CategoriesNews By Ánh Ngọc Trương

Opening Ceremony of Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025

On the evening of March 25, the opening ceremony of Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 officially took place at the semi-realistic stage by the Huong River, marking the beginning of a series of cultural, sports, and tourism activities across provinces and cities throughout the country.

The shimmering colors of the Huong River” kicks off the opening ceremony of Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025

Opening a new phase for tourism development

By 6 PM, the grandstand area where the opening ceremony of Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 was held was already crowded. With pleasant weather, both locals and tourists eagerly arrived early to witness this special event.

This is the second time Hue has hosted the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025, demonstrating the city’s efforts, along with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MOCST), in organizing the event under the theme “Hue – The Ancient Capital, A New Opportunity.”

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung emphasized Hue’s crucial role in Vietnam’s development. Located in the heart of the country, Hue serves as a cultural bridge between the North, Central, and South regions. With nearly 720 years of history from Thuan Hoa – Phu Xuan – Hue, the city embodies Vietnam’s intellectual and cultural essence. It boasts eight UNESCO-recognized heritage sites, including Hue Royal Court Music, which has earned international recognition, reinforcing the enduring value of Vietnam’s traditional arts.

According to Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 will feature numerous vibrant activities in Hue City and various provinces and cities across the country. The event follows the direction of “combining strengths, amplifying advantages, and igniting success,” with a focus on organizing practical and widely impactful events such as cultural-tourism weeks, culinary festivals, and artistic activities that are “diverse in form – unique in content.” Additionally, it aims to “transform cultural assets and cultural industries into resources and driving forces for tourism development.” With a new spirit, renewed enthusiasm, and a profound resonance with the nation’s millennia-old cultural traditions and civilization, the event deeply reflects the determination and aspiration for a strong and prosperous national development.

Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh addressing at the ceremony

Speaking at the program, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh emphasized that 2025 is expected to mark a strong comeback for Vietnam’s tourism industry, with ambitious goals of welcoming 22–23 million international visitors and 120–130 million domestic visitors. Over 22 editions of the event, Hue has been honored twice as the host of the Visit Viet Nam Year (in 2012 and 2025). This not only acknowledges Hue’s position on the tourism map of Vietnam and the world but also reflects the attention and responsibility of the Party, the State, and central agencies toward Hue in its overall socio-economic development and tourism growth.  

To ensure a breakthrough and even stronger development in tourism, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh urged the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, along with other ministries, sectors, Hue City, and localities nationwide, to build on their achievements, overcome difficulties and challenges, and actively collaborate to effectively implement key tasks. These include rolling out comprehensive and synchronized solutions in planning and investment attraction to create distinctive and high-quality tourism products linked to the unique values of cultural heritage.

He also stressed the importance of digital transformation and technology in promoting Hue and Central Vietnam’s tourism, creating new opportunities while minimizing environmental and heritage impact; enhancing a civilized, friendly, and sustainable tourism environment, advancing green transformation, and leveraging cultural heritage for tourism growth are essential. The vision is to establish a “Journey Through Ancient Capitals”, with Hue as a key destination attracting visitors worldwide.

According to Nguyen Van Phuong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Hue People’s Committee, hosting Visit Viet Nam Year 2025 is an opportunity for Hue to showcase its rich cultural, historical, and natural beauty to both domestic and international visitors. This comes at a significant moment as Hue has just been designated as a centrally governed municipality. The event is a powerful motivation for Hue to preserve and promote its cultural heritage while embracing innovation and sustainable development in the new era – the era of Vietnam’s resurgence. Hue aims to deliver a vibrant tourism year with numerous festivals, artistic performances, and cultural events that honor heritage while blending tradition with modernity.

The Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 opening ceremony not only marks the start of a dynamic tourism year but also heralds a new phase for Vietnam’s and Hue’s tourism industry. With meticulous preparation and a strong sense of responsibility, the event is expected to be a great success, elevating Hue’s tourism status and driving local socio-economic growth.

An impressive artistic program

The Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 opening ceremony featured a grand artistic performance themed “The River’s Serenade.” Staged in a semi-realistic riverside setting, the production involved over 800 performers, including renowned singers, artists, and international art troupes. Notable highlights included drone light shows, electronic water drums, panoramic water music, flying dragons, and parachute performances. The ceremony also featured a dazzling fireworks display celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hue’s Liberation (1975–2025).

The opening art program of the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 consists of three chapters, carrying the message “A River’s Serenade: The Legend of a River; The Convergence of Rivers; The New Flow of Rivers.” It showcases the tangible and intangible cultural values, unique tourism resources, and products of Vietnam. At the same time, it serves as a promotional platform for Festival Hue 2025, commemorates the 50th anniversary of Hue’s Liberation (1975 – 2025), and highlights the transformation of Hue as a centrally governed municipality.

The opening art program of the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 begins with the Huong River, rich in cultural sediments, intertwined with the history of the ancient capital and its evolution into modern-day Hue. Additionally, it artistically narrates the stories of famous rivers from different regions of Vietnam. The performances focus on highlighting the unique cultural identities of each land through their iconic rivers. The script’s concept also conveys a profound message: from these rivers flowing into the vast sea, it carries the symbolization of the nation’s integration, development, and rise in the new era.

The opening night left a deep impression on officials, audiences, and tourists, offering a mesmerizing experience of the heroic land’s beauty, cultural richness, and warm hospitality. Chau Ngoc Mai, a tourist from Hanoi, shared: “The riverside stage was breathtaking. This event has deepened my appreciation for Hue’s culture, land, and people.”

Photos from the ceremony captured by Hue Today:

The scene of the river 50 years ago – The joyous day of liberation 

The vibrant performance by artists from the Land of the Kimchi made the night festival shimmering and enchanting

A Tay Nguyen love song along the poetic Huong River  

The boats adorned the Huong River, making it soft and graceful.

The song “Nối vòng tay lớn” (Joining Hands) closed the opening program. 

In addition to the artistic performances, there was also a brilliant fireworks display (Photo: DinhHoang). 

Source: Hue News – news.baothuathienhue.vn- Mar 26, 2025

CategoriesNews By Ánh Ngọc Trương

Official poster for the Visit Vietnam Year – Hue 2025 announced

On the morning of March 19, the Department of Tourism announced that the Organizing Committee of the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 had just released the official poster for the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025, which will open on the evening of March 25.

Official poster for the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 (horizontal version)

According to the Organizing Committee of the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025, the poster draws its main inspiration from the activities throughout the Visit Viet Nam Year, modern and communicated under the slogan “Ancient Capital – New Horizons”. An artist wearing a traditional ao dai plays the moon lute, showcasing the beauty of court music culture. The image of a winding golden dragon combined with a woman in a purple ao dai symbolizes the development and harmony between the past and present. Unicorn dances, street festivals, and sports activities create a vibrant atmosphere. A chef prepares Hue cuisine, honoring the local culinary culture.

Official poster for the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 (vertical version)

With bright and cheerful colors and diverse activities suitable for all ages, the poster demonstrates a harmonious combination of the ancient capital’s cultural heritage and modern vibes, promoting Hue as not only an ancient capital but also an attractive destination with many new development opportunities in the future. All of which creates a vibrant life of development on a foundation of heritage, seizing new opportunities to step into a brilliant era.

The opening ceremony of the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 will take place on the evening of March 25, with an art program themed “Love confession of the river”, and a brilliant fireworks display. The program is scheduled to be broadcast live on Vietnam Television and Hue City Radio and Television station, and relayed on the channels of Television stations of several provinces and cities across the country.

Source: Hue News – news.baothuathienhue.vn- Mar 21, 2025

CategoriesNews By Ánh Ngọc Trương

The First “Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival – Hue 2025” opens

On the evening of March 21st, the opening ceremony of the first-ever “Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival – Hue 2025” took place at Ngo Mon Square – Hue Imperial Citadel, with the theme “Heroic spirit of the nation.”

The event marks the 50th anniversary of Hue’s liberation day (March 26th, 1975 – March 26th, 2025) and is part of the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025. It is also one of the Spring Festival programs within Hue Festival 2025.

The opening ceremony was staged in an epic, theatrical style, featuring a grand drum performance, renowned artists and singers, and the integration of Vietnamese martial arts into a spectacular showcase. The event also included fire displays and pyrotechnic effects. In the beautiful spring weather of Hue, thousands of spectators gathered at Ngo Mon Square to witness a unique and captivating blend of martial arts and performing arts.

The program began with “Sacred Drum of the Nation” and the song “Red Blood, Yellow Skin” performed by artists from Hue Royal Traditional Arts Theater. A highlight of the event was the “Heroic spirit of the Nation” performance, which depicted the history of Vietnamese martial arts through breathtaking demonstrations from various disciplines, including Kinh Van An Martial Arts, Vovinam, Taekwondo, and Karatedo. A Hip-Hop dance special “Martial Arts with Hue music” was a fusion of traditional and modern elements…

Spanning over two days, March 21st -22nd, the “Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival – Hue 2025” is a cultural, sports, and tourism event that aims to honor and promote the rich heritage of Vietnamese martial arts. It also seeks to spread the deep values and humane spirit of martial arts to the world. The festival serves as a platform for martial arts schools and practitioners to meet, exchange knowledge, and discuss the preservation and promotion of traditional Vietnamese martial arts both domestically and globally.

According to Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, Director of Hue Monuments Conservation Center, this first “Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival – Hue 2025” is not only a gathering for martial arts groups to pay tribute to their ancestors and national heroes but also an opportunity for them to showcase their strengths through competitions, performances, and exhibitions. The event promises to take the audience on an emotional journey, immersing them in a legendary artistic space filled with the essence of martial arts and the cultural heritage of the ancient capital.

Earlier, on the morning of March 21st, the ceremonial segment of the festival took place with activities such as the Preliminary and Incense tribute Ceremony at The Mieu Temple, the Dragon Procession on the Perfume River, and the Offering Ceremony at the Martial Temple. The festival’s celebratory activities included the Vietnamese Martial Arts Exchange Program, the Martial Arts Conference, a tour of the Imperial Citadel, large-scale martial arts formations, and synchronized performances. The event welcomed renowned martial arts groups representing various Vietnamese disciplines, including Kinh Van An Martial Arts, Vovinam, and Binh Dinh Martial Arts.

“Through this festival, we hope to revive Hue’s historical martial arts sites, such as the Martial Temple and Xien Vo Tu, integrating them into regular martial arts activities. Our goal is to make Hue a premier destination for the martial arts community and the general public alike. We aim to establish the Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival as an annual, well-organized event that attracts martial arts groups from around the world. In the future, traditional Vietnamese martial arts events will also be hosted at this venue, creating a unique cultural institution dedicated to martial arts,” said Mr. Trung.

Highlights from the opening night of the Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival:

The grand opening ceremony was staged with epic theatrical elements

Spectacular martial arts performances 

Archery demonstrations

 Modern arts were also included

Source: Hue News – news.baothuathienhue.vn- Mar 23, 2025

CategoriesNews By Ánh Ngọc Trương

Many special programs in Hue Ao Dai Week 2025

Hue Community Ao Dai Week 2025 will take place from June 6th to June 15th across the two districts of Phu Xuan and Thuan Hoa, as well as in various towns and communes.

Hue Community Ao Dai Week 2025 will feature a cycling parade.

This week-long event is part of the Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025. Through it, the strengths, brand, and unique cultural value of Hue Ao dai will be showcased, building Hue’s tourism image associated with Ao dai and stimulating tourism development.

The highlight of the week will be a special Hue Ao Dai art program within the framework of National Tourism Year 2025, taking place on the evening of June 6th at An Dinh Palace.

On the morning of June 7th, there will be an environmental awareness cycling event titled “Ao Dai through the Streets.” The route starts at the Quoc Hoc Stele and passes through Le Loi Street – Ga Bridge – Bui Thi Xuan Street – Da Vien Bridge – Le Duan Street – Tran Hung Dao Street – Truong Tien Bridge – Le Loi Street, and ends at the Quoc Hoc Stele.

Following this, on the afternoon of June 8th, the “Hundred Flowers Walk” of traditional Vietnamese attire will take place. The parade will start at Nghenh Luong Dinh Pavilion, proceed along the pedestrian walkway by the Perfume River, Le Duan Street – Tran Hung Dao Street – Truong Tien Bridge – Le Loi Street, and end at Quoc Hoc Stele.

A new highlight of this year’s Ao Dai Week will be the “Hundred Flowers Walk” featuring traditional Vietnamese attire.

Additionally, throughout the week, various related events will be held, including “Ao Dai Journeys to the Roots”, “Ao Dai – The Brilliant Colors of the Ancient Capital” art performance, “Ao Dai in the Streets” flashmob performance, “Ao Dai in Schools” seminar, Art exhibition and a collection of Ao dai “Applying the Art of Diem Phung Thi” exhibition, ceremonial incense offering at the tomb of Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat, parade and tribute to Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat, incense offering to Emperor Minh Mang – the ruler who established Ao Dai as the national dress, etc…

The event is expected to attract thousands of participants at each program, honoring Hue Ao Dai, affirming the “Hue – The Capital of Ao Dai” brand name and contributing to the promotion of Hue’s culture in connection with local tourism development.

Source: Hue News – news.baothuathienhue.vn- Mar 17, 2025