Can Tho: fourth national lion dragon dance champs opens
The fourth national lion dragon dance championship kick-started in Le Huu Phuoc Park, Ninh Kieu district, the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho on February 3.
Can Tho (VNA) - The fourth national lion dragondance championship kick-started in Le Huu Phuoc Park, Ninh Kieu district, theMekong Delta City of Can Tho on February 3.
The three-day event drew 640 competitors from 32 troupesnationwide, including HCM City, Binh Duong, An Giang, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, HauGiang, Tien Giang, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Soc Trang, Can Tho, and the firstlocalities to join, namely Hai Phong, Quang Nam, Kine Giang, Dong Nai, TayNinh, and Long An.
They will compete in seven lion dance categories forindividuals and teams.
Pham Van Luan, Deputy Director of the municipal Department ofCulture, Sports and Tourism said the annual ceremony aims to promote the traditionalform of performance and create an exchange opportunity for the troupes.
Lion dragon dancing is a traditional form of performance – asymbol of luck, prosperity, security and good health during festive events,especially the Lunar New Year.
It has become widespread not only in Vietnam but in manySoutheast Asian and East Asian countries. - VNA
The first national lion dragon dance championship was held in the Mekong Delta province of Can Tho on January 21 to herald the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, the country’s biggest holiday.
The Soc Trang Open “Lan, Su, Rong” (Unicorn, Lion, Dragon) Dance championship kicked off for the first time in the Mekong Delta province on February 5.
As many as 37 professional troupes are competing in the HCM City Open Unicorn-Lion-Dragon Dance Championship being held during weekends at Dam Sen Park in District 11.
Vietnam’s cinematic appeal lies in its diverse settings, from terraced mountains and limestone karsts to bustling markets and ancient towns. Its mix of ethnic vibes, buzzing street life, and old traditions gives directors a goldmine for storytelling.
The Vietnamese team will gather on June 26 in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, where they will train until July 14 before departing for Indonesia for the ASEAN U23 Championship 2025, which runs from July 15 to 29. Vietnam will face Laos on July 19 and Cambodia on July 22 in the group stage.
The exhibition showcases more than 100 valuable documents and artifacts, divided into two main parts: “Journalist Nguyen Ai Quoc – Ho Chi Minh” and “President Ho Chi Minh – Founder and Mentor of Vietnamese Revolutionary Press.” This is an opportunity to recall the late leader’s journalism journey and affirm his exceptional role in founding and guiding the revolutionary press in Vietnam.
For the first time, the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) has granted Vietnam hosting rights for the two championships, including the Asian women’s solo category, which debuts this year as an officially recognised event.
Eight teams will join the tournament, divided into two groups. Group A features Vietnam, the Philippines, Sichuan Club (China), and Australia, while Group B consists of Vietnam U21, Korabelka Club (Russia), Taiwan (China), and U21 Thailand.
Despite strong home support and high expectations, Vietnam were unable to overcome the defending champions, who secured their third consecutive win over Vietnam in a regional final, following previous victories in 2014 and 2023.
The event, part of Vietnam’s cultural diplomacy strategy through 2030, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela and USM’s Faculty of International Relations. It attracted thousands of students from universities across Venezuela.
For the first time, Vietnamese audiences will have the opportunity to experience the ballet masterpiece "Don Quixote" in its original version by renowned choreographer Marius Petipa.
The contest carried deep meaning as it was the first time the life of Vietnamese women abroad had been highlighted as the central theme, said poet and writer Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association.
The event formed part of Vietnam’s ongoing campaign to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the complex at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, scheduled to take place in Paris in July.
Creative cultural festivals are fast emerging as a new catalyst for tourism development in Vietnam, as localities increasingly invest in these vibrant events on a more systematic and larger scale.
This marks the first time Vietnam has hosted a continental-level Muay event which will feature competitions across 28 weight categories in combat and eight performance categories.
Coming to the Vietnamese booth, visitors had the chance to take part in a bamboo dance, a workshop on painting woven bamboo or rattan, or quizzes about Vietnam.
These are impressive achievements, not only showing the efforts and prowess of Vietnamese paddlers but also serving as proof of the sports sector’s strategic and systematic investment.
The cultural event in Canberra not only fostered cultural exchanges between Vietnam and Australia but also contributed to promoting Vietnam’s image internationally
The U23 competition will run from June 16 to 22, followed by the U17 event from June 23 to 28, while athletes competing in the U23 category will undergo weight and skill checks ahead of the matches starting June 18, while similar checks for U17 athletes will take place before June 23.
Illustrative image. (Photo: mualansurong.vn) 
