ICTU organized activities for welcoming Lao New year – Bunpimay 2018

On the occasion of welcoming the New Year of Lao – Bunpimay 2561 – 2018, on the afternoon of April 11, 2018, University of Information and Communication Technology (ICTU) held a meeting to welcome traditional Lao New Year – Bunpimay for the Lao students studying at ICTU.

Attending the meeting, there were Mr. Nguyen Doan Kinh – President of Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association of Thai Nguyen province, and leaders of Vietnam -Laos Friendship Association of Dai Tu district – Thai Nguyen province. As for ICTU, there were Dr. Vu Duc Thai – Vice Secretary of Party Committee, Vice Rector and leader representatives of faculties, departments, functional units, centers, teachers directly involved in teaching Lao students, representatives of Vietnamese students as well as Lao students from other affiliated members of Thai Nguyen and all Lao students who are studying at ICTU.

Leader of Vietnam -Laos Friendship Association of Dai Tu district – Thai Nguyen province giving presents and congratulatory flowers to Lao students

Bunpimay is the traditional New Year festival of Laos, also known as Songkran festival, to wish for the New Year of hamonious rain and wind, for life to flourish, sprout buds. Bunpimay Festival usually takes place in three days from April 14 to 16 each year according to the Buddhist calendar. In these days, the Lao people perform a lot of rituals, such as water splashing, tying wrist, building sand tower, releasing, picking fresh flowers to wish for the blessing in the new year.

To encourage the Lao students studying in the unitversity who can not return to reunite with family in this special occation, in addition to the best New Year’s congratulations, ICTU organized the program with rituals, such as important ceremonial rituals of wrist tying, spirit worship. This helps students release homesickness, peace of mind to live and study. Although being far away from the homeland but the students are still welcomed to a warm and happy festival.

Bunpimay wrist tying, spirit worship rituals

Wrist tying rituals for good heath and luck

On this occasion, the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association of Thai Nguyen province and the one of Dai Tu district gave to the Lao students “lucky money” to wish them a healthy and successful year and good academic achievements.

Taking memorial photos