Vietnam's Traditional Martial Arts Festival Fosters International Exchange and Cultural Heritage Preservation

The 9th Vietnam Traditional Martial Arts International Festival has been organized in Gia Lai province, located in Vietnam's Central Highlands. The festival brought together 15 international martial arts delegations from 9 countries, along with thousands of martial artists and athletes. The event, themed "Vietnam Traditional Martial Arts - The Shining Essence," is taking place in Quy Nhon ward and several other locations within Gia Lai province. The opening ceremony was held at Nguyen Tat Thanh Square on August 2nd, with the closing ceremony scheduled for the evening of August 5th at the Provincial Convention Center. The festival's program includes various activities such as incense offerings at Dai Kinh Thien and Quang Trung Museum, mass traditional martial arts performances, exchanges between domestic and international delegations, visits to martial arts schools, historical and cultural sites, and an exhibition of photos featuring national and international martial arts schools and styles. As of July 20th, the organizing committee announced registrations from 15 international martial arts delegations, comprising 241 members from countries including France, Switzerland, Germany, Burkina Faso, Thailand, Morocco, Italy, and Russia. Domestically, 11 delegations with 167 members are participating, alongside 11 clubs and martial arts schools from Gia Lai province. Additionally, 32 delegations have registered for the National Traditional Martial Arts Club Championship, expecting approximately 750 coaches and athletes. Ms. Do Thi Dieu Hanh, Director of the Gia Lai Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, stated that this year's festival aims to connect the "great highlands and the blue sea," uniquely combining traditional martial arts with gong culture. This initiative is intended to bolster the successful preservation and promotion of the "Binh Dinh Traditional Martial Arts" dossier. Binh Dinh province (formerly) is recognized as the cradle of Vietnamese traditional martial arts, with the Tay Son period being a particularly prosperous era, closely associated with the leaders of the Tay Son peasant movement and King Quang Trung. In 2012, Binh Dinh Traditional Martial Arts was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage. The International Festival of Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts has been held eight times since 2006. The dossier for Binh Dinh Traditional Martial Arts is projected to be considered by UNESCO for inscription as a world intangible cultural heritage in 2027. The festival aims to honor the values of Vietnamese traditional martial arts, promote the image of Gia Lai's homeland and people, and provide opportunities for domestic and international martial arts delegations to exchange experiences, thereby contributing to the preservation and development of Vietnam's martial arts heritage.