On the evening of October 1st at Thang Long Imperial Citadel , the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Hanoi People's Committee jointly organized the opening ceremony of the second World Culture Festival in Hanoi.
Party Central Committee Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra attended the ceremony. Also present were Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre Lazare Eloundou Assomo, leaders of several central ministries and agencies, as well as delegates, artists, artisans, and art troupes from Vietnam and abroad.
The convergence of heritage is the convergence of people.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra emphasized that Thang Long Imperial Citadel is a space rich in significance for cultures to meet, interact, and together preserve, transmit, create, and spread the message of Heritage Convergence - Building the Future.
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra attended the opening ceremony on the evening of October 1st. Photo: Nhu Y.
"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 stated.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, each country and each nation has its own unique heritage. But when these come together, they blend and create diversity in cultural expressions, enriching the treasury of human civilization.
The convergence of heritage is also the convergence of people, and the convergence of culture is the convergence of shared human values. Hanoi today is 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 cultural capital, dynamic, creative, full of aspirations towards the future, reaching for the level of the times.
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra assessed that the World Cultural Festival in Hanoi is a bridge to foster friendship, understanding, and trust among nations, working together to build a peaceful, humane, and sustainably developed world.
The Deputy Prime Minister assessed the World Cultural Festival in Hanoi as a bridge fostering friendship, understanding, and trust among nations. Photo: Nhu Y.
The Deputy Prime Minister hoped that the festival would spread sustainable values and convey three messages: convergence for mutual understanding, connection for mutual development, appreciation and preservation of heritage for transmission, and creativity to enrich the value of heritage in each nation and globally.
Based on these messages, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra hopes that the festival will become a regular meeting point for world culture in Vietnam, a space for dialogue, creativity, and international cultural cooperation.
Culture doesn't just live in archives.
Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, emphasized that the vitality of heritage lies in its ability to be continued and connected to people today. He highly appreciated Vietnam's efforts in connecting heritage with contemporary life.
According to Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, there is no more suitable space in Hanoi to host the World Cultural Festival than Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Photo: Nhu Y.
"I came to this ceremony directly from the Asia-Pacific Dialogue on Heritage and Authenticity. At the dialogue conference, we all recognized how heritage exists – not by standing still, but by being understood, deciphered, and passed down through generations. This festival is a living testament to that principle. Culture doesn't just live in archives. Culture lives when people interact, share, and open their hearts to allow culture to touch their souls," said Lazare Eloundou Assomo.
He argued that there was no more suitable space to hold the festival than Thang Long Imperial Citadel – where layers of archaeological relics spanning over a millennium reflect the continuous progress of political and cultural life.
Twenty international art troupes participated in the performances, creating a series of multicultural music and art activities throughout the four days of the festival. Photo: Nhu Y.
"Over the next four days, 45 cultural spaces, 35 culinary spaces, 20 international performing arts groups, along with film screenings and fashion shows from around the world will breathe life into this ancient site in ways that its founders never imagined. Celebrating world culture right here, representing the enduring creative journey of a civilization, is a powerful statement about the meaning of heritage," said Lazare Eloundou Assomo.
The World Culture Festival in Hanoi offers something that purely policy dialogues cannot: an opportunity to experience a different culture firsthand – through its music, stories, crafts, and how that culture is present in daily life.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/pho-thu-tuong-pham-thi-thanh-tra-di-san-la-nguon-luc-quan-trong-kien-tao-tuong-lai-post1881448.tpo
