Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra and delegates perform the opening ceremony of the 2nd World Cultural Festival in Hanoi - Photo: chinhphu.vn/Thu Giang
On the evening of October 1st, at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel historical site, Central Party Committee Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra attended the opening ceremony of the second World Cultural Festival in Hanoi 2026.
Also attending were Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang, leaders of several central ministries and agencies, along with a large number of delegates, artists, artisans and art troupes from Vietnam and abroad.
The festival, jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , and the Hanoi People's Committee, took place from October 1-4 at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel historical site with the theme "Gathering Heritage - Shaping the Future".
This year's festival holds special significance as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of Vietnam's membership in UNESCO. With 45 cultural spaces, 35 food stalls, films screened by 18 countries, and 19 international art troupes featuring 220 artists from 5 continents, the event creates a diverse cultural exchange space over four days.
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra attends the opening ceremony of the second World Cultural Festival in Hanoi - Photo: chinhphu.vn/Thu Giang
The convergence of heritage is also the convergence of people.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra emphasized the special significance of the Festival as it was held 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 the historical depth, cultural vitality, and aspirations for peace and prosperity of the Vietnamese nation.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, Thang Long Imperial Citadel is a space rich in significance where cultures meet, interact, and together preserve, transmit, create, and spread the message "Convergence of Heritage - Building the Future".
"Heritage is the memory of each nation, the crystallization of intellect, labor, and creativity over thousands of years of history. But heritage does not belong only to the past. Heritage values are present in the present and are an important resource for building the future," the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, each country and each nation has its own unique heritage; but when they come together, they blend and create diversity in cultural expressions, enriching the treasury of human civilization.
From folk songs, dances, music, and folk performing arts; from traditional costumes, cuisine, and handicrafts; to historical sites, scenic spots, festivals, and folk knowledge… all tell stories about people, culture, the country, the homeland, aspirations for life, and the values that generations want to pass on to the future.
"The convergence of heritage is also the convergence of people; the convergence of culture is the convergence of shared values of humanity," the Deputy Prime Minister said.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, Hanoi today is precisely such a space. A Hanoi with a thousand years of history and culture that is always in motion and innovating; a Hanoi that preserves and embodies the depth of history but constantly opens its doors to integration; a traditional Hanoi that is also a cultured, dynamic, creative capital, full of aspirations towards the future and reaching the level of the times.
Opening ceremony of the 2nd World Culture Festival in Hanoi - Photo: chinhphu.vn/Thu Giang
Heritage must be connected to contemporary life.
The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the world today is constantly changing. Digital technology, artificial intelligence, and new methods of communication are profoundly changing how people create, receive, and disseminate cultural values, ensuring that heritage continues to live on, be passed down, be created, and become a resource for the sustainable development of the nation.
Vietnam recognizes culture as both the spiritual foundation of society and a crucial goal, driving force, and resource for national development. Alongside building and promoting an advanced Vietnamese culture rich in national identity, Vietnam proactively absorbs the finest aspects of human culture, strengthens international exchange and cooperation, so that cultural values are transformed into intrinsic strength, driving rapid and sustainable national development.
In this journey, preservation must be linked to promotion; tradition must be linked to creativity; heritage must be linked to contemporary life; culture must be linked to people and development; and at the same time, we must promote the application of science, technology, and artificial intelligence to digitize, preserve, restore, and promote heritage, bringing genuine cultural values closer to the community, especially the younger generation.
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra delivers the opening speech at the festival - Photo: chinhphu.vn/Thu Giang
The Deputy Prime Minister assessed that the World Cultural Festival in Hanoi is a bridge fostering friendship, understanding, and trust among nations to jointly build a peaceful, humane, and sustainably developed 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.
The Deputy Prime Minister hoped that the festival would not only leave beautiful impressions, but more importantly, spread sustainable values and convey three messages.
The first, We come together to understand each other, and connect to grow together.
Monday, We cherish and preserve our heritage for future generations; we innovate to enrich the value of our national and global heritage.
Tuesday, From the festival, we create an international cultural space – where the world comes to Vietnam and Vietnam gets closer to the world; to connect cultures, understand each other better, and above all, to build a peaceful, humane, prosperous, and sustainable world together.
Based on these messages, the Deputy Prime Minister hopes that the Festival will become a regular meeting point for world culture in Vietnam; a space for dialogue, creativity, and international cultural cooperation; where heritage values are gathered, disseminated, and together build the future.
On behalf of the Party and State leaders, the Deputy Prime Minister acknowledged the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the city of Hanoi, and other relevant agencies for their coordination in organizing the festival; in particular, he thanked journalist and artist Ngo Phuong Ly, wife of the General Secretary and President, who initiated the World Culture Day in Hanoi, driven by her passion to connect cultures and make Hanoi an annual meeting point for cultural exchange, sharing, and creativity.
Artistic performances at the festival - Photo: chinhphu.vn/Thu Giang
Artistic performances at the festival - Photo: chinhphu.vn/Thu Giang
Cultural diversity inspires dialogue.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, stated that the theme "Heritage Convergence - Shaping the Future" reflects a deep belief of UNESCO: Cultural diversity is a source of inspiration for creativity, dialogue, and mutual understanding.
He emphasized the significance of more than 50 countries gathering in Hanoi, bringing together the unique characteristics of their cultural identities and expressions, and sharing the joy of peace.
Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo also assessed Thang Long Imperial Citadel as a particularly suitable space for organizing the Festival, because it is a relic reflecting the continuous process of political and cultural life for more than a millennium.
This year's festival also marks the 50th anniversary of Vietnam's membership in UNESCO. According to him, over the past five decades, cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO has shown that culture and heritage can bridge gaps and build trust between nations.
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra and delegates visit the national cultural spaces of the countries participating in the festival - Photo: chinhphu.vn/Thu Giang
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra and delegates visit the national cultural spaces of the countries participating in the festival - Photo: chinhphu.vn/Thu Giang
As part of the festival, international delegates will visit and experience the Vietnam Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village, learning about the customs, traditions, traditional crafts, folk art, and cuisine of Vietnam's ethnic communities.
The "Colors of Five Continents" street parade, featuring 15 international art troupes along with Vietnamese artisans and artists, will bring diverse cultural colors to the pedestrian street area.
The "Conventions of Five Continents" series at Thang Long Imperial Citadel creates a space for direct interaction between artists and the public, connecting traditional music with contemporary forms of expression.
The festival concluded on the evening of October 4th with the program "Colors Converge - Hand in Hand Towards the Future," featuring performances by Vietnamese and international artists.
Thu Giang
Source: https://phamthithanhtra.chinhphu.vn/pho-thu-tuong-pham-thi-thanh-tra-3-thong-diep-tu-le-hoi-van-hoa-the-gioi-tai-ha-noi-102261001215229076.htm
