Celebrating and spreading the beauty of the Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional dress).

VTV.vn - The Miss Heritage Ao Dai Global (Miss Heritage Ao Dai of Vietnam Global 2026) competition has officially been launched.

The competition is open to female Vietnamese citizens aged 20 to 45, residing in or outside Vietnam. Contestants must have graduated from high school or higher, be at least 1.62m tall, have a balanced physique, good moral character, not have violated any laws, and not be transgender.

According to the organizers, the competition not only seeks outstanding beauty but also aims to honor the beauty of Vietnamese women in the traditional ao dai dress. Through this platform, the enduring value of the ao dai is spread in contemporary life, contributing to fostering national pride, especially among the younger generation.

The crown of the competition

Designer Cao Thu Vân, Head of the Organizing Committee, said the competition was created with the goal of contributing to making the ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) a symbol of Vietnamese culture internationally. At the same time, it aims to inspire the ao dai to be more present in daily life as a civilized and distinctive symbol, associated with charitable activities and cultural preservation.

According to the plan, the preliminary round will take place on June 10, 2026. Contestants will showcase their talents through a pre-prepared 3-minute music video in traditional Vietnamese ao dai.

The top 30 finalists will be announced on June 11, 2026. Before the final night, contestants will participate in various activities such as filming self-introduction videos , undertaking charitable projects, receiving skills training, participating in themed photoshoots in traditional Vietnamese ao dai and evening gowns, filming promotional TV commercials, and attending closed-door interviews with the judging panel.

The judging panel of the competition

Regarding the reason for expanding the age range of contestants to 45 years old, Ms. Dam Huong Thuy, the founder of the competition, said that the organizers were concerned that younger contestants, while possessing the radiant beauty of youth, might lack the depth of understanding of heritage, culture, and the ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) that the competition aims to find.

"We were concerned about whether the young, beautiful girls could answer the questions about the ao dai and cultural heritage. Therefore, we had to broaden the age range of contestants in the hope of including women with a deep understanding of the culture and heritage of the ao dai."

"Many 45-year-old women now look like they're in their twenties, very young and beautiful, so we're not 'concerned' about the beauty of the 45-year-old women participating in the competition," said Ms. Dam Huong Thuy.

In the final night, contestants will compete in traditional and modern ao dai fashion shows, evening gowns, and a Q&A session revolving around themes of ao dai, the value of modern women, and social responsibility.

Historian Duong Trung Quoc is a special judge, and People's Artist Lan Huong is the head of the judging panel.

The competition crowned Miss and four runners-up, along with ten special awards.

Source: https://vtv.vn/ton-vinh-va-lan-toa-ve-dep-cua-ao-dai-100260531072756089.htm