With a host of cultural and sports events to be organised during the year, Da Nang is emerging as the top destination of choice for international events in many spheres.

The hosting of such international events significantly contributes to spreading the traditional cultural values of Da Nang, and Viet Nam as a whole, to international friends, and helping the central coastal city reaffirmed its position as 'Asia's Leading Festival and Events Destination' as well.

The Viet Nam - Japan Festival 2024 is expected to be held in Da Nang from July 4 - 7 at the East Sea Park. In the photo: The Viet Nam - Japan Festival 2023. Photo: T.P

Popular destination for international cultural and sports events

According to Director of the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Xuan Binh, Da Nang has hosted a wide range of international cultural and sports events. Notable among them are the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF), the Da Nang International Marathon, the IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam, the Da Nang Asian Film Festival, the Asian Golf Festival, the Da Nang Golf Tourism Festival, the Viet Nam - Japan Festival, the Viet Nam - South Korea Festival, and the Da Nang International Yoga Festival.

The aforementioned events have left much impression in the eyes of international friends, greatly contributing to affirming the city’s position as 'Asia's Leading Festival and Events Destination'.

Thanks to that, recent years have witnessed the significant increase in the number of international visitor arrivals to the city. In particular, in the first quarter of 2024, the city welcomed nearly 636,000 international visitors, up 21.6% over the same period in 2023.

Mr. Tran Hieu, Director of the Center for International Cooperation Development and Foreign Relations Service of the city, the success of an international event will contribute to widely advertising the image of Da Nang to international friends, thereby helping them understand the beauty of local traditional culture better and luring more tourists to Viet Nam.

For instance, the Viet Nam - Japan and Viet Nam - South Korea Festivals, slated to be organised in the city in July and August respectively, will introduce the beauty of Da Nang's culture and people to Japanese and Korean tourists and businesses.

Meanwhile, Da Nang will absorb the cultural quintessence of the countries, thereby enriching the spiritual life of local people.

Aside from international cultural and sports events and festivals, UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage has greatly contributed to promoting the image of Da Nang to the world.

Thanks to great efforts made by the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Cultural Diplomacy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNESCO and the city's cultural sector, ‘Ma Nhai’ (Inscriptions) at the Marble Mountains has been officially recognized as a documentary heritage under the UNESCO Memory of the World for the Asia-Pacific Region Programme. This cultural heritage is contributing to attracting a large number of international tourists.

To continue to improve the effectiveness of cultural diplomacy activities, the Da Nang People's Committee has recently issued a plan to implement cultural diplomacy until 2025 with 7 specific tasks and solutions.

Chairman of the Da Nang Union of Friendship Organizations Nguyen Ngoc Binh said that each international friend will be act as a cultural ambassador promoting the image of Da Nang as dynamic, friendly, and safe city in the international arena. This, thereby, boosts economic development, especially sustainable tourism development, as well as consolidates, strengthens and develops people-to-people friendship and cooperation with international friends.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Binh informed that in 2024, the Union is expected to coordinate with agencies and units to organize international cultural and sports events. Included will be the Da Nang International Arts Festival for Youth and Children, and the National Japanese Singing Festival 2024.

On June 16, the Union, the Viet Nam - India Friendship Association and the Indian Embassy in Viet Nam will organize the Da Nang International Yoga Festival 2024. This is an opportunity for local people, especially foreign ex-pats living and working in Da Nang and people from other countries to learn about each other's cultures.

The IRONMAN 70.3 Viet Nam 2024 in Da Nang held from May 10 - 12 contributed to affirming the city’s position as 'Asia's Leading Festival and Events Destination'. Photo: NGUYEN TRINH

Opportunity to attract more international tourists

Da Nang is located on the "Central Heritage Road" journey with diverse and rich cultural resources associated with landscapes, relics, and craft villages, which is very favourable for local tourism development.

As the focal agency to implement cultural diplomacy, the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs has coordinated with relevant units to integrate the promotion of culture and image of Da Nang to the working content for city leaders to exchange with foreign partners.

During his business trip to Japan in March 2023, municipal Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang visited Osaka City. A seminar was held in Osaka to promote investment and tourism into Da Nang.

The purpose of the seminar was to promote destinations of Da Nang, with a focus on introducing the city’s investment and business environment, its key projects calling for investment, and its tourism development potential, to investment groups and tourism businesses in Osaka.

As part of the upcoming Viet Nam - Japan and Viet Nam - Korea festivals, the city will host tourism promotion seminars to attract investment and cooperation from Japanese investors in the field of microchips and semiconductors, as well as share experiences in developing South Korea's strong economic fields.

“This is a new point in this year's festivals. We expect that such cultural diplomacy activities will promote the city's socio-economic development" said Mr. Tran Hieu.

Local-level cooperation is also a bright spot in the picture of cultural diplomacy. During the recent business trip to Germany led by People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh, the city has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on friendship and strategic cooperation with Thüringen State.

Currently, Da Nang has signed 105 Memoranda of Understanding to establish friendly and cooperative relations with 49 localities in countries and territories around the world.

In particular, many minutes have content related to international cooperation in the field of cultural diplomacy and tourism promotion with foreign localities, typically the State of Queensland, Gold Coast (Australia), Daegu City (South Korea), and Khonkaen Province (Thailand).

According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Binh, cultural diplomacy has made practical and effective contributions to the city's socio-economic development. Therefore, the city needs to pay more attention to promoting Da Nang culture abroad.

In the coming time, the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs will focus on connecting and expanding relationships and cooperation to enhance cultural exchange activities and effectively promote economic development.

Importance will be attached to establishing a cultural diplomacy team and focal point for promoting international events in Da Nang, thereby contributing to affirming its title as 'Asia's Leading Festival and Events Destination'.

Reporting by THANH PHUONG - Translating by M.DUNG