From the 1st to 4th October 2017 the mid-autumn festival was held by the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) of Indo-Myanmar Conservation (IMC) and the Kim Son Communist Youth Union. The event was organised in the Nghia Son commune stadium, Kim Son commune, Son Tay district, Hanoi, Vietnam. Activities aimed to raise the awareness of children and young adults about the importance of the legendary turtle in Dong Mo Lake. The only known wild Swinhoe’s Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), for which only three animals are known globally.
Fun activities with traditional games have been adapted to have more of a turtle theme, included many folk games like blindfold catch ducks, but with turtle mask blindfolds, walk the monkey bridge and the slow bicycle race. A childrens quiz was held about the Dong Mo Turtle and a drawing area to draw about the “Dong Mo turtle and village life”.
On the evening of the 4th of October, traditional lanterns were used with some entertainment, shows and music with more 300 people involved. A prize was presented Phong Van Nguyen Thi – a student of Kim Son secondary school won first prize of the drawing competition “The Dong Mo turtle and village life”.
“Thank you for making this a meaningful mid-autumn festival for our children, it always makes the children very happy and I hope we can continue cooperating with the ATP for future festivals”, said Nguyen Van Giap, the Secretary of Nghia Son Youth Union.
Press release by: Hoang Tung Duong – ATP/IMC.
Date: 10th October 2017
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