State President Nguyen Minh Triet presided over an incense ceremony to pay homage to Vietnam\'s ancestors at Thang Long Royal Citadel in Hanoi, on January 28.
Besides the president, other attendees included Hanoi’s Chairman Nguyen The Thao, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Thanh Son, as well as 100 outstanding Viet kieu (overseas Vietnamese).
A ritual performance was carried out by elders from Den Do village, Dinh Bang commune, in northern Bac Ninh Province. This area is famous for a type of folk music called quan ho.
One viet kieu, from Slovakia, said, “I am extremely honored to be a part of this ceremony before Tet. Whenever I return to the land of my forefathers I’m very surprised by it’s development.”
“This type of ritual helps me to understand more about where I came from,” said another viet kieu, Mai Van Dam. “Now I feel a huge amount of gratitude to my ancestors. It also helps me to understand more about my native culture. This is something i want to pass down to my children,” he added.
Some images of Thang Long Royal Palace:
President Triet presides
The ceremony begins
Important duties fulfilled
A speech
President Triet shows his devotion
Viet kieu remembers roots
A solemn Tet ritual