Vietnam Leverages Cultural Heritage for Development Through Diverse Initiatives

Hanoi has recently launched a series of initiatives to realize its vision of becoming a "Civilised – Distinctive – Creative" capital, where culture and innovation serve as key growth engines. Among the most notable are the creative infrastructure development programme and the 2026 creative space design competition, which encourage architects, designers and creative communities to revitalise former industrial sites, relocated facilities, traditional craft villages, parks, squares and other public spaces through innovative yet practical design solutions. While the Huong (Perfume) River defines Hue as a riverside city, these canals create a quieter, more intimate landscape closely tied to local life. Beyond remaining a familiar destination for readers, Nguyen Van Binh Book Street in Ho Chi Minh City’s Sai Gon ward now contributes to the city’s nighttime cultural life, meeting the public’s demand for weekend recreation, cultural enjoyment and relaxation. The second Thang Long – Hanoi Festival 2026, themed “Heritage Flow,” kicked off on the night of September 11. It aims to bring traditional cultural values ​​closer to the public, expand international exchange, and contribute to the development of Hanoi's cultural industries. This year’s festival showcased the waterways, boats and monkey bridges of the Mekong Delta, along with handicrafts made from coconut leaves, bringing the distinctive character of Vietnam’s southern region to life through decorations, interactive activities and artistic performances. During the meeting, Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Ngo Minh Nguyet highly valued the significant contributions made by the ICAV over the past decades to strengthening people-to-people ties and cultural exchanges between Argentina and Vietnam. The Vietnamese Embassy and Vietnamese Association in Slovakia staged a friendly football tournament at Pekná Cesta Stadium to celebrate Vietnam’s National Day (September 2), with four teams representing the Vietnamese community across Slovakia. The event aims to provide an international scientific forum for further research, exchanges and discussions on authenticity in world heritage conservation, in close connection with the outstanding universal value, integrity and cultural values of heritage elements. The UN General Assembly’s adoption of a resolution on the International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development reflects Vietnam’s increasingly proactive role at multilateral forums. UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany hailed the UN General Assembly’s proclamation of the International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development (2027–2036), thanking Vietnam for promoting the initiative, as well as all co-sponsoring countries, members of the core group and the Group of Friends for Culture at the UN for their support.