Deputy PM Nhan made the statement at the opening ceremony of the annual festival to commemorate nation’s founders and the Hung Temple Festival, which began in the evening of April 14 in the midland province of Phu Tho.

The festival is seen as a connection between the past, the present and the future of the nation, he said.

The ceremony opened with a flag dance, a national martial art performance, and the procession of 18 votive tablets of 18 Hung Kings.

Ten trays of offerings brought across the country were also presented to the Kings.

As part of the festival, over 1,000 professional and amateur artists joined an art performance entitled “King Hung’s Holy Ancestral Land”, which was jointly held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the People’s Committee of Phu Tho Province.

According to legend, the Vietnamese nation, named Van Lang, was founded by Emperor Hung Vuong about 40 centuries ago. This dynasty lasted for 18 generations and led Vietnam towards development.

To honour the country’s founding fathers, the holy Hung Vuong site was built in 250BC in Phu Tho and has since become one of the most popular sites in the country. The annual Hung Kings anniversary is held on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month.

The dynasty made many outstanding achievements including the founding of old Vietnam as an independent nation and the establishment of several institutions, administrative, social and economic, which made up the original Vietnamese nation.