On the August 15 morning, the Organising Committee for the 2026 Dak Lak Durian Festival opened a check-in site at March 10 Square featuring Vietnam’s largest durian basket model.

Provincial leaders cutting the ribbon to open the check-in site featuring “Vietnam’s largest durian basket model”.

The distinctive structure has a 16-metre-wide base and stands 18 metres high. Its design combines the traditional carrying basket used by Central Highlands ethnic communities with durian, a key agricultural product that supports local livelihoods while creating novel opportunities for development.

Addressing the ceremony, Mr. Tran Hong Tien, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the basket has long been a simple yet deeply meaningful part of daily life among Central Highlands ethnic communities. It accompanies farmers to the fields, carries seeds at the start of each growing season as well as holds produce at harvest. It is also closely associated with the hardworking shoulders of mothers and fathers, along with the labour memories passed down through generations.

Over time, the basket has evolved beyond a household implement into a cultural symbol of resilience, craftsmanship, community bonds combined with aspirations for a better life. Against this backdrop, choosing the basket as the centrepiece for a visitor check-in site at the 2026 Durian Festival is a distinctive cultural expression. It represents a meeting point between tradition and modernity, culture alongside the economy, as well as today’s labour achievements and confidence in the future, etc.

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the check-in site officially opened for delegates alongside visitors to explore and take commemorative photos. Organisers expect each shared image along with positive experience at this distinctive venue to help bring Dak Lak durian and its people closer to audiences across Vietnam together with worldwide.

Translated by HAI LOAN