The whole world comes to Hanoi to tug of war in Thang Long - Hanoi Festival

There are up to 30 events taking place during the Thang Long – Hanoi Festival. Many foreign tug-of-war teams also come to celebrate the 10th anniversary of tug-of-war becoming a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.

The Thang Long - Hanoi Festival has been confirmed by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports to be an annual activity of the capital. The Thang Long - Hanoi Festival 2025 will take place for 16 days (from November 1 to 16). The opening ceremony will be held on the evening of November 7 at Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and the closing ceremony will be held on the evening of November 16 at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square. The event is directed by the Hanoi People's Committee and co-chaired by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports. This year, the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival has the theme "Heritage - Connection - Era", also to affirm Hanoi's position in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam is one of the venues of the Festival.

PHOTO: VMQTG

Ms. Le Thi Anh Mai, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, said that the activities of the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival not only include performances by artists from many theaters in Hanoi but also ancient dances and folk games passed down through many generations, recreated by artists, folk artisans and people from many regions. About 30 activities will be held at many heritage and creative spaces of Hanoi such as Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hoan Kiem Lake, Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam, Hanoi Museum.

With the theme Heritage - Connection - Time, Ms. Mai said, Thang Long - Hanoi Festival also devotes time to attractive contemporary art programs and interactive experiential programs. Attendees will also experience culture in cultural connection spaces.

Ms. Mai also said that the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival is a way for Hanoi to demonstrate its responsibility to preserve heritage, but not in a way that is confined to preservation but flexibly incorporates a new modern breeze, turning traditional values ​​into inspiration for culture, arts, tourism , production and services. "That is also part of the roadmap to build Hanoi into a creative center of Southeast Asia, where heritage lives with the times, where core cultural values ​​intersect with modern life and develop together," Ms. Anh Mai said.

Thang Long - Hanoi Festival Schedule

Mr. Pham Hoang Giang, director of the festival, said that this is a festival with a very long preparation time, about 6 months. "That is a record time to prepare…", Mr. Giang said. Mr. Giang also said that with the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival, he wants Hanoi to have a "new name" as a heritage city. This will come from pioneering innovation in the way festivals are organized. While festivals usually last only 2-3 days, this time Hanoi will have a festival that lasts half a month.

Hanoi cuisine will be introduced at the festival.

PHOTO: Organizing Committee

At the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam, from November 1-9, a series of Heritage Convergence activities will take place, displaying traditional craft products of the three capitals (Thang Long - Hue - Hoa Lu) and the Central Highlands provinces. From November 1-16, there will also be an introduction to the culinary culture of Hanoi Flavors and creative craft and design activities at Ho Van. Some other programs also take place at the Temple of Literature, including: Ao Dai fashion show on the heritage road (November 2), international scientific seminar on Eastern and Western educational and cultural heritage (November 3)...

At the Hanoi Museum, there will be a special exhibition entitled Archaeological Discoveries from the Banana Garden site (November 2) and a puppet show space - where the art of folk puppetry is renewed through performances and interactive experiences. In particular, the highlight will be the international art program Eternal Moment (November 8) with the participation of Swiss composer Dominique Barthassat and creative community groups in Hanoi.

Tug of war practice in Korea, Vietnam's first multinational intangible heritage

PHOTO: TL BY DR. LE THI MINH LY

The organizers said some highlights of the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival are: the 2025 Hanoi Ao Dai Tourism Festival (November 7-9) at the Hanoi Museum and Hoan Kiem Lake area; the expanded Hanoi Puppetry Festival (November 15); the discussion "Preserving and promoting the puppetry art heritage in contemporary life" (November 10); the Thang Long Capital play (November 10) at Thang Long Imperial Citadel) and the Ngoc Son Mysterious Night program (November 8 and 16) at Ngoc Son Temple.

Thang Long - Hanoi Festival also celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Tug of War rituals and games being recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In addition to the international conference "A decade of protecting and promoting tug of war rituals and games" (November 15), there will also be exchanges and performances of tug of war with the participation of international delegations (Korea and some countries) and 10 heritage practicing communities from provinces and cities in the country (Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Lao Cai Ninh Binh, Phu Tho and Hanoi City).

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ca-the-gioi-den-ha-noi-keo-co-trong-festival-thang-long-ha-noi-185251021180719811.htm