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The opening performance of the inauguration ceremony. (Photo: Jackie Chan) |
Attending the ceremony were: Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra ; Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hanoi City Vu Dai Thang; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Vietnam National UNESCO Committee Ngo Le Van;…
Representing the Diplomatic Corps were Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre; EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier; and ambassadors, heads of diplomatic missions, and representatives of international organizations in Vietnam.
In her opening remarks at the 2nd World Cultural Festival at Thang Long Imperial Citadel , Central Party Committee Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra emphasized that the event is an opportunity for cultures to meet, connect, and spread the spirit of friendship, creativity, and dialogue for peace and development.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the festival has special significance as it takes place in the year commemorating the 50th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to UNESCO and at Thang Long Imperial Citadel – a World Cultural Heritage site, one of the typical symbols of Vietnam's historical depth, cultural vitality, and aspirations for peace and prosperity.
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Party Central Committee Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra delivered the opening remarks. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
With the theme "Convergence of Heritage - Shaping the Future," the festival creates a space for cultures to interact, preserve, transmit, create, and spread cultural values.
The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the 2nd World Cultural Festival not only aims at cultural experiences but also contributes to spreading sustainable values, with three messages: convergence for mutual understanding, connection for mutual development; cherishing and preserving heritage for transmission, while simultaneously innovating to enrich the heritage values of each nation and of humanity; and creating an international cultural space where the world comes to Vietnam and Vietnam gets closer to the world.
Thus, the festival contributes to promoting cultural connections, enhancing understanding among nations, and working towards building a peaceful, humane, prosperous, and sustainable world.
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Delegates attending the ceremony. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
The Deputy Prime Minister expressed his hope that the Festival would become a regular meeting point for world culture, a space for dialogue, creativity, and international cultural cooperation, where heritage values are gathered, disseminated, and together they build the future.
With the participation of countries, international organizations, artists, artisans, researchers, and the community, the Deputy Prime Minister believes that the Festival will leave memorable impressions and experiences, while contributing to spreading the identity, vitality, and strength of Vietnamese culture; bringing Vietnamese culture closer to the world and bringing the world closer to Vietnam.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, emphasized that the theme "Heritage Convergence - Shaping the Future" reflects UNESCO's belief in the role of cultural diversity in promoting creativity, dialogue, and mutual understanding.
According to Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, in the context of a world facing numerous upheavals, conflicts, and the increasing impacts of climate change, the gathering of more than 50 countries at the Festival, bringing together unique values in cultural identity and expression, and sharing the joy of peace, is a meaningful act that contributes to promoting UNESCO's peace-building mission.
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Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, speaks at the ceremony. (Photo: Jackie Chan) |
2026 also marks the 50th anniversary of Vietnam's membership in UNESCO. The Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre stated that, over the past five decades, the cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO has shown that culture and heritage can connect communities, bridge gaps, and contribute to building trust among nations.
Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo also mentioned the adoption of the International Decade for Culture for Sustainable Development initiative launched by Vietnam, thereby affirming the growing awareness of the essential role of culture in social development, community resilience, and the process of finding common ground among nations.
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Party and State leaders and other leaders perform a special ceremony to inaugurate the festival. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
According to him, cultural festivals like the 2nd World Cultural Festival offer experiences that purely policy dialogues can hardly replace, through music , stories, crafts, and cultural expressions connected to everyday life.
These firsthand experiences can contribute to changing perspectives, opening up new dialogues, and reminding the international community of the role of communities in preserving heritage. Behind every tradition and every heritage are vibrant communities with values and lessons that are meaningful for the present and the future.
Here are some photos of the booths at the 2nd World Cultural Festival:
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This year's 2nd World Cultural Festival features the participation of 50 countries and international organizations, with a rich scale, content, and diverse experiential formats: 45 cultural spaces, 35 food stalls, 18 countries registering to screen films, and 19 international art troupes with 220 artists from 5 continents, creating multicultural musical exchange spaces throughout the period from October 1st to 4th, 2026. This serves as a bridge to foster friendship, understanding, and trust among nations to jointly build a peaceful, humane, and sustainably developing world for humanity; with the miraculous power of culture, connecting people to people, overcoming all distances and differences so that no border can separate empathy, sharing, and the aspiration for peace. |
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/khai-mac-le-hoi-van-hoa-the-gioi-lan-thu-2-hoi-tu-di-san-kien-tao-tuong-lai-450841.html
