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; and Central Committee member and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Central mass organizations Pham Tat Thang.
Also attending were Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong; Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Truong Viet Dung; Ambassadors, representatives of embassies and international organizations in Vietnam. The program attracted a large number of domestic and international art troupes, artists, artisans, people of Hanoi and international friends.
With the theme "Convergence of Heritage – Shaping the Future," this year's festival brings together 50 countries, with 45 cultural spaces, 19 international art troupes, 35 food stalls, and a program showcasing films from nearly 20 film industries. Over the four days, Thang Long Imperial Citadel becomes a vibrant meeting place where heritage, performing arts, film, fashion, cuisine, tourism, and creative forms coexist, interact, and connect.
A notable highlight of this year's festival was its widespread reach to the public, not only within the Thang Long Imperial Citadel but also across public spaces and media platforms. Parades on the pedestrian streets brought the cultural colors of various countries closer to the people and tourists; the Opening and Closing Ceremonies were broadcast live on VTV, expanding their reach to audiences nationwide. Furthermore, Meta's participation and support contributed to the stronger dissemination of the festival's activities, images, and stories across digital platforms, thereby expanding the festival's scope from a live event in Hanoi to a cultural encounter accessible to a wide audience both domestically and internationally.
Beyond showcasing the unique cultural identities and values of various nations, the festival also fosters encounters between artists, artisans, creators, and the public; contributing to enhanced understanding, fostering friendship, and opening new connections through culture.
The 2026 festival is even more significant as it coincides with Vietnam's 50th anniversary of joining UNESCO, marking half a century of Vietnam's journey from a country emerging from war to an active, responsible member, increasingly proactively contributing initiatives to common issues of UNESCO and the international community.
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 what belongs to the past, but about ensuring that heritage continues to live in contemporary life, continues to be created, generates new values, and is passed on to future generations.
The success of the Festival also 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 concrete way to promote the role of cultural industries, transforming creative capacity, identity, and cultural assets into endogenous strength, competitiveness, and national soft power.
Closing Night – A Meeting Through the Language of Art
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.
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 where differences in language and tradition meet in a spirit of openness, respect, and sharing.
Following this 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 presented in a new performance space, conveying to international friends an image of a Vietnam rich in identity, dynamic, creative, open, and connected to the world.
At the Closing Ceremony, the Organizing Committee also presented commemorative plaques of the Festival to international delegations, as a token of gratitude and recognition to the artists, artisans, and friends who brought their talent, cultural identity, and spirit of sharing to Hanoi.
Towards an annual international cultural hub in Hanoi.
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 World Cultural Festival in Hanoi into a prestigious international cultural exchange and cooperation platform, held annually, with its own unique identity, and producing concrete collaborative results each year.
Through this, Hanoi aims not only to be the venue for the festival but also to become a regular meeting point for cultures, where initiatives related to heritage, creativity, cultural industries, and sustainable development are connected and disseminated.
Concluding four days of gathering, from Hanoi – City for Peace, the World Cultural Festival sends a message to international friends:
"Respecting differences leads to better understanding; sharing values fosters stronger bonds; and cultural cooperation helps build a civilized, peaceful, cooperative, and prosperous world."
The festival has ended, but the journey of connection continues. The sounds, colors, stories, and friendships forged in Hanoi will continue to spread, carrying the image of a Vietnam rich in identity, friendly, creative, and open to friends around the world.
Nguyen Oanh – Photo: Tran Huan, Culture Newspaper
Source: https://icd.gov.vn/khep-lai-le-hoi-van-hoa-the-gioi-tai-ha-noi-2026-hoi-tu-di-san-kien-tao-tuong-lai/
