Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Hai Binh speaks at the press conference on September 26. (Photo: VNA)
It will be jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Hanoi People’s Committee, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As many as 48 foreign embassies, international organisations, and foreign cultural centres in the capital city have registered to join the festival by September 25.
The festival is also set to become Vietnam’s largest international cultural event to date, showcasing a vibrant mix of cultural spaces, culinary dishes, arts, and literature from around the world.
This year’s edition will feature 45 national cultural spaces, 33 international food booths, 16 art troupes, 12 book exhibitors, and film contributions from 20 countries. The programme includes Hanoi World Culture Day, an international food festival, folk dance and fine arts performances, international fashion and an Ao Dai festival, a global book fair, and film screenings.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Hai Binh said the festival highlights culture as a cornerstone of sustainable development and a bridge for connecting nations. He noted its role in helping societies confront global challenges such as conflict, pandemics, and climate change, while promoting peace, prosperity, and friendship.
A foreign reporter raises questions at the press conference. (Photo: VNA)
Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Director of the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasised that for the first time, cultural representations from all five continents will be presented at a single event in Vietnam. She described the festival as a convergence of diversity and creativity, creating a common message of peace, humanity, and friendship.
The festival will open on October 3 and close on October 5 at the UNESCO-recognised Imperial Citadel of Thang Long. The official website is available at https://worldculturefestival.vn.
Under the theme “Culture as Foundation, Art as Means,” the organisers said the Cultures of the World Festival is expected to become an annual cultural diplomacy event in Hanoi. It aims to foster people-to-people exchanges, strengthen mutual understanding and trust, and affirm Vietnam’s contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to global peace and prosperity.
