Vietnam's Culture Goes Global: Boosting International Outreach in Cuisine and Traditional Arts

Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh has given in-principle approval for the preparation of scientific dossiers on pho (rice noodle soup) and water puppetry, to be submitted to UNESCO for inclusion on its intangible cultural heritage list. This move aims to further promote Vietnam's rich culinary heritage and traditional arts to the international community and seek global recognition. Vietnam's cuisine has been gaining significant international acclaim. It currently ranks 16th among the world's top 100 cuisines in the latest TasteAtlas rankings, an improvement from previous years. Travel + Leisure magazine has described Vietnamese cuisine as "exceptional," listing Vietnam among leading destinations for travelers seeking cultural experiences through food. Culinary roadshows have been held across Europe, introducing the essence of "pho" to local connoisseurs. Beyond cuisine, the international dissemination of traditional arts is also progressing. The International Festival of Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts attracts numerous martial artists from both Vietnam and abroad, fostering martial spirit, national pride, and cultural exchange. These events serve as opportunities to showcase Vietnamese traditional martial arts to a wider international audience. The integration of heritage preservation and innovation is a key pillar of Vietnam's cultural strategy. Van Phuc silk weaving village in Hanoi, with its millennia-old heritage, is incorporating modern techniques to develop as a sustainable cultural tourism hub. In architecture, legal amendments are clarifying the concept of "national cultural identity in architecture," promoting design that respects regional heritage and aligns with local natural, historical, and social conditions. In Quang Ninh province, efforts are underway to establish "Yen Tu – The Meditative Hues of Autumn" as a signature cultural tourism brand. Events like marathon races along the scenic Ha Long Bay are also integrating culture and sports for regional development. These initiatives suggest Vietnam's potential to transform its cultural heritage into a powerful engine for innovation, economic growth, and national soft power. Pho finds its flavour across Europe in cultural roadshow. Connoisseurs frequently cite “pho Co” as the gold standard of traditional pho, where handed-down family recipes and time-honoured techniques create pure magic in a bowl. With the designation in place, Bonghwa will carry out eight specialised projects worth a combined 347.6 billion KRW (245.1 million USD) from 2026 to 2030 – among them the K-Vietnam Valley itself, tourism development around Changpyeong Reservoir, rental smart farms, and a Baekdudaegan healing ‘pet village.’ ASIAD 2026 is scheduled to take place in Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with the women’s tournament running slightly earlier, from September 14 to October 2. The ninth International Festival of Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts has fostered the martial spirit, strengthened national pride, promoted cultural exchanges and reinforced the aspiration to bring Vietnamese traditional martial arts to a wider international audience. My Quang is not only a signature dish of the Quang region but also reflects the history, culture and daily life of communities in central Vietnam. With its diverse ingredients, preparation methods and distinctive flavours, the noodle soup has become one of Vietnam's best-known culinary specialities, helping strengthen Da Nang's position on the culinary tourism map. Nguyen Tran Thanh Tao produced a dramatic comeback to defeat legendary Turkish cueist Semih Sayginer and claim the title in stage 3 of the PBA-LPBA Championship 2026/27 in Goyang, the Republic of Korea on August 3. Now in its second year, the festival builds on the success of its inaugural edition in 2025 and aims to establish "Yen Tu – The Meditative Hues of Autumn" as Quang Ninh's signature cultural – tourism brand. With its millennia-old heritage and growing integration of preservation and innovation, Van Phuc silk weaving village is poised to become a distinctive cultural destination, helping promote Hanoi’s sustainable cultural tourism and bring the quintessence of Vietnamese silk weaving closer to domestic and international visitors. On architectural management, the draft Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Architecture clarifies the concept of “national cultural identity in architecture”, tying design to the preservation and promotion of regional heritage. It pushes architecture that mirrors local identity and fits each locality’s natural, historical and social conditions, while setting criteria to identify, assess and protect architecturally valuable buildings as a distinct form of cultural heritage. Now in its 10th edition since its debut in 2014, the festival has become one of Vietnam's leading international classical guitar events. ASEAN Football said Vietnam delivered a performance “worthy of the defending champions”, staying composed, well-organised and effective despite the furnace-like atmosphere stoked by roughly 30,000 home fans. The emphatic away win at Pakansari Stadium lifted Vietnam to the top of Group A with seven points from three matches. In the Hanoi Capital Master Plan with a 100-year vision, culture is identified as the core value underpinning the entire plan, serving as an endogenous resource, a source of soft power, and a driving force for the capital city's sustainable development strategy. Vo An Nguyen, who leads the committee and serves as CEO of Future Star World, called the pageant an international contest built around heritage, where beauty is measured alongside knowledge, community responsibility and the preservation of each country's cultural treasures. Vietnam currently ranks 16th among the world's top 100 cuisines in the latest TasteAtlas rankings, up three places from 2024 and six from 2023. Meanwhile, Travel + Leisure has described Vietnamese cuisine as "exceptional" and listed Vietnam among the leading destinations for travellers seeking cultural experiences through food. According to the organising committee, the four-day festival attracts nearly 1,000 martial artists from Vietnam and overseas, including 650 participants from domestic martial arts schools and clubs and 260 representatives from 16 delegations across nine countries, including Thailand and Laos. Competitors will race in the 42.195 km marathon, 21.0975 km half marathon, 10 km and 5 km events. Starting and finishing at the Quang Ninh Planning, Fair and Exhibition Palace, the course will once again feature fully closed roads along Ha Long Bay, a route named by Runner's World UK among the world's 50 most scenic running courses. According to the organising committee, throughout August, the Hue Sports Festival will feature 19 sporting events alongside other Autumn Festival activities. Through these tiny pieces of paper, veteran philatelist Tran Huu Hue tells students about President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam's national heroes, and places across the country and around the world. Experts believe that with coordinated reforms in institutions, technology, human resources and infrastructure, Vietnam can transform its cultural heritage into a powerful engine for innovation, economic growth and national soft power in the new era. From its origin as Saigon-Gia Dinh, Ho Chi Minh City absorbed successive waves of ethnic communities and external influences. Geography and diversity fused to produce a population known for generosity, openness, straightforwardness, solidarity, tolerance and compassion.