(VOVworld) – A festival featuring the development of new rural areas in southern provinces opened in An Giang province on Saturday.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Huynh Vinh Ai said that the purpose of the festival was to encourage people’s spiritual lives and disseminate party and state policies on building a healthy lifestyle in new rural areas. He said: “This cultural and sporting event is a place for farmers to exchange and introduce their home villages’ culture. This is also an occasion for localities to introduce their achievements after 5 years of implementing the program to build new rural areas.”

14 amateur art troupes are taking part in the festival which will close on Monday.