Thousands of people attend the commemoration of the Hung Kings' death anniversary at the Hung Kings Temple in Phu Tho province, April 25, 2018. (Source: VTV)

The ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, senior Party and state officials, as well as thousands of pilgrims, gives tribute to the merits of the Hung Kings and praises the ancestors’ contributions to national construction and defense. The 2018 Hung Kings Festival between April 20 and 25 is expected to welcome 7 million visitors. Similar ceremonies were held in many localities throughout Vietnam including HCM city, the central provinces of Nghe An and Khanh Hoa, and the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

“We are here to pay tribute to our ancestors who laid the foundation for our country. We should strengthen solidarity to build a brighter future,” said Vice Chairman of the Khanh Hoa provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Dac Tai.

Nha Trang residents offer glutinous sticky rice cakes to the Hung Kings, April 15, 2018.

In Can Tho city, art performances were staged, reenacting the national construction and defense process by the Hung Kings more than 4,000 years ago.

“The commemoration provides an opportunity to educate the younger generation about our tradition of ‘remembering the source of the water we drink’. What we have achieved today is the follow-up of what our predecessors had done,” said Le Van Tam, Vice Mayor of Can Tho city.