On the evening of December 26, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced the 10 outstanding cultural, sports and tourism events of 2025, which include the 3rd Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III) and the Vietnam Film Week
In 2025, the Organizing Committee received 135 nominations from 50 organizations. The working group met and voted to select 30 events to present to the Organizing Committee, from which 15 events were chosen for the voting process. The 10 outstanding cultural, sports, and tourism events of 2025 were announced as the combined result of two voting methods: a direct vote on December 23rd with the participation of 70 journalists covering the fields of Culture, Information, Sports , Tourism, and Family from 50 central and local media agencies; and an online vote on the Culture Newspaper from December 23rd to 25th.
Specifically, the 10 outstanding cultural, sports, and tourism events of 2025 include:
1. The work of building and perfecting institutions has seen very positive progress, which is a highlight in 2025, a bright spot of the entire term, creating a solid foundation for the Culture, Sports and Tourism sector to confidently move into a new era.
2. The "80 Years of National Achievements" exhibition, themed "80 Years of Independence - Freedom - Happiness," was organized on the largest scale ever, suggesting a direction for organizing exhibitions and fairs in a spirit of innovation, affirming Vietnam's potential and position.
The exhibition is a special political and cultural event in the series of activities commemorating the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd, aiming to honor 80 years of the nation's glorious history and affirm the aspiration to rise in the new era.
For the first time in history, Vietnam organized an exhibition of the largest scale and scope ever. Following the success of the exhibition, the Prime Minister directed the continued organization of large-scale exhibitions and trade fairs to maintain the spirit of innovation and creativity, while affirming Vietnam's potential and position, and arousing national pride and aspirations for national prosperity in the new era.
3. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Vietnamese Revolutionary Journalism (June 21, 1925 – June 21, 2025) and the 80th anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Culture Sector (August 28, 1945 – August 28, 2025), General Secretary To Lam issued important directives and orientations for development in the new period.
4. Vietnamese cultural heritage continues to affirm its prestige, experience, and stature on the international stage, with four outstanding heritage sites in various categories being honored by UNESCO for the first time this year.
The complex of historical sites and scenic spots of Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiet Bac has been inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List.
Four exemplary heritage sites were honored by UNESCO for the first time: the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son and Kiet Bac complex of historical and scenic sites were inscribed on the World Heritage List; Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park and Hin Nam No National Park became the first transboundary World Heritage sites of Vietnam and Laos; the collection of musician Hoang Van was inscribed on the Memory of the World List; and the Dong Ho folk painting craft (Bac Ninh province) was inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguard.
5. The UNESCO General Assembly adopted the initiative "International Decade for Culture for Sustainable Development" proposed by Vietnam.
The initiative sends a powerful message about the shared aspiration to build a peaceful, prosperous, and humane future for all of humanity on the foundation of enhanced cultural cooperation on a global scale.
The Vietnam U22 team performed excellently, winning the gold medal at the SEA Games for the third time.
6. The series of cultural and artistic events commemorating major events of the year created a positive social impact; the year saw a boom in music festivals, with Vietnamese music leaving a brilliant mark both domestically and internationally, promoting the development of the cultural industry.
Throughout the year, many special art programs were organized to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the reunification of the country; the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd.
Vietnamese music continues to make many brilliant achievements. The major music festivals organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and other ministries, sectors, and localities have left a deep impression on the public.
On the international stage, Vietnamese music made a splash when singer Duc Phuc and other artists convincingly won first prize at the Intervision 2025 international music competition (Moscow, Russia).
7. For the first time, "Vietnam Happy Fest" was organized as a series of meaningful, continuous activities. The event marked a new cultural milestone, affirming that Vietnam is becoming a destination of peace, happiness, and humanity in the eyes of international friends.
8. The 24th Vietnam Film Festival and the impact of the film "Red Rain" demonstrate the outstanding contribution of the film industry to the development of the cultural industry; the 3rd Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III) with many new features.
The 24th Vietnam Film Festival continues to affirm its position as an activity promoting the Vietnamese film industry towards sustainability and international integration.
The film "Red Rain" became a phenomenon, setting a box office record of over 714 billion VND, proving the appeal of Vietnamese cinema when seriously invested in, contributing to stimulating the creative market, improving production quality, and increasing social investment in film.
With the theme "DANAFF - Bridge to Asia," DANAFF III has made remarkable progress in terms of scale, duration, and program content, featuring many new highlights.
On the international stage, at the Vietnam Film Week held in Paris, 17 Vietnamese films produced over the past half-century were introduced to the French and international public for the first time. This event contributed to creating a significant mark for Vietnamese cinema on the world map.
9. The Vietnam U22 team performed excellently, winning the Gold Medal at the SEA Games for the third time.
Vietnam has surpassed the 20 million mark in international visitors for the first time.
10. According to the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), Vietnam's tourism sector has experienced the most impressive growth in the world, surpassing 20 million international visitors and over 130 million domestic visitors for the first time.
