Gia Lai launches plan to restore, promote Gong cultural heritage through 2030

Authorities in Vietnam’s Gia Lai Province have transferred two newly unearthed Champa bas-reliefs from the Duong Long Tower complex to the provincial museum for preservation, officials said on January 22.

On the evening of January 21, a full rehearsal for the special art program “Under the Glorious Flag of the Party” took place at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi.

As the Lunar New Year 2026 approaches, artists in Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Gia Lai are turning to the horse, the zodiac animal of the coming Year of the Horse, as a central motif for new sculptures and paintings that reflect personal hopes, family bonds and artistic renewal.

 Dr. Võ Minh Hải, Deputy Head of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Quy Nhon University and a long-time researcher of Han-Nom studies, has spent more than two decades working with ancient scripts and documents.

The song "Thưa Đảng," composed and performed by singer Anh Tú during the "Forever faithful to the Communist Party" art program, has received a flood of praise for its meaningful lyrics, which inspire pride and patriotism.

Gia Lai Province will stage low-altitude fireworks displays at two central squares during the 2026 Lunar New Year (The Year of Horse), following approval by provincial authorities, according to an official document.

Quang Trung-Nguyễn Huệ remains a national hero of Vietnam, a status affirmed by historical records and enduring public reverence rather than modern propaganda, historians and official chronicles show.

In Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, residents in Phú Thiện and Chư A Thai have begun erecting traditional cây nêu (New Year bamboo poles) more than a month before the Lunar New Year, transforming local streets with colourful decorations and a renewed sense of optimism.

The traditional Jrai engagement ceremony has been faithfully reenacted in Ơp village, Pleiku Ward, Gia Lai Province, as part of efforts to preserve indigenous culture while developing community-based tourism that can generate livelihoods and improve local living standards.

On the evening of December 29, the Binh Dinh Bai Choi Opera Troupe staged a dress rehearsal of the Bai Choi opera “Ngọc sáng khúc gia trang”, drawing a large audience to a carefully crafted historical production that revisits Vietnam’s early struggle for autonomy through traditional theater.

Authorities in Vietnam’s Gia Lai Province on Monday launched the Krài Village Gong Club, a new community initiative aimed at preserving traditional Jrai cultural practices, including gong playing and xoang dancing.

Thousands of residents and visitors gathered on Dec. 31 as Gia Lai staged its Countdown to New Year 2026 celebrations simultaneously at Nguyễn Tất Thành Square in Quy Nhơn Ward and Đại Đoàn Kết Square in Pleiku Ward, marking the arrival of the new year with music, culture and fireworks.

On the evening of December 31, at the Pleiku Ward Children's House (Gia Lai province), the free music event "Pleimer Town – End Year Countdown 2025" took place, drawing more than 2,000 attendees who immersed themselves in a vibrant night of music to welcome the New Year 2026.

The Gia Lai Literature Sub-Association on December 27 convened its first congress for the 2025-2030 term, electing a new leadership and outlining priorities to support writers and literary activities in the province.

Gia Lai will usher in 2026 with a large-scale countdown event held simultaneously in Quy Nhon and Pleiku on the night of December 31, organisers said. The programme aims to deliver an emotionally charged artistic experience marking the transition to the new year.

A memorial ceremony marking the 223rd anniversary of the death of Admiral Bùi Thị Xuân was held on December 25 at her temple in Phú Xuân quarter, Tây Sơn commune, Gia Lai province, the Quang Trung Museum said.

“Bông trang đỏ” (Red ixora), published by the Writers’ Association Publishing House in 2025, is a collection of 13 of Nguyễn Đặng Thùy Trang’s most cherished short stories, selected from her works written since 2019. 

In Vietnam’s Central Highlands, Chăm H’roi artisans in Canh Thành village are working to safeguard their ancestral gong music by teaching younger generations, ensuring a cultural tradition once at risk continues to resonate in daily life.

Authorities in Gia Lai province are moving to grant provincial-level heritage status to the An Phu Champa Relic, a nearly 1,000-year-old Buddhist temple complex dating back to the 9th-10th centuries.

Gia Lai province aims to transform its cultural and sports assets into key drivers of sustainable economic growth, Provincial Vice Chairwoman  Nguyễn Thị Thanh Lịch said at a working session with affiliated public service units under the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism on December 16.

"Suối nguồn Pleiku" is a commemorative volume compiled by the Liaison Committee of Former Students of Pleiku High Schools before 1975, featuring moving essays about old friends and former schools. 

Pleiku Library in Gia Lai Province has completed the handover of community bookcases and 3,540 books to 12 communes in the province’s western region, according to its director, Nguyễn Thị Thủy.

The People’s Committee of Gia Lai province has approved a plan to consolidate and reorganise public service units across multiple provincial departments, aiming to streamline the organisational structure and expand financial autonomy.

It’s time to uncork the prosecco and maybe order a plate of tagliatelle al ragù for the table. Italy has a very tasty reason to celebrate: Its national cuisine has become the first entire gastronomic style to be recognized by UNESCO, the UN’s cultural body.