HÀ NỘI — Elite and amateur photographers are being invited to showcase their best works capturing national heritage in a large-scale competition to be held in 2026.

The photographs will be judged through the National Art Photography Competition on Vietnamese Cultural Heritage, organised by the Việt Nam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA), before being exhibited by the end of the year.

VAPA said the event aims to widely and vividly promote the beauty, uniqueness and importance of Việt Nam’s tangible, intangible and natural heritage.

The organising committee also expects the contest to encourage and inspire people, especially young people, to learn about, explore and gain a deeper understanding of heritage sites, thereby raising their sense of responsibility for preserving and protecting them.

At the same time, the photographic works are expected to become a source of high-quality and diverse visual material on national heritage, serving the promotion of cultural tourism.

The organisers believe the contest will affirm Việt Nam’s unique cultural identity and awaken a deep sense of pride among Vietnamese people in the values inherited from their ancestors.

They also said the camera lens can help connect the past with the present, showing that heritage is not merely a relic of history but something living and vibrant today, intertwined with human life and creating a continuous cultural flow.

The competition is open to individuals aged 15 and above, including Vietnamese citizens at home and abroad, as well as foreigners working and living in Việt Nam.

Entries may reflect a wide range of themes, including the architectural beauty and historical significance of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, the vibrancy and uniqueness of rituals and community activities at festivals, traditional crafts in villages, natural heritage, documentary heritage, biosphere reserves and global geoparks.

Each author may submit up to 10 entries, which must be created using realistic photography techniques. Digitally manipulated images will not be accepted.

The submission deadline is September 30, while the awards ceremony and exhibition are scheduled for November.

More information is available at disanvanhoavietnam.com and nhiepanhdoisong.vn. — VNS