On the evening of July 15, at the Hon Chong – Hon Do Scenic Site (North Nha Trang Ward), the Khanh Hoa Provincial Center for Cultural Heritage Conservation officially launched a series of activities in response to the Khanh Hoa Sea Festival 2026 under the theme “Colors of Vietnamese Ethnic Cultures – Stones Singing the Songs of the Blue Sea.”
The program creates a space for exhibitions and performances showcasing the distinctive cultural heritage values of Khanh Hoa Province and the community of 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam. The activities aim to enrich the events of the Khanh Hoa Sea Festival 2026 while introducing to the public the unique features of the cultural heritage of Khanh Hoa in particular and Vietnam in general, thereby spreading the love for heritage and raising awareness of preserving and promoting national cultural values.
Delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate the series of activities organized by the Khanh Hoa Provincial Center for Cultural Heritage Conservation in celebration of the Khanh Hoa Sea Festival 2026.
A highlight of the program is the “Stones Singing the Songs of the Blue Sea” space, where visitors can enjoy the unique sounds of the 54-stone lithophone set, painstakingly collected, researched, and developed by Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang. At the ceremony, this lithophone collection was officially recognized by the Vietnam Records Organization (VietKings) as a new national record.
Leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and representatives of VietKings congratulate Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Thai Thi Le Hang, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Khanh Hoa Province, expressed her appreciation for Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang’s dedication throughout many years of collecting, researching, and developing the 54-stone lithophone set. She emphasized that the collection possesses exceptional cultural and artistic value and contributes significantly to honoring the identities of Vietnam’s ethnic communities.
Mrs. Thai Thi Le Hang also thanked Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang for his special affection for Khanh Hoa by bringing the lithophone collection to be exhibited at Hon Chong – Hon Do, allowing residents and visitors to directly experience the unique sounds of the lithophones and contributing to the promotion of the province’s cultural heritage.
Mrs. Thai Thi Le Hang delivers the opening speech.
Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang, collector of the 54-stone lithophone set, shared:
“The special feature of this lithophone collection lies in its large number of stone bars, enabling many performers to play together across a full range of musical tones. The image of the 54 stone bars symbolizes the gathering of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups at the Khanh Hoa Sea Festival 2026. It is also a meaningful opportunity for me to express gratitude to my homeland of Khanh Son and Khanh Hoa, while introducing the value of lithophone heritage to friends both nationwide and internationally.”
Artists perform on the 54-stone lithophone set.
In addition to the lithophone exhibition space, the photo exhibition “Colors of Vietnamese Ethnic Cultures” presents representative images depicting the lifestyles, customs, and traditions of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic communities.
As part of this year’s Sea Festival activities, visitors can also experience traditional Cham artistic performances, demonstrations of Bau Truc pottery making and My Nghiep brocade weaving, as well as explore digital heritage experiences featuring special national monuments such as Po Nagar Cham Towers, Po Klong Garai Towers, and the Hon Chong Scenic Site.
Delegates visit the exhibition displayed at Hon Chong.
The series of activities themed “Colors of Vietnamese Ethnic Cultures – Stones Singing the Songs of the Blue Sea” promises to become one of the festival’s cultural highlights, contributing to the promotion of the land and people of Khanh Hoa while spreading the values of Vietnamese cultural heritage to domestic and international visitors alike.
