Mot city Women's Union, said that on the occasion of the Lunar New Year Festival every year, the members and women of the branches are very active in volunteer work. This year is the same with many very specific and practical tasks. Meanwhile, Vuong Thanh Vu – Deputy Chairman of Phu Cuong ward People's Committee, said that every year, organizations and individuals doing volunteer work are listed in order to recognize, praise and reward in order to encourage, motivate and spread the word of good deeds during the holiday season.

The golden hearts multiplied

It can be said that the annual Lunar New Year is the season of doing charity for the people of Thu Dau Mot. It is not difficult to find those who get themselves to do charity with family or groups. Specifically, small traders in Phu Hoa ward together prepare hundreds of gifts for the poor and immigrant workers. They also prepare red packets for the blind at the provincial Blind Association so that everyone could have a little Tet gift. A group of sisters in Tan An ward in Thu Dau Mot city, from the full moon of December to the full moon of January, prepare hundreds of servings of rice and vegetarian vermicelli for visitors to the pagodas in Binh Duong. Groups of Buddhists of Hoi Khanh, Tay Tang, Hoi An pagodas and others are also busy cooking free vegetarian rice for pilgrims to Binh Duong on the peak days of the festival. Everyone goes to work with the common spirit of creating a good impression on visitors when coming to Binh Duong. That is how they give good things to look forward to a peaceful and happy year for everyone and every home.

Pham My Dung of Chanh Nghia ward in Thu Dau Mot city has 12 years of participating in volunteer activities during the Lunar January Full Moon Festival. Dung said: “This year, for each site we prepare more than 2,000 cold handkerchiefs, 300 bottles of mineral water, and 300 breads for people going to the temple. It is expected that this year more tourists will come to Binh Duong, so we continue to mobilize relatives and friends to participate in this charity drive to achieve the highest efficiency.”

From meaningful deeds like Dung's and those who silently do good deeds, the joy of tourists coming to Binh Duong for spring trips is multiplied by a season of volunteering festivals organized by the government and people of the land in the spirit of civilization, love and warmth as a highlight that no visitor will ever forget on coming to Binh Duong during the full moon of lunar January. This is also a manifestation of the generosity and kindness of the people of the Southeast region, which is considered a place of heaven, location, and harmony that many people have praised.

The thoughtful preparation for the festival and the hospitality of the people of Binh Duong will surely make visitors coming to the Lunar January Full Moon Festival surprised, interesting and satisfied about a civilized festival of affection. It is also the result of the leadership and close coordination of the authorities, the close and timely direction of the Steering Committee for the Lunar January Full Moon Festival in Thu Dau Mot city, the coordination of the Board of Directors of religious institutions and the consent of the people. Everyone has joined hands and contributed to making the festival season civilized, safe and warm. Volunteering during the festive season will certainly continue to leave a good impression on visitors.

Reported by Quynh Nhu – Translated by Vi Bao