Artists from Russia brought joyful melodies, leading listeners into the world of the birch tree country with the famous song Kalinka.

The closing program took place on the evening of 4/10 at Hoang Thanh Thang Long, concluding the second four-day World Cultural Festival in Hanoi.

From the afternoon, hundreds of attendees gathered at the event venue, visiting stalls showcasing the culture and cuisine of nations from five continents.

The Myanmar art troupe performed Governer of Pakhan in Making Merry, showcasing the charm of their traditional art.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh stated that during the four-day festival, the co-presence of heritage, performing arts, cinema, fashion, cuisine, tourism, and various creative forms in one space fostered new products and attractions.

"New connections have formed, giving us confidence that culture will bring people, nations, and ethnic groups closer," Lam Thi Phuong Thanh said. Through this, she aimed to convey a message: respect differences for greater understanding, share values for stronger bonds, and collaborate culturally to build a civilized, peaceful, and developed world.

The UPRIZE group demonstrated the dynamism of Vietnam's young generation in the songs Thang and Exposure.

The narrative of cultural connection continued through musical melodies. Similar to the opening event, the program began with international performances in chapter one, "Meeting Colors".

The Iranian art troupe opened with the piece Fasaneh Eshgh (Legend of Love).

Chapter two, "A Greeting from Vietnam", presented distinctive melodies from the country's three regions. In the performance of Phong Nu (music by Ho Hoai Anh, lyrics by Khanh Ly) and Co Doi Thuong Ngan (ancient chau van), ca nuong Kieu Anh impressed with her candle dance and drumming. She received strong applause from the audience, who sang along to parts of the two songs.

Artists Vo Minh Lam and Que Tran transported the audience to the Mekong Delta with the performances of Da Co Hoai Lang (Cao Van Lau) - Ve Mien Tay (To Thanh Tung).

Singer Anh Tu performed Dan Ta Hat Dan Ca (Tang Nhat Tue) with artists from the Vietnam National Puppet Theater.

Huong Tram (left) and People's Artist Dieu Huong introduced the beauty of Central Vietnamese folk songs in Ly Muoi Thuong - Ly Ngua O.

This year's festival, themed "Converging Heritages - Creating the Future", took place from 1-4/10, commemorating Vietnam's 50th anniversary of joining the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The event featured 45 cultural spaces, 35 food stalls, 18 countries registered to screen films, and 19 international art troupes with 220 artists from five continents.

The first World Cultural Festival in Hanoi was held in 2025, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Hanoi People's Committee. The inaugural event introduced various activities in cinema, fashion, cuisine, and honored the reading culture of Vietnam and many countries worldwide.

Giang Huy - Phuong Linh