The project to preserve and promote the traditional costumes of Vietnamese ethnic minorities has a total funding of 222.9 billion VND (9.58 million USD), with 51.2 billion VND (2.2 million USD) sourced from the state budget and the rest from the local coffer.

It is expected to contribute to the sustainable cultural development of Vietnamese ethnic minorities, and raise public awareness of the importance of preserving and protecting the traditional clothes and customs of ethnic minority groups.

The project, to last from 2019 to 2030, will also compile a list of the costumes and outfits, honouring outstanding artisans in this field.

According to the Museum of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups’ Culture, 40 of the 54 ethnic groups across the country no longer wear their traditional costumes on a daily basis.

Instead, there is a growing tendency to adorn ready-to-wear mass-produced clothes, it said.