Attending the event were Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Secretary of the Party Central Committee (PCC) and head of the PCC’s Commission for Propaganda and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia, and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung as well as leaders of Can Tho city namely Mr. Le Quang Manh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the City Party Committee, Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Can Tho city; Mr. Pham Van Hieu, Standing Deputy Secretary of Municipal Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Can Tho city; Mr. Tran Viet Truong, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho city.

Artists and musicians from Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho city, Long An Province, Hau Giang Province performed together.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said that Don Ca Tai Tu Nam Bo (Southern Amateur Music) presents the quintessence of the Vietnamese 1,000-year-old culture and the identities of the local people in the Southern region who are industrial, simple, honest, open-minded, knightly and courageous. Party committees, authorities, and people of 21 southern provinces have joined forces to preserve and promote the art of Don Ca Tai Tu. Mr. Nguyen Van Hung said that this is the most vivid evidence demonstrating the commitment of the Vietnamese Government to preserving and honoring intangible cultural heritages. This is also an opportunity to introduce the land and people of the Southern region to international friends and tourists; expanding opportunities for promotion, trade, and tourism investment, contributing to the socio-economic development of the southern region. In the coming time, the authorities in the Southern region should continue to well implement the national action program on the conservation and promotion of Don Ca Tai Tu to meet the people's demand for cultural and spiritual enjoyment.

At the opening ceremony, Mr. Tran Viet Truong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho city, said that the event contributed to preserving and promoting the art of Don Ca Tai Tu, Vietnamese cuisine in general, and Southern folk cakes in particular. According to Chairman Truong, Don Ca Tai Tu Nam Bo recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity has a great significance in contributing to the development of the world's cultural and artistic treasures. The Southern folk cakes highlight the traditional cuisine art of the local people in the region, presenting cultural exchanges among Vietnamese ethnic groups and their creativity in mixing rice with natural products into folk delicious cakes with rich flavors.

These two events aim to enhance Vietnam’s position and introduce and promote images of landscapes and Vietnamese people in the international arena as well as develop tourism and cultural potentials of the Mekong Delta region, he added

UNESCO recognized Don Ca Tai Tu Nam Bo as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2013 for its legacy passed through generations to recreate cultural exchanges of people

The UNESCO recognition is an honor for Vietnamese people in general and Mekong Delta localities particularly. The preservation and promotion of Don Ca Tai Tu Nam Bo is one of the key missions in the National strategy for the development of Vietnamese cultural industries aiming at committing to UNESCO in preserving the cultural World Heritage.

The event attracted a large number of visitors

Around 21 art troupes from provinces and cities in the Southern region participated in the National Southern Amateur Music Festival. As for the 9th Southern Folk Cake Festival, there were more than 200 stalls introducing to visitors OCOP products, Vietnamese modern cuisine, traditional folk cakes, and regional specialties. Particularly, the Southern Folk Cake Contest took place from April 7th to April 11th with the participation of 31 competitors, 173 artisans, and 97 folk cakes.

Visitors from near and far came to the festival to enjoy Southern folk cakes

Can Tho city celebrated the closing ceremony of the 3rd National Don Ca Tai Tu and the 9th Southern Folk Cake Festival at Binh Thuy Square, Binh Thuy District on the evening of April 11th.

The opening performance of the closing night.

This year, the two events attracted a large number of visitors as they were held on the same occasion as the inauguration of the Temple of Hung Kings in Can Tho city during the Hung Kings' Temple Festival.

Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice-Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho city, spoke at the closing ceremony

Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice-Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho city said that the 3rd National Don ca Tai Tu Festival and the 9th Southern Folk Cake Festival in Can Tho city honored the southern traditional music style and delicious cuisine. These 2 events aimed to arouse national pride, and promote the preservation and education of Southern cultural and artistic values for future generations.

The performance to honor musician Nguyen Quang Dai of the Art troupe from Long An province.

At the closing ceremony, representatives of Can Tho city and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded prizes to the winners of the two events and presented the flag to host the 4th National Don Ca Tai Tu Festival in 2025 to the representative of Tay Ninh province.

Ms. Ninh Thi Thu Huong, the Director of the Department of Grassroots Culture, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, awarded the Certificate of Merit from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Can Tho City for hosting 3th National Don Ca Tai Tu Festival excellently.

175 artisans from 31 participating units, with 97 types of cakes from all over the country, converged in the Southern Folk Cake Contest 2022. 24 gold medals and 40 silver medals were awarded to winners of the contest. Specifically, the contestants from Can Tho city won 8 gold medals and 14 silver medals.

Mr. Pham Van Hieu, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee of Can Tho, Chairman of the People's Council of Can Tho city, and Mr. Nguyen Trung Nhan, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Can Tho city, presented gold medals to artisans participating in the Southern Folk Cake Contest 2022.

Regarding the 3^rd National Don Ca Tai Tu Festival, the Organizing Committee awarded 32 gold medals to collectives and individuals with excellent performances in the competition. 7 units won gold medals (including Can Tho city) and 14 units won silver medals.

Mr. Tran Viet Truong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho city, and Ms. Ninh Thi Thu Huong, the Director of the Department of Grassroots Culture, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, presented gold medals to the participating units of the 3^rd National Don Ca Tai Tu Festival.

The art program on the closing night with the theme “Southern Festival Night - Convergence and Spread”, presented excellent performances which were elaborately as well as artistically choreographed and directed by composer Nham Hung.