Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the opening ceremony of the first World Cultural Festival in Hanoi.

On the evening of October 10, 2025, at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Heritage Center - a UNESCO-recognized World Cultural Heritage, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hanoi People's Committee to organize the "First World Cultural Festival in Hanoi". Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the opening ceremony.

Also attending the opening ceremony were Ms. Ngo Phuong Ly - Wife of General Secretary To Lam; Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung; Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Hai Binh, along with leaders of central departments, ministries and branches, international guests and a large number of people in Hanoi .

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the first World Cultural Festival in Hanoi

With the goal of honoring the value of cultural diversity and enhancing people-to-people exchange, the World Cultural Festival in Hanoi is a key foreign cultural activity of Vietnam in 2025, gathering 48 participating countries with: 45 national cultural spaces; 34 international culinary booths; 23 domestic and foreign art troupes; 12 units introducing books and publications; 22 countries participating in the international film screening program.

Here, the public will be able to admire unique cultural colors, from performing arts, music, folk dance, traditional costumes, to cinema, fine arts and world cuisine - all blending together in the heritage space of Thang Long Imperial Citadel - the thousand-year-old cultural convergence center of the Capital.

The festival is designed with many experiential activities, performances, and public interactions throughout three days.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates visit the exhibition booths.

The Opening and Closing Ceremonies took place on the central stage, combining cross-cultural performances and 3D Mapping projections, which were a convergence of five continents in creative light and solidarity. All were moved in three-dimensional space with the message that Culture is the bridge of humanity, creativity is the common language of the world.

In addition, there are other attractive and spectacular art programs such as: Fashion Show - "Heritage Footsteps" taking place on the evening of October 11, 2025 (20:00 - 21:20) at the central stage, the program "Heritage Footsteps" is a unique highlight of the festival, gathering nearly 100 traditional costumes from participating countries, promising to be the richest and most spectacular international national costume performance ever in Vietnam.

"Heritage Footsteps" is not only an artistic fashion show, but also a journey to honor heritage and identity, where each outfit tells the story of culture, history and spirit of the nation. Here, the audience will admire the brilliant diversity of the world through the language of colors, materials and traditional patterns.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates visit the exhibition booths.

Exhibition activities and multinational cultural spaces on the "Cultural Road", visitors can visit booths from nearly 50 countries such as China, Korea, Japan, the United States, Russia, France, Iran, Angola, Laos, Philippines, ... The booths operate from 9:00 - 21:30 on October 11-12, 2025, introducing the characteristics of history, art, language, costumes and customs of the countries. Visitors also have the opportunity to experience wearing traditional costumes of Vietnam and other countries, immersing themselves in the atmosphere of international exchange.

• 

  Many unique and attractive activities at the first World Cultural Festival in Hanoi

Within the framework of the festival, the international film screening program will introduce outstanding Vietnamese and international cinema works at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Hall, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on October 11-12, 2025, serving cinema lovers in a historical and cultural space.

Traditional art performances and international performances take place on October 11-12, 2025, at the round stage, with performances taking place from 9:00 am to 11:30 am, 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm and 9:00 pm to 9:30 pm, with the participation of Vietnamese and international artists. Vietnamese art performances include Central Highlands Gongs, Bac Ninh Quan Ho, Cheo, Chau Van, Folk Dance, etc.

International acts from: Japan, Russia, Cambodia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran, Cuba, Romania, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Palestine, Venezuela, UAE, Philippines…

Visitors can experience cuisine at the Food Quarter, open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on October 11–12, 2025, explore multinational cuisine and participate in culinary workshops to learn about typical dishes of many different cultures.

All together create a vibrant cultural picture, where art becomes a common language connecting humanity.

According to the Organizing Committee, the Festival marked a record in the number of participating representative agencies, demonstrating the strong attraction of Hanoi, a center of cultural convergence, where civilizations meet and spread noble human values.

A large crowd attended the Opening Ceremony.

For three days, from October 10 to 12, 2025, 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. With the motto "Culture is the foundation - Art is the means", the first World Cultural Festival in Hanoi is not only a large-scale cultural event, but also a typical cultural diplomacy activity of Vietnam in 2025, aiming to become an annual event of international stature.

The festival is a place to gather the quintessence, spread identity, connect five continents in the heart of the thousand-year-old capital, contribute to connecting countries, promote people-to-people exchanges, enhance understanding and mutual trust between Vietnam and the international community; at the same time, affirm the important role and contribution of culture in implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), towards peace, cooperation and common prosperity.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/thu-tuong-chinh-phu-pham-minh-chinh-du-khai-mac-le-hoi-van-hoa-the-gioi-tai-ha-noi-lan-thu-nhat-20251010210930149.htm