Ho Chi Minh City Celebrates 50 Years Since Renaming with 3D Mapping Spectacle

The RoK is one of the leading economic, investment and tourism partners of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam in general. Over the years, the Vietnamese locality has established cooperative and sister-city relationships with many Korean localities, including Seoul, laying a foundation for boosting economic, trade, cultural, educational cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. On the evening of July 1, Ho Chi Minh City launched a large-scale 3D mapping art programme at the headquarters of the municipal People’s Committee to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Saigon–Gia Dinh being renamed Ho Chi Minh City (2 July 1976 – 2 July 2026). The projection show transformed the building’s facade into a vivid visual canvas, highlighting cultural symbols and key milestones in the city’s development as part of the anniversary celebrations. In a solemn atmosphere, delegates respectfully laid flowers and observed a minute of silence in memory of President Ho Chi Minh – the great leader of the Party and the nation, a national liberation hero and a world cultural celebrity. Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Cinema Promotion and Development Association and Director of DANAFF IV, said the Politburo's Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, and Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on the development of Vietnamese culture have created a solid foundation for advancing cultural industries and a creative economic sector, and strengthening IP protection, opening up new opportunities for Vietnam's film sector. Titled "The Last Bullet," the film follows the remarkable journey of the Olympic shooting champion, highlighting the perseverance, discipline, coach-athlete bond and personal sacrifices behind his historic achievement. The photo exhibition featured vivid images of Vietnam's majestic natural scenery, rich cultural heritage, distinctive customs and centuries-old traditional craft villages. The festival conveyed a meaningful message on safeguarding and promoting ethnic cultural identities to both domestic and international audiences. It helped raise public awareness and community responsibility while creating new momentum for tourism development, cultural industries and traditional crafts closely associated with the lives of Cham people in the new era. Jointly organised by the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, the Guangxi Arts University of China and the Lijiang School of Painting of Guangxi, the exhibition features more than 90 selected paintings which cover a wide range of subjects, including landscapes, flowers, birds and portraits. Held from June 26 to 28 around West Lake, the festival featured a vibrant programme of cultural performances, exhibitions, hands-on experiences and tourism promotion activities, helping showcase Hanoi as a safe, friendly and culturally rich destination. After three editions under the theme "Bridging Asia", DANAFF IV has adopted the new theme "Bridging Asia to the World", reflecting its ambition to connect Vietnamese cinema more closely with regional and global film industries. This year’s race route once again left a strong impression as participants passed through some of Ly Son’s most iconic landscapes, including windswept coastal roads, dramatic volcanic rock formations and distinctive green garlic fields. The two teams were selected by the the jury of DIFF 2026 after the qualifying rounds, based on criteria including concept and theme, creativity, pyrotechnic effects, synchronisation between music and fireworks, overall performance quality, and audience impact. Centred on presenting a Vietnam that is youthful and dynamic while remaining deeply rooted in cultural identity, the festival offered a diverse programme combining exhibitions, cultural experiences, cuisine, performing arts and film, contributing to the promotion of Vietnam’s image and people to Czech and international audiences. Xam singing, a folk art form with a history of more than 700 years, is not only a distinctive form of performance but also a living archive of Vietnamese cultural memory, reflecting everyday life, emotions, and aspirations across generations. Themed "Vision," the two teams brought the festival's qualifying round to a spectacular close with performances that combined artistic storytelling, synchronised music and cutting-edge pyrotechnic techniques. The pagoda preserves 896 woodblocks, including 26 sets of Buddhist texts and several unidentified pieces. With its larger scale and broader international participation, Sports Festival 2026 is expected to become one of Vietnam's standout sporting events this summer while enriching community activities and supporting tourism during the peak travel season. A series of activities have been held in Montreuil city from June 26-28 to mark the 115th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's departure for a path to national liberation (June 5) and the 80th anniversary of his 1946 state visit to France as a guest of the French Government. Modern families must do more than nurture compassion. They should also raise citizens equipped with digital skills, an innovative mindset, legal awareness and a strong sense of social responsibility. Policies on ethnic affairs and culture must be people-centred, ensuring that ethnic minority communities can participate in, contribute to and benefit from the country's development. Supporting ethnic minorities, including the Cham people, is not only a political responsibility but also a humanitarian commitment, said Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan. The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel always considers Vietnamese in Israel an inseparable part of the nation and would continue to assist them in their study, work and daily lives. Cultural and art exchanges provide opportunities for people from different countries to learn about one another's traditions, strengthen friendship and promote peace, cooperation and sustainable development, said Ha Thanh, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations. Vietnam Day in Greece 2026 was a meaningful event that helped strengthen people-to-people exchanges, promote the image of Vietnam, its culture and people, and further reinforce the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Greece. Copyright, VietnamPlus, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Editor-in-chief, Mr. Tran Tien Duan.