NDO/VNA - Nine Vietnamese provinces and 10 Lao provinces along the shared borderline will participate in the third cultural, sports and tourism exchange festival, scheduled to be held in the northern province of Dien Bien in September.

The event aims to celebrate the 60th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties and 40 years since the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation between the two countries.

It is also expected to promote tourism potential and traditional cultures of ethnic minorities along the Vietnam-Laos border to domestic and international friends, contributing to preserving ethnic identities.

The festival is to strengthen the solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, and reaffirm Vietnam's consistent policy of maintaining, consolidating and enhancing its special relationship with the neighbour.

The event will include musical performances, shows featuring traditional costumes, cultural products and images of Vietnamese people as well as socio-economic achievements of some localities that have cooperative ties with Lao counterparts.

An exhibition featuring cultural space, traditional crafts, agricultural tools of ethnic groups living on the Vietnam-Laos border areas will also be organised.

The Vietnamese provinces joining the festival include Dien Bien, Quang Tri, Quang Binh, Son La, Thua Thien-Hue, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Nam and Kon Tum and the Lao provinces are Luang Prabang, Huaphanh, Attapeu, Sekong, Xiengkhuang, Borikhamxay, Khammouan, Savannakhet, Saravane and Phongsaly.