Culture - Sports

Hanoi is gearing up for its annual “Welcome 2025” cultural and sports extravaganza, promising an electrifying showcase of music and athleticism at iconic Hoan Kiem Lake and Thien Quang Lake.

An experimental piece of theatre, dedicated to the soldiers and people who sacrificed their lives for national liberation and reunification will be performed every weekend at the Cu Chi Culture, Sport and Information Centre.

Soloists of the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will perform a concert on January 4 at the HCM City Opera House to welcome in the New Year 2025.

A programme introducing wine, tea, coffee street, and specialties of Da Lat - Lam Dong launched on December 26 along Ho Tung Mau street in Da Lat city in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

The Quang Ninh Food Festival 2024 is underway in Ha Long city, the northern province of Quang Ninh, from December 26-29, boasting a lineup of nearly 130 booths – the largest number of registrations so far.

With a total score of 1,286, sharpshooter Trinh Thu Vinh has been crowned Vietnam’s most outstanding athlete of 2024 in a national poll organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism along with various sports committees.

Only 70 tickets were allowed to be sold to Vietnamese supporters for the first match between the Vietnam and Singapore national football teams at the 6,000-seat Jalan Besar Stadium, but all 70 supporters saw Vietnam take the advantage in the ASEAN Cup semis with a 2-0 win.

Coach Kim Sang-sik expected to make a new chapter for Vietnam history at this year ASEAN Mitsubishi Electronic Cup, hoping Vietnam would overcome hosts Singapore in the first semi-final match on December 26.

More than 2,300 pieces of bronze drum moulds were collected during a recent excavation of the Luy Lau ancient citadel in the northern province of Bac Ninh.

Hue and Hanoi are two Vietnamese destinations making it into the list of the 50 must-visit food cities in the world in 2024 - 2025 by food magazine TasteAtlas.

Three Vietnamese male golfers - Nguyen Anh Minh, Le Khanh Hung, and Doan Uy - have been selected to attend a training course at the AAC Academy to prepare for the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) 2025.

A vivid tapestry of Vietnam’s culture, people, and landscapes comes to life through 180 captivating photos on display at the “Happy Vietnam” exhibition, which opened on December 23 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) will perform two Christmas concerts in Hanoi on December 26 and 27 to raise funds for underprivileged children.

The Xen Dong festival, known as the forest worship ritual, of the Thai in Nghia Lo town in the northern province of Yen Bai, has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage.

The capital city of Hanoi is set to welcome the New Year 2025 with spectacular firework displays at five locations and 30 venues for the Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival.

A concert marking the 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and the 35th anniversary of All-People Defence Festival (December 22) took place in Ho Chi Minh City on December 22 evening.

The ASEAN Military Music Exchange 2024 concluded on December 22 with a vibrant closing ceremony showcasing captivating performances that combined music and dances.

The final stage of the Viettel Marathon Series 2024, the first Vietnamese-initiated running event crossing the Indochinese region, took place in Cambodia on December 22.

The Can Tho Heritage Marathon 2024 kicked off in the Mekong Delta city of the same name on the morning of December 22, attracting more than 9,000 domestic and foreign runners.

The Ho Chi Minh City International Martial Arts Festival 2024 officially opened on December 21, with the theme "Pride in Vietnamese Martial Arts – International Integration."

Nestled in the rugged landscapes of northern mountainous Dien Bien province, Ha Nhi ethnic minority group in Sin Thau, Sen Thuong, Leng Su Sin and Chung Chai communes of Muong Nhe district have preserved their traditional costumes through generations, ensuring that its significance remains as vital today as it was in the past.

The Vietnamese men's national football team ended 2024 on a high note, climbing two spots to rank 114th in the latest FIFA rankings, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) announced on December 20.

Tourists visiting Sa Pa town in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai will have the chance to welcome in the New Year with a firework display put on as part of a series of tourist products aimed at attracting visitors during the upcoming holiday period.

Vietnamese athlete K'Duong claimed six gold medals and set three new records at the Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) Asian Youth and Junior Championships which is taking place in Doha, Qatar.

The Vietnamese men's national football team ended 2024 on a high note, climbing two spots to rank 114th in the latest FIFA rankings, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) announced on December 20.

Do Le Van Chi and Do Le Van Linh of Vietnam have won a silver medal in the U15 women's doubles category at the US Open Table Tennis Championships, which is taking place in Las Vegas, the United States.

Vietnam will play Poland alongside other tough opponents in Pool G of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Women's World Championship 2025 which is scheduled to take place in Thailand from August 22 to September 7.

The Vietnamese Embassy in China on December 16 hosted a ceremony to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and 35th anniversary of the All-People Defence Festival (December 22), attended by senior officers of the Chinese military, representatives from Chinese ministries and agencies, defence attachés from various countries, and members of the Vietnamese community in the host country.

On December 15, a ceremony to inaugurate the Vietnam-Japan Friendship House took place in the Mekong delta province of Long An.

Latin music and culture have been introduced at the 12th Latin American Music Night in Hanoi on December 15.