On the evening of October 4th, at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel historical site, the 2nd World Culture Festival in Hanoi - 2026 concluded, bringing to an end four days of vibrant cultural exchange and gathering, leaving many lasting impressions on the people of Hanoi, domestic and international tourists.
With the theme "Gathering 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.
Thang Long Imperial Citadel has become a vibrant meeting place where heritage, performing arts, cinema, fashion , cuisine, tourism, and various creative forms coexist, interact, and connect.
A notable feature of this year's festival is its widespread reach to the public, not only within the Thang Long Imperial Citadel but also across public spaces and media platforms.
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.
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," which takes the audience on an artistic journey from its roots, through heritage regions, to contemporary Vietnam.
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.
Thus, Hanoi is not only a venue for the festival but also aims to become a regular meeting point for cultures, where initiatives on heritage, creativity, cultural industries, and sustainable development are connected and disseminated.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/xay-dung-le-hoi-van-hoa-the-gioi-tai-ha-noi-thanh-nen-tang-giao-luu-quoc-te-post1140013.vnp
