The Institute of Art and Culture, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, has held a meeting with leaders from the five Central Highland provinces to organize the First International Central Highland Gong Culture Festival in Gia Lai province in March 2009.

Apart from 11 ensembles from the five Central Highlands provinces and a number of ethnic minorities from around the country such as the Muong, Thai, Cham and Khmer, the organizing board will invite international artists from Laos, Cambodia, China, Thailand and Japan to join the festival.