Attending the closing ceremony were Central Committee member and Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh; Central Committee member and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh; Central Committee member and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Central mass organizations Pham Tat Thang; Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Truong Viet Dung, along with representatives from embassies and international organizations.
Delegates attending the closing ceremony. Photo: Van Tuyen
Cultural exchange and dissemination of heritage values.
The 2nd World Culture Festival in Hanoi - 2026, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Hanoi People's Committee, created a vibrant and diverse cultural exchange space at Thang Long Imperial Citadel . This year, the festival is even more significant as it coincides with Vietnam's 50th anniversary of joining UNESCO.
The performance stage at the closing ceremony of the 2nd Hanoi World Cultural Festival. Photo: Van Tuyen
The festival features 45 cultural spaces, 19 international art troupes, 35 food stalls, and a program showcasing films from nearly 20 film industries. Heritage, performing arts, cinema, fashion , cuisine, tourism, and creative forms all converge and intertwine, creating meaningful encounters between cultures.
One of the outstanding features of the Festival is its widespread public reach. The parades on the pedestrian streets bring the cultural colors of various countries closer to the people and tourists. According to the Organizing Committee, Meta's participation and support have contributed to the strong dissemination of the Festival's image, activities, and stories across digital platforms, expanding the scope of interaction from the in-person event in Hanoi to a wider audience both domestically and internationally.
Beyond showcasing the unique cultural identities and values of various nations, the festival also provides an opportunity for artists, artisans, creators, and the public to meet; contributing to enhanced understanding, fostering friendship, and opening new connections through culture.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh speaks at the closing ceremony. Photo: Van Tuyen
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh affirmed that, for Vietnam, culture is both the spiritual foundation of society and a goal, driving force, and resource for national development. “Preserving heritage is not just about safeguarding values from the past, but also about ensuring that heritage continues to live in contemporary life, continues to be created, generating new values and passing them on to future generations,” Minister Lam Thi Phuong Thanh stated.
The festival's success demonstrates that when heritage, art, film, fashion, cuisine, tourism, and creativity are placed in the same space, cultural values are not only introduced and preserved but also have the potential to create new experiences, products, and values. This is also a way to leverage the role of cultural industries, transforming creative capacity, identity, and cultural assets into endogenous strength, competitiveness, and national soft power.
The Organizing Committee presented commemorative plaques of the Festival to the international delegations. Photo: Van Tuyen.
Towards the annual international meeting point.
The highlight of the Closing Ceremony was the artistic program consisting of two parts, "Colors Meet" and "Greetings from Vietnam," featuring international art troupes and many Vietnamese artists.
A performance by international artists. Photo: Van Tuyen
In the segment "Colors Meet," sounds and dances from Iran, the Russian Federation, Mexico, Myanmar, and Belgium, along with the youthful energy of Vietnamese artists, create a vibrant stage. Differences in language and tradition are connected in a spirit of openness, respect, and sharing.
Following the program is "Greetings from Vietnam," taking the audience on an artistic journey from its roots, through heritage regions to contemporary Vietnam. Traditional music and art from various regions are showcased in a new performance space, presenting to international friends an image of a Vietnam rich in identity, dynamic, creative, open, and connected to the world.
The performance showcased a diverse range of cultures from various countries. Photo: Van Tuyen
Building on the success of the two previous editions, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the city of Hanoi, UNESCO, diplomatic missions, and international partners to gradually develop the Hanoi World Cultural Festival into a prestigious platform for international cultural exchange and cooperation, held annually, with its own unique identity, and producing concrete collaborative results each year. Through this, Hanoi aims to become a regular meeting point for cultures, where initiatives related to heritage, creativity, cultural industries, and sustainable development are connected and disseminated.
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Vietnam is ready to work with other countries and international organizations to further expand dialogue, share experiences, protect cultural diversity, promote creativity, and enhance the role of culture in peace, development, and human progress.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh
Concluding four days of gathering in Hanoi - the City for Peace, the festival sent a profound message to international friends: "Respect differences to understand each other better; share values to connect with each other more closely; cooperate culturally to jointly build a civilized, peaceful, cooperative, and developed world."
Even though the festival has ended, the journey of cultural connection continues. The sounds, colors, stories, and friendships nurtured in Hanoi will continue to spread, contributing to bringing the image of a Vietnam rich in identity, friendly, creative, and open to friends around the world. Building on these values, future World Culture Festivals in Hanoi are expected to further expand the bridge of exchange, strengthen connections, and promote international cultural cooperation.
At the closing ceremony, the Organizing Committee presented commemorative plaques to international delegations, recognizing the artists and artisans who brought their talent, cultural identity, and spirit of sharing to Hanoi.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/be-mac-le-hoi-van-hoa-the-gioi-tai-ha-noi-2026-mo-ra-diem-hen-van-hoa-quoc-te-1759516.html
