The festival, jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Hanoi People's Committee, will take place from October 1st to 4th at Thang Long Imperial Citadel - a World Cultural Heritage site, aiming to honor the power of culture in connecting people, promoting dialogue, friendship, and peace.
This year's festival features participation from 50 countries and international organizations, with 45 cultural spaces, 35 food stalls, 18 countries registering to screen films, and 19 international art troupes with 220 artists from 5 continents.
Attending the opening ceremony were Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra ; Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh; Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van; Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department Bui Hoai Son; Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, along with Ambassadors, representatives of diplomatic agencies, international organizations and domestic and international art troupes.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra emphasized that the festival is a space for meeting and connecting cultures, spreading the spirit of friendship, creativity, and dialogue for peace and development. This year's festival is particularly significant as it takes place in the year of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to UNESCO and is held at Thang Long Imperial Citadel - a World Cultural Heritage site.
Opening ceremony of the second World Culture Festival in Hanoi.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister , heritage is the memory of each nation, a crystallization of intellect, labor, and creativity over many generations, but it does not belong only to the past; it is also present in present life and is a resource for building the future.
From folk songs, dances, music, folk performing arts, costumes, cuisine, traditional crafts to historical sites, festivals and folk knowledge, cultural values all contain stories about people, homelands and the process of transmission through generations.
The Deputy Prime Minister stated that in the context of digital technology and artificial intelligence changing the way culture is created, received, and disseminated, it is necessary to link preservation with promotion, tradition with innovation, and heritage with contemporary life. At the same time, it is crucial to accelerate the application of science, technology, and AI in the digitization, preservation, restoration, and promotion of heritage.
The Deputy Prime Minister expressed his hope that the festival would become a bridge to foster friendship, understanding, and trust among nations; and gradually become a regular meeting point for world culture, where heritage values are gathered, disseminated, and together build the future.
Outstanding artistic performances were presented at the opening ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, highly appreciated Hanoi's ability to bring together many cultures in one space for exchange. According to him, culture is not only preserved but also continued through contact, sharing, and interaction between people.
Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo believes that cultural diversity is a source of inspiration for creativity, dialogue, and enhanced mutual understanding. The gathering of more than 50 countries in Hanoi also contributes to promoting exchange and connection between nations.
Assessing Thang Long Imperial Citadel as a suitable space for organizing festivals, the Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Center emphasized that the site reflects layers of history and culture spanning more than a millennium. 2026 also marks the 50th anniversary of Vietnam's membership in UNESCO, adding another milestone to the journey of cooperation in the field of culture and heritage.
As part of the opening ceremony, an art program titled "Convergence of Heritage - Shaping the Future" was held, showcasing Vietnamese cultural values in combination with performances by international art troupes.
The second World Culture Festival in Hanoi took place from October 1st to 4th, featuring a series of activities related to culture, cuisine, film, fashion, performing arts, and interactions between artists, international delegates, and the public.
Source: https://congluan.vn/hon-50-quoc-gia-hoi-tu-tai-le-hoi-van-hoa-the-gioi-lan-thu-hai-post362576.html
