The First World Cultural Festival in Hanoi: Honoring cultural diversity, promoting people-to-people exchange

The first World Cultural Festival in Hanoi officially opened on the evening of October 10. According to Director of the Department of International Cooperation (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) NGUYEN PHUONG HOA, this is a key cultural foreign activity of Vietnam in 2025, honoring the value of cultural diversity and enhancing people-to-people exchange.

Focus on interaction and experience

- Taking place at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Heritage Center, what is the significance of the World Cultural Festival in Hanoi, madam?

- The first World Cultural Festival in Hanoi , taking place from October 10 to 12, is an important initiative, honoring the diversity of cultures around the world with many rich forms of expression, creating a breakthrough in cultural diplomacy, enhancing the level of cultural enjoyment for Vietnamese people. The event also creates a playground for artists and creators, through exchange, cooperation, and connection with the world, to be inspired, create new works, and enrich the national culture.

The festival brings together 48 participating countries with 45 cultural spaces. Source: CHTQT

The organizers hope to hold the annual Festival, building a brand for Hanoi, a destination for art and culture lovers and cultural tourists around the world to annually book tickets to Hanoi, Vietnam in autumn - the most beautiful season of the year.

- In its first edition, the Festival attracted 48 participating countries. In your opinion, what makes this event unique and attractive?

- The highlight that makes the World Cultural Festival in Hanoi different from previous international cultural exchange activities is its comprehensive nature, honoring the diversity of cultures around the world, from performing arts, fashion shows, music, cinema, fine arts, photography exhibitions, to cuisine, literature...

Director of the Department of International Cooperation NGUYEN PHUONG HOA

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The World Cultural Festival in Hanoi is a place where the quintessence converges, identity is spread, connecting five continents in the heart of the thousand-year-old capital, contributing to connecting countries, promoting people-to-people exchanges, enhancing mutual understanding and trust between Vietnam and the international community; at the same time affirming the important role and contribution of culture in implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), towards peace, cooperation and common prosperity.

Director of the Department of International Cooperation NGUYEN PHUONG HOA

What is more special is that the festival focuses on the interaction and experience of the people, putting the people at the center. People and tourists participating in the festival not only enjoy music and dances, but also experience national costumes of different countries, taste and try typical dishes from cuisines around the world, and immerse themselves in folk songs and dances...

The World Heritage site of Thang Long Imperial Citadel comes alive in contemporary life, and Hanoi truly becomes a meeting place of human civilization. It can be said that during the festival days, Thang Long Imperial Citadel will become the “common home” of the world, where music, colors, flavors and emotions blend in an atmosphere of friendship and solidarity.

Honoring and spreading Vietnamese culture

- What activities does the festival have to promote the image of the country, people and culture of Hanoi and Vietnam to international friends?

- The art program at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies gathered famous Vietnamese singers with creative, emotional performances, harmoniously combining tradition and modernity, demonstrating the convergence of five continents in the light of creativity and the spirit of Vietnamese solidarity. All were moved in three-dimensional space with the message: "Culture is the bridge of humanity, creativity is the common language of the world".

Performance at the Festival Opening Ceremony. Photo: Tran Huan

Not only the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the Festival will also feature traditional art performances by Vietnamese and foreign artists from 9am to 11:30am, 2:30pm to 5:30pm and 9:00pm to 9:30pm on October 11-12. Vietnam will introduce typical art performances such as: Central Highlands gongs, Bac Ninh quan ho, cheo, chau van, folk dance... promising to bring unique cultural experiences, spreading the image of a friendly, hospitable and richly-identified Vietnam to international friends.

- With the motto "Touching the heart - Towards humanistic values", how is the Festival expected to be organized in the coming years to become an annual foreign cultural event of Hanoi and Vietnam?

- The World Cultural Festival in Hanoi brings together the diverse, rich and proud colors of countries, regions and cultures from all over the world to create a common color called "Peace - Humanity - Friendship". In the following years, we will plan to prepare early by sending invitations to countries, targeting famous artists and famous art troupes of the world to register to perform.

Performance at the Festival Opening Ceremony. Photo: Tran Huan

Art program to open the first World Cultural Festival in Hanoi. Photo: Nhat Bac

Also aiming to bring unique cultural experiences, thereby spreading the image of a friendly and hospitable Vietnam, we will calculate options to improve the quality of programs and activities, focusing on performing arts, contributing to building the festival into a distinct brand.

Thank you!

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/le-hoi-van-hoa-the-gioi-tai-ha-noi-lan-thu-nhat-ton-vinh-da-dang-van-hoa-thuc-day-giao-luu-nhan-dan-10389952.html