HÀ NỘI — Quảng Trị has announced that the second Festival for Peace will be held on a national scale, featuring a series of cultural, sports and tourism events.

The festival will mark an important milestone in affirming the central province’s new stature and strengthening its image as a symbol of reconciliation, cooperation and development.

Under the theme From Memory to the Future – Quảng Trị for Peace, the festival will also serve as a platform for investment connections, trade promotion and community activities, conveying messages of peace, friendship and development, according to the organising board.

Speaking at a recent press conference launching the festival in Hà Nội, Vice Chairman of Quảng Trị People's Committee Hoàng Xuân Tân said: "Following the great success of the first festival in 2024, this year Quảng Trị is cooperating with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) to hold the event on a national scale.

“It will be organised as an event of solemnity, modernity and profound humanity, with a far-reaching impact on the community. The festival aims to reaffirm the significance and value of peace, promote the spirit of solidarity and friendship, and spread the message of peace to both domestic audiences and international friends alike.”

Tân emphasised that the festival would serve as an occasion to honour and pay tribute to the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation's independence and freedom. It is expected to enhance the image of Quảng Trị as a dynamic, culturally rich and revitalised homeland.

At the same time, it would showcase the province's cultural and tourism potential while creating opportunities for organisations and businesses to collaborate and invest, joining hands to promote local socio-economic development.

Peace through culture

"More than just a cultural event, the festival is also an active response and contribution by Việt Nam to the collective effort of the international community to foster dialogue, enhance mutual understanding and build a peaceful, sustainable future for future generations," Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Mạnh Cường said at the event.

"This initiative marks a concrete step in implementing Việt Nam’s strategic vision for cultural development and the promotion of national soft power, including the goal of establishing the country as an attractive destination for regional and international-scale cultural and artistic events.

"The artistic performances, cultural exchanges, and historical tributes featured in this year’s festival will help promote the image of the country, its people and Việt Nam’s cultural values." 

MoCST Deputy Minister Tạ Quang Đông said that, once a place associated with immense loss and sacrifice during the war, Quảng Trị has risen vigorously, becoming a symbol of reconciliation, friendship, cooperation and development. 

He affirmed that organising the Quảng Trị for Peace Festival would also send a positive message to the future, spreading humanistic values ​​and strengthening confidence in peace and solidarity.

Quảng Trị's initiative has been widely appreciated and will receive trong support from the MoCST to ensure a successful festival, establishing it as a distinctive cultural event with significant domestic and international reach.

Although several activities have been held since April, the most exciting parts will take place over the next few weeks and continue until December.

The opening ceremony will take place on the night of July 4 at the Hiền Lương Bridge–Bến Hải River Special National Historical Site.

It will feature a spectacular artistic programme staged on a multi-dimensional stage that combines live performances across both riverbanks and on the water itself, linking the north and south banks of the Bến Hải River via the historic Hiền Lương Bridge.

Festival highlights

A candle-lighting tribute ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947-2026) will take place on July 26 at war cemeteries and memorial sites across Quảng Trị, accompanied by a lantern floating ceremony on the Thạch Hãn River.

A hot air balloon festival is scheduled for November and will bring together pilots, balloon teams and artists from numerous countries, while a national concert is expected to be held in December.

Earlier in the festival calendar, Quảng Trị and its partners organised a Cycling for Peace event in April, attracting more than 500 domestic and international cyclists, followed by a concert connecting people through the language of music in Đồng Hới Ward on June 20.

Alongside the headline events, the festival will also include a series of accompanying activities such as the Quảng Trị Amazing Marathon, an exhibition of works by painter Lê Bá Đảng in August, and activities marking the 100th anniversary of Khe Sanh Coffee in October.

Information about the festival will be updated on the provincial portal https://www.quangtri.gov.vn/ and the festival Facebook page at https://web.facebook.com/lehoivihoabinh. — VNS