HCM City (VNA) - The 11th HCM City Ao Dai Festival, themed “Vietnamese Ao Dai - Rising Vietnam”, opened on March 7 with a vibrant ceremony on Nguyen Hue walking street.
Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan attending the opening ceremony of the festival, which takes place on the occasion of the 115th anniversary of International Women’s Day.
In his opening remarks, Chairman of HCM City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc, highlighted the festival’s role in celebrating Vietnamese culture and honoring the contributions of women to the nation.
This year’s event coincides with the 50th anniversary of the South’s liberation and reflects the city’s growth, he added.
The festival features nearly 60 ao dai designers and over 30 ambassadors from various fields.
The highlight is a mass folk dance with around 3,000 participants, expected to draw over 50,000 attendees from across the city.
Activities include art performances, a painting contest, an online photo competition, and exhibitions focused on the national dress.
In addition, there will be a programme donating ao dai to women’s union members.
The southern metropolis considers event-based tourism one of the seven pillars of its tourism development strategy. This year, it aims to attract 8.5 million international visitors and 45 million domestic tourists, with projected tourism revenue reaching 260 trillion VND (10.18 billion USD), or approximately 13% of the city's GRDP./.
Vietnamese women celebrate "Ao Dai Week" 2025
In celebration of the 115th anniversary of International Women’s Day (March 8, 1910 -2025) and other significant national events, the Vietnam Women’s Union has launched "Ao Dai Week" from March 1 to 8, 2025. This initiative aims to spread awareness, inspire community engagement, and reinforce the responsibility of preserving and promoting Vietnam’s cultural heritage.
