Hoi An's full moon festival named intangible heritage
The annual Nguyen Tieu Festival on the 15th of lunar January in Hoi An, central Quang Nam province, has been recognised as a National Intangible Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Hoi An leaders receive certificate recognising annual Nguyen Tieu Festival as National Intangible Heritage (Photo: VNA)
Quang Nam (VNA) - The annual Nguyen Tieu Festival on the 15th oflunar January in Hoi An, central Quang Nam province, has been recognised as a National Intangible Heritageby the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The festival celebrates the full moon of the first lunar month of the year.
The city’s Centre for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation confirmedthe certificate was handed over on February 5, marking the fifth nationalintangible heritage after Thanh Chau bird's nest, Thanh Ha Pottery village,carpentry of Kim Bong village and Tra Que vegetable garden.
The centre said the festival was a major event in a series of cultural andritual activities among local people held during the first lunar month.
Local people often prepare for the festival from the seventh day of the monthwith ancestor worship and praying for peace at the communal houses of Cam Pho, OngVoi, Japanese Bridge, Ong and Ba Pagoda and Minh Huong commune house, as wellas the Fujian and Jiao Zhou clubs.
A night parade will take place in the Old Quarter with lanterns and a poetrecital at Cam Pho communal house as well as folk games at Kazik Park onFebruary 4-6.
Pagodas and communal houses will be open on two days and nights of the 15 and16 lunar days of January (which fall on February 5-6 this year).
Annual Nguyen Tieu Festival recognised as National Intangible Heritage (Photo: VNA)
The annual festival – the most important spiritual event of the year – is anattraction to the locals and tourists with candlelit paper flowers lighting upthe river.
Every family wishes for a peaceful year with vegetarian food, rice, salt, wine,aloeswood, votive ancestral tablets and paper.
In boosting tourism promotion, Hoi An city has launched an online portal – Hoi Aninnovation city – on metaverse and bizverse showing the UNESCO-recognised Hoi Anin cutting-edge 360 virtual reality technology.
It will help visitors explore destinations of the world heritage site throughvirtual reality technology before travelling to Hoi An.
The Old Quarter of Hoi An was recognised as a world heritage by UNESCO in 1999along with My Son Sanctuary, and Hoi An-Cham Islands world biosphere reserve in2009./.
The customs of the Hoa ethnic group in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 5 in celebrating the annual Nguyen Tieu festival (spring lantern festival) have been recognised as a national intangible heritage.
This is the first time since the adoption of the Convention that a country has served two consecutive terms on the Committee. The outcome shows the trust and recognition that member states have given Vietnam for its efforts and achievements in carrying out and promoting the Convention, as well as for its active role, strong standing, and growing credibility at UNESCO.
Quang Duc pottery is known for its wide range of forms, including wine bottles, jars, lime pots, vases, plant pots, incense burners and candle stands. Decorative motifs are equally rich, featuring mythical creatures, pastoral scenes, floral patterns, deer, peacocks, bats and more.
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
Hoi An leaders receive certificate recognising annual Nguyen Tieu Festival as National Intangible Heritage (Photo: VNA) 
Annual Nguyen Tieu Festival recognised as National Intangible Heritage (Photo: VNA) 
