Taking place from October 10 to October 12, 2025, the First World Culture Festival in Hanoi is organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hanoi People’s Committee, at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Heritage Center – a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

For three days, from October 10 to 12, 2025, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel will become a shared home for the world – a place where music, colors, flavors, and emotions blend in an atmosphere of friendship and unity.

Guided by the theme “Culture as the Foundation – Art as the Medium,” the inaugural World Culture Festival in Hanoi is not only a large-scale cultural event but also a flagship cultural diplomacy activity of Vietnam in 2025, with the ambition to become an annual international event.

With the mission of honoring cultural diversity and strengthening people-to-people exchange, the festival brings together 48 countries, featuring:

• 45 national cultural spaces
• 34 international culinary booths
• 23 domestic and international art troupes
• 12 units showcasing books and publications
• 22 countries participating in the international film screening program

Visitors will experience vibrant cultural expressions – from performing arts, music, and folk dance to traditional costumes, cinema, fine arts, and global cuisine – all harmonized within the heritage space of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, the thousand-year cultural heart of the capital.

The festival is designed with diverse experiential, interactive, and performance-based activities throughout the three days.

Festival Highlights

Opening & Closing Ceremonies

The Opening Ceremony will take place from 20:00 to 21:30 on October 10, 2025 at the central stage of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, featuring renowned Vietnamese artists such as Tùng Dương, Hòa Minzy, along with international performers. The program promises emotionally rich performances harmoniously blending tradition and modernity.

The Closing Ceremony, held at the same venue from 20:00 to 21:30 on October 12, 2025, will welcome performances by Trúc Nhân, Hoàng Thùy Linh, and various international artists, delivering an energetic and inspiring artistic experience.

Both ceremonies will incorporate cross-cultural performances and 3D Mapping showcases—where the five continents converge in creative light, carrying the message that culture is humanity’s bridge and creativity is the universal language of the world.

Fashion Show – “Heritage Footsteps”

Taking place on the evening of October 11, 2025 (20:00 – 21:20), “Heritage Footsteps” is a signature highlight of the festival. It brings together nearly 100 traditional costumes from participating countries, promising the most diverse and spectacular international traditional costume showcase ever held in Vietnam.

“Heritage Footsteps” is more than a fashion show. It is a journey of honoring heritage and identity, where each costume tells a story of culture, history, and the spirit of its people. Audiences will witness the world’s vibrant diversity through colors, textures, and traditional patterns.

Multinational Exhibition & Cultural Spaces

Along the “Cultural Avenue,” visitors can explore booths from nearly 50 countries, including China, South Korea, Japan, the United States, Russia, France, Iran, Angola, Laos, the Philippines, and more. Open from 9:00–21:30 on October 11–12, these booths introduce each country’s history, art, language, attire, and customs. Guests can also try on traditional costumes of Vietnam and other countries, immersing themselves in a global cultural atmosphere.

International Film Screenings

Within the festival, the international film program will showcase outstanding films from Vietnam and around the world at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Auditorium, from 9:00–21:00 on October 11–12, offering cinema lovers a cultural experience in a historic setting.

Traditional & International Performing Arts

On October 11–12, at the Round Stage, performances will take place in the time slots 9:00 – 11:30, 14:30 – 17:30, and 21:00 – 21:30, featuring Vietnamese and international artists.

Vietnamese performances include Gong culture of the Central Highlands, Quan họ Bắc Ninh folk singing, Chèo, Chầu văn, folk dances, and more.

International performances come from Japan, Russia, Cambodia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran, Cuba, Romania, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Palestine, Venezuela, UAE, the Philippines, and others.

Culinary Experience at the Food Street

Open from 9:00–21:30 on October 11–12, the Food Street allows visitors to explore global cuisines and join culinary workshops to learn about iconic dishes from different cultures. Together, these experiences create a vivid cultural tapestry where art becomes a universal language connecting humanity.

Notice: The festival is open to the public free of charge on October 11–12, 2025. For the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, audiences may register to receive free tickets at the official event website: https://worldculturefestival.vn