In order to promote Da Nang’s image to friends around the world, cultural diplomacy activities in Da Nang have been given a special heed by the municipal government and implemented methodically and on a large scale. Not only does this aspect deepen the relationship between Da Nang and international partners, promotes the economy, especially tourism for sustainable development, but it also contributes to building the city into one of the most important economic centres in Viet Nam.

Cultural diplomacy activities contribute to bringing Da Nang's image to friends worldwide. The recently-held Da Nang International Yoga Festival 2022 attracted many participants. Photo: PV

Enhancing cultural exchange activities

According to the Da Nang People's Committee, in more than 10 years of implementing cultural diplomacy, Da Nang has witnessed a sharp rise in international visitor numbers.

Outstandingly, Da Nang has been recognised as Asia's top festival and event destination in 2016,  placed in Top 10 Cities in Asia for Meetings and Conferences by Smart Travel Asia magazine in 2017 and 2018.

The city has actively mobilised and successfully coordinated to organise many international and regional cultural and sports events, many international conferences and seminars at home and abroad.
At the same time, the city has actively integrated cultural diplomacy activities in people-to-people diplomacy activities.

Through exchange events, exhibitions, arts performances and film festivals organised by the municipal government in coordination with cultural centres and foreign diplomatic missions in Viet Nam, it has attracted the attention of a large number of local residents and international friends.

Thanks to that, the position of Da Nang, and Viet Nam at large, have been raised up in the international arena.

In order to promote the above-mentioned achievements, more recently, the city has successfully organised many cultural exchange events such as the Da Nang International Yoga Festival 2022, Viet Nam - Japan Cultural Exchange Festival 2022, the Viet Nam - Laos Cultural Exchange Festival 2022 and photo exhibitions and film weeks. These activities have left beautiful impressions in the eyes of international friends.

Mr. Ahousit Vannaphone, Chairman of the Lao Students’ Association at the Da Nang University of Education said that new Lao students who come to Da Nang for study are always helped wholeheartedly by their Vietnamese peers and residents to integrate into their new life. 

At the Viet Nam - Laos Cultural Exchange Festival on the occasion of the Lao Bunpimay traditional New Year and the 60th founding anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Laos (1962 -2022) taking place in early April 2022, Vietnamese and Laotian students participate in many cultural activities and fun folk games, thereby helping to connect mutual understanding and give a chance for the participants to gain a deeper insight into customs, culture and lifestyle of the 2 countries.

Meanwhile, at the Viet Nam - Japan Cultural Exchange Festival 2022 taking place in mid-June 2022, Mr. Shimonishi Kiyoshi, Deputy Consul General of Japan in Da Nang said, not only having vividly recreated the Vietnamese and Japanese cultural space, the festival brought many impressions to viewers through Japanese tea ceremony space, Origami paper folding art, Vietnamese calligraphy and Japanese manga display area.

“This year's festival is of great significance to students who are learning Japanese and understanding more about Japanese cultural characteristics, thereby serving as a bridge of friendship between the 2 countries,” said Mr. Shimonishi Kiyoshi.

Promoting cultural diplomacy for economic development

In the trend of deepening international integration and the current era of globalisation, together with political and economic diplomacy, cultural diplomacy has become one of the three pillars of foreign policy.

In order to continue to enhance the efficiency of cultural diplomacy activities and promote Da Nang’s image to the world, at the end of 2021, the Da Nang People's Committee issued a plan to implement cultural diplomacy by 2025 with 7 key tasks and solutions.

In detail, focus will be on accelerating cultural diplomacy with political diplomacy and economic diplomacy, promoting the connection between cultural diplomacy and overseas Vietnamese affairs, linking cultural diplomacy with people-to-people diplomacy, promoting the cultural values, images and people of Da Nang, mobilising the diversification and promotion of international heritages and titles, absorbing the cultural quintessence of humanity and stepping up human resource training for cultural diplomacy activities.

In a great to concretize the aforementioned tasks, relevant local agencies are creating favourable conditions for foreign delegations to visit and learn about Da Nang culture.

According to Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Thi Hoi An, Da Nang boasts a diverse tangible and intangible cultural system, which is formed and developed sustainably.

Thanks to this, the city has effectively implemented its cultural diplomacy strategies.
Over the past time, the city has maintained foreign art festivals on New Year's Eve and created good conditions in terms of venue, art content for cultural exchange activities in the city.

The Da Nang administration has just assigned the cultural sector to prepare the content of the hot air balloon festival with the participation of South Korea in the near future.

As reported by Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Cong Tien, the city has established friendly and cooperative relationships with 46 localities of 21 countries and territories worldwide.

Every year, the Department of Foreign Affairs welcomes about 100 international delegations for travel and working sessions in Da Nang.

In addition to organising thoughtful and respectful working sessions, cooperation contents in the cultural field such as sightseeing programnes, culinary, art and culture exchange activities in Da Nang are an impressive highlight Da Nang has created. 

In the immediate future, two major festivals will be organised in Da Nang, namely  the Viet Nam - Japan festival and the Viet Nam -  South Korea festival, which will take place in July and September 2022, respectively.

It is expected that, in 2023, the city will organise more ASEAN festivals with 10 participating countries.

Reporting by XUAN DUNG – Translating by A.THU