It also opened a new chapter for the Vietnam Pavilion to step up its activities with greater energy and creativity in fulfilling its mission of promoting the nation’s image, fostering cultural exchange, connecting trade, and advancing science and technology.
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Vietnamese artists performing at Vietnam National Day at EXPO 2025 |
The celebration featured a wide range of cultural and artistic activities. With its theme, “Designing future society for our lives,” the expo serves as a convergence point where past, present, and future meet, offering a platform for countries to spread cultural values, display advanced science and technology, raise awareness, and strengthen cooperation in pursuing the United Nations’ sustainable development goals while envisioning a model of an ideal future society.
With nearly 170 participating nations and international organizations and an estimated 30 million visitors, Vietnam selected the theme “An inclusive society centered on people.” Through this theme, Vietnam seeks to share proud stories of a nation with a heroic history, a dynamic and globally integrated economy, a rich and diverse culture, and people who are industrious, compassionate, and hospitable. It also emphasizes a safe and orderly society dedicated to ensuring prosperity and happiness for all, “leaving no one behind.” This year’s celebration was particularly meaningful as it coincided with the historic month of September, when the Vietnamese people proudly commemorated the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The Vietnam Pavilion at EXPO 2025 embodies a blend of tradition, modernity, and future aspirations. Using contemporary exhibition techniques and digital technologies, it tells compelling stories about Vietnam’s people and nation while reflecting the country’s ambition to achieve breakthroughs in a new era. Highlights include artistic storytelling through traditional costumes, folk music, and modern projection technology, infused with humanistic values, cultural identity, and the soulful beauty of Vietnamese people.
In the hands-on space for To he (traditional toy figurines made from colored rice dough), artisan Dang Dinh Thuong has drawn crowds with his skillful craft, transforming simple materials into figurines of animals and folk characters. He also invites visitors to try the craft themselves. “For me, each To he figurine carries a piece of the Vietnamese soul. Sharing it with international friends helps them better appreciate the delicacy and enduring vitality of Vietnamese culture,” he said.
Alongside the exhibitions, daily performances such as water puppetry and traditional music, presented four times a day, have attracted large audiences. Vietnamese artists and artisans also perform with international counterparts from Saudi Arabia, the United States, Malaysia, Portugal, Thailand, and other countries on outdoor stages across the expo grounds. According to People’s Artist Tran Ly Ly, Chief Director of the cultural program, seven major performances have been designed with the participation of leading art troupes and artists. These programs aim to honor Vietnam’s cultural identity while blending modern elements, resulting in presentations that are both familiar and profound, yet rich in global integration. She emphasized that EXPO 2025 in Osaka is a rare global platform for countries to present their unique values, and the National Day of Vietnam was a precious opportunity to share the beauty of Vietnamese culture with international audiences.
According to Tran Nhat Hoang, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Deputy Commissioner General of Vietnam at EXPO 2025, the Vietnam Pavilion has welcomed about one million visitors in the first four months since opening and has been recognized as one of the most popular destinations. Media coverage has been strong both in Vietnam and internationally, while images of the pavilion have been widely shared on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Japanese influencers, including YouTuber Issei with nearly 70 million subscribers, have visited and introduced the pavilion to their audiences. In the coming months, the pavilion will continue to host cultural and artistic activities showcasing the nation’s heritage, presenting Vietnam as a peaceful, innovative, dynamic, and internationally integrated country.
International visitors have expressed delight after visiting the pavilion. In the heart of Japan, they have been able to experience the essence of Vietnamese culture. Kim Joon Ho, a 40-year-old visitor from the Republic of Korea, said that he was most impressed by the pavilion’s openness and its ability to connect. “I clearly felt the harmony between tradition and modernity in every display. What struck me was how everything was arranged cohesively, creating a seamless narrative of Vietnam from past to present and future. Through this approach, Vietnam has sent a powerful message of creativity and integration, while inspiring visitors like me to learn more about the country and its people,” he said.
With only about a month left before EXPO 2025 concludes, organizers are encouraging visitors to seize the opportunity to visit the Vietnam Pavilion, to explore, experience, and connect, creating contributions of value to our shared lives. Hoang emphasized that better mutual understanding will foster more fruitful cooperation between Vietnam and international partners. The presence of Vietnamese art at such a global event is not only representative but also affirms the position of a dynamic, integrated Vietnam that remains steadfast in preserving and promoting its traditional cultural values.
Translated by Tran Hoai