HÀ NỘI — The first Thăng Long – Hà Nội Festival 2025 officially opened with a grand ceremony at the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel, launching a series of cultural activities running through November 16.

The festival, themed Heritage – Connection – Era, seeks to showcase Việt Nam's cultural heritage to the world while highlighting Hà Nội as a distinctive and creative heritage city. The capital aims to build a unique cultural brand where heritage drives sustainable development in the era of global integration.

Speaking at the opening, Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Vũ Thu Hà described the festival as a large-scale cultural and artistic event with open creative spaces that link traditional values with the spirit of the digital age. The festival provides a platform where folk artisans collaborate with young artists and creators to innovate and enrich Việt Nam’s cultural identity in a rapidly integrating world.

The festival features over 700 domestic and international artists, performers, and artisans, performing in more than 30 cultural, artistic, and tourism activities. These include street parades, performances, heritage exhibitions, áo dài festivals, handicraft demonstrations, forums, and creative business networking, taking place at Hà Nội's heritage and creative sites such as the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel, Temple of Literature, Hồ Gươm pedestrian streets, and Hà Nội Museum.

The event reinforces Hà Nội's image as a modern, integrated city where history and contemporary creativity meet each other. By celebrating heritage, the festival not only honours traditional values but also underscores Hà Nội's pioneering role in preserving national culture and developing the creative industry.

The festival emphasises linking heritage with cultural industry development, laying the foundation for creative tourism and the knowledge economy. Hà Nội aims to leverage its rich heritage resources to develop sustainable tourism, connecting historical sites with modern technology and producing distinctive cultural products of the capital.

Organisers aim for the festival to become an annual, strategic event that fosters a “new cycle of creativity” for Hà Nội's culture. Following the festival, performances, exhibitions, and heritage showcases will continue regularly, providing open cultural spaces where residents and visitors can experience heritage in everyday life.— VNA/VNS