The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) on February 7 held the programme “Diplomatic Families Celebrate the 2026 Lunar New Year of the Horse” for families of consuls general from various countries in the city, featuring a wide range of distinctive Vietnamese traditional cultural activities.

UNESCO highly welcomes the vision reflected in the Politburo’s Resolution 80-NQ/TW, stated UNESCO Representative to Vietnam Jonathan Wallace Baker, stressing that by positioning culture as a core resource and a pillar for development, Vietnam is clearly placing people, values, and identity at the heart of its long-term national strategy.

As one of Vietnam's primary tourism regions, the Mekong Delta is pivoting toward a sustainable future centred on green tourism, environmental protection, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh has approved the submission of the scientific dossier on the Oc Eo – Ba The archaeological site in southern An Giang province to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for consideration and inclusion on the world heritage list.

Striker Nguyen Dinh Bac capped a landmark AFC U23 Asian Cup for Vietnam by claiming the tournament’s top scorer award, as the team finished third for their second-best result in the competition’s history.

An exhibition space that recounts the story of pho from a socio-historical perspective, blending documentary films, artefacts and installation art. (Photo: thethaovanhoa.vn)

In a highly dramatic 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup quarterfinal match in the very early morning of January 17, the Vietnam U23 national team defeated their opponents from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the first time, winning by a narrow 3–2 scoreline after 120 minutes of play to secure a place in the semifinals.

"Mua Do" (Red Rain), directed by Meritorious Artist Dang Thai Huyen and produced by the People’s Army Cinema, won the Golden Kite Award for feature film at the 2025 Golden Kite Awards ceremony held on January 15 in Hanoi.

Vietnam stunned hosts Saudi Arabia with a 1-0 win in a match on late January 12 (Hanoi time) to top Group A, advancing to the U23 Asian Cup quarterfinals.

The northeastern mountainous province of Lang Son and Hoi An ward in the central city of Da Nang have marked a positive start to their tourism activities in 2026 by welcoming the first international tourist delegations of the year.

The 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, held earlier this month in Thailand, marked a historic milestone for Vietnamese sports, reflecting a comprehensive transformation in both strategy and competitive outlook.

Building on the strong recovery in 2025, when Vietnam welcomed an estimated 21.5 million international visitors, the tourism sector has set an ambitious target of attracting 25 million foreign arrivals in 2026.

The grand finale of Miss Cosmo 2025 was held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 20, drawing wide attention from beauty pageant fans at home and abroad.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent a congratulatory letter to the coaching staff, the U22 men’s football squad, and the national women’s futsal team after they clinched gold medals at the 33rd SEA Games on December 18.

A culture - heritage - technology experience space, located within Phu Noi Vu (Internal Affairs Office) of the Hue Imperial Citadel, was launched on the afternoon of December 18, marking an important transformation in the central city of Hue’s strategy for developing cultural industries.

Food enthusiasts will be invited to a rich gastronomic journey at the Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival 2025, themed “Hanoi – a culinary journey connecting creativity”, which promises to showcase the depth and diversity of the capital’s cuisine.

Vietnam added five gold medals on December 14 but remained in third place on the medal table at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Vietnam continued its impressive run at SEA Games 33 as judo, athletics, and swimming brought in a series of gold medals on the evening of December 11.

Vietnam ended its gold drought on the first day of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 33) as Nguyen Thi Huong and Diep Thi Huong powered to victory in the women’s 500m canoe sprint final.

The Hanoi People's Committee has approved initial plans to build an Olympic-standard complex in the capital capable of hosting major international sporting events.