From October 10 to 12, 2025, at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Heritage Center, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hanoi People’s Committee, will host the 1st Cultures of the World Festival in Hanoi.
The festival is organized to honor cultural diversity and strengthen people-to-people exchanges between Vietnam and the international community.
This year’s event brings together 48 countries, featuring 45 cultural spaces, 34 international food booths, 23 art troupes, and 12 publishers and book exhibitors. The international film program also includes representatives from 22 countries.
The festival at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel is envisioned as a shared home of global cultures, where visitors can admire a rich spectrum of cultural expressions, from performing arts, music, and traditional costumes to cinema, fine arts, and gastronomy, all blending in a spirit of friendship and solidarity. Designed as a dynamic series of activities over three days, the festival offers a truly multisensory experience.
The opening ceremony will take place at 8:00 p.m. on October 10, with the closing ceremony at 8:00 p.m. on October 12, featuring leading Vietnamese artists such as Tung Duong, Hoa Minzy, Truc Nhan, and Hoang Thuy Linh, alongside international performers. The programs promise distinctive cross-cultural performances that harmoniously combine tradition and modernity. A major highlight is the large-scale 3D mapping projection, transforming the Imperial Citadel into a three-dimensional stage and conveying the message: “Culture is humanity’s bridge; creativity is the world’s common language.”
Taking place on the evening of October 11, the artistic fashion show “Footsteps of Heritage” is regarded as the soul of the festival. Nearly 100 traditional costumes from participating countries will grace the runway, creating the most extensive and spectacular international ethnic costume showcase ever held in Vietnam. Each costume is not only a work of art but also a vivid story of history, identity, and national spirit.
From 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on October 11 and 12, the “Cultural Pathway” opens a journey of global discovery. Visitors can explore nearly 50 cultural spaces representing China, South Korea, Japan, the United States, Russia, France, Iran, Angola, the Philippines, and more, learning about distinctive histories, arts, languages, and customs. Visitors will also have the opportunity to try on traditional costumes from Vietnam and partner countries and capture memorable moments of cultural exchange.
Within the festival framework, the international film screening program will run continuously at the Imperial Citadel Hall on October 11 and 12. At the same time, the circular stage will host performances by Vietnamese and international art troupes, featuring Central Highlands gong culture, Bac Ninh quan ho folk songs, cheo, chau van, along with traditional dances and music from Japan, Russia, Cuba, Mongolia, Indonesia, and others.
The Food Street will be a paradise for culinary enthusiasts, offering flavors from around the world and interactive cooking workshops.
The festival serves as a convergence of cultural excellence, spreading identity and connecting continents in the heart of the thousand-year-old capital. It contributes to linking nations, promoting people-to-people exchanges, strengthening mutual understanding and trust between Vietnam and the global community, and reaffirming the vital role of culture in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals toward peace, cooperation, and shared prosperity
Kim Thoa