The Ninh Thuan Province People’s Committee held a ceremony on March 31 to receive certificates of merit recognising the Cham people’s Hoa Lai and Po Klong Garai Towers as special national architectural relic sites.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien presents certificates of merit to leaders of
Ninh Thuan province. (Credit: news.zing.vn)
On December 22, 2016, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc signed Decision No. 2499/QD-TTg, declaring the two towers special national relic sites.
The Hoa Lai tower cluster is located on Highway 1 in Bac Phong Commune, Thuan Bac District; while the Po Klong Garai tower complex is in Do Vinh Ward, Phan Rang–Thap Cham.
The Hoa Lai complex was built in the Ninth Century and consists of three towers, one of which collapsed during the war. Po Klong Garai also includes three towers, which were built from the late 13th to the early 14th Century.
The main rituals in the Cham people’s traditional Kate festival, which is held annually in early October, are held at Po Klong Garai Towers.
The recognition of Hoa Lai and Po Klong Garai Towers as special national relic sites will urge relevant agencies to pay closer attention to preserving and promoting the Cham ethnic minority people’s cultural heritage, as well as to raising the solidarity among ethnic minority communities in the province.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien asked the Ninh Thuan Province Party Committee and the local government and people to join efforts to preserve and renovate the relics, as well as to activley restore intangible cultural values in association with the relic sites.
In addition, it is essential to connect the towers wtih other scenic spots in Ninh Thuan Province and neighbouring localities to attract more visitors, added the Minister.