Hanoi (VNA) – The 2026 Hanoi International Martial Arts Festival opened at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel on August 7, featuring spectacular performances by martial artists and kungfu masters from different countries and regions.
The inaugural festival, the largest of its kind ever held in Hanoi, is taking place until August 9 at venues across the capital.
In her opening remarks, Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Thu Ha said the festival, themed “The Spirit of Thang Long – The Essence of Vietnamese Martial Arts”, is one of Hanoi’s practical activities aimed to implement the Politburo's Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on the development of Vietnamese culture and Resolution No. 02-NQ/TW on the construction and development of the capital city in the new era.
It is also an effort to shape the city's brand and create cultural products deeply imbued with Hanoi’s identity while simultaneously developing cultural activities linked to cultural industries, thereby gradually enhancing their quality, scale, and reach to a level comparable with regional and global standards, she added.
The event attracts about 2,000 martial artists of 66 delegations, including seven international delegations from six countries, namely Indonesia, Russia, France, Germany, Switzerland and Morocco. They will perform a wide range of disciplines including traditional Vietnamese martial arts, Vovinam, karate, pencak silat, taekwondo, wushu and mixed martial arts.
The festival features various activities such as martial arts demonstrations, competitions and cultural exhibitions.
There are also seminars on the history of Hanoi’s traditional martial arts, as well as strategies for investment and resource development. Martial arts masters, coaches, athletes and experts can share knowledge and experiences while seeking measures to enhance training quality and foster martial arts development in the context of global integration.
A dedicated space has been set up to showcase historical, cultural and martial arts values through images, artefacts, equipment and digital technology applications. Martial arts uniforms, training and competition equipment, martial arts-related items and souvenirs are also available for visitors to gain deeper understanding of the history, cultural significance and spirit of both traditional and modern disciplines.
According to organisers, the festival is organised to honour Vietnam’s martial arts traditions, preserve and promote the values of traditional martial arts in contemporary life, and provide a platform for exchanges among domestic and international martial arts organisations, federations and schools. It also aims to foster professional cooperation while promoting culture, tourism and the image of Hanoi./.
