Under the theme “Heritage Convergence - Shaping the Future”, the opening night began an artistic journey celebrating Vietnam, from its deep cultural roots to its place in the global cultural exchange space.
One of the programme’s highlights was a spectacular 3D mapping projection on Doan Mon Gate, vividly recreating Vietnamese cultural symbols, heritage, and landscapes.
The opening ceremony featured a range of artists and performing arts groups, including Honorary Professor and Artist Chu Bao Que, People’s Artist Trong Phuc, and singers Truc Nhan, Hoa Minzy, Duc Phuc, Hoang Bach and Ha Myo. Other performers featured in the ceremony came from the GOM Show, a drum solo by Thu Ha, the Thanh Am Xanh group, the Hue Royal Traditional Arts Theatre, Bac Ninh Quan Ho Theatre, the Bronze Drum Group, and a Central Highlands gong ensemble.
Rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the second World Culture Festival in Hanoi 2026. (Photo: Tran Huan/Van Hoa Newspaper)
The programme combined traditional heritage with contemporary artistic expression through three main chapters:
Vietnam in Full Colour: This chapter celebrated the identities of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups with a performance titled Mother’s Lullaby, a medley of folk songs from the country’s three regions, as well as Hue royal court music and melodies from the Dat Phuong Nam and Bac Ninh Quan Ho troupes.
Five Continents Converge: This chapter featured a vibrant cultural exchange with international art troupes from China, Russia, Peru, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Israel, Azerbaijan, Laos, Ukraine, the Republic of Korea, and other countries, among others, and highlighted respect for the diversity of human cultures.
Development & Radiant Future: The energy of Gen Z takes center stage, with traditional cultural elements blending with rap, hip-hop, and EDM in performances by Hoa Minzy, Duc Phuc, Truc Nhan, Ha Myo, and Hoang Bach.
Earlier, on the evening of September 30, the full rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the second World Culture Festival in Hanoi was held at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong, Deputy Head of the Festival Steering Committee and Head of the Organizing Committee, attended the rehearsal alongside representatives of several units under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and other relevant organizations.
Rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the second World Culture Festival in Hanoi 2026. (Photo: Tran Huan/Van Hoa Newspaper)
The opening ceremony took place at 8 p.m. on October 1 at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel and was broadcast live on VTV1 and VTVgo, Vietnam Television’s national digital television platform.
Held under the theme ‘Heritage Convergence – Shaping the Future’, the second World Culture Festival in Hanoi marked the 50th anniversary of Vietnam joining UNESCO. As well as showcasing Vietnam’s cultural diversity alongside that of countries around the world, the festival provides a space for cultural dialogue, where each nation can share its own distinctive values while discovering common ground amid diversity.
The festival features 45 cultural spaces, 35 food booths, film screenings from 16 countries, a fashion show displaying traditional costumes from 19 countries, and performances by 20 international art troupes, promising a vibrant series of multicultural musical exchanges throughout.
