A Southeast Asia cultural - economic exchange programme took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on December 14, serving as a platform to link policymakers, artists and cultural-economic organisations across the region.

VOV.VN -Vietnamese representative Mario Thanh Tam reached the top 15 and received the Hot Icon subsidiary award at the Mister Friendship International 2025 contest in Thailand on the evening of December 14, while Anh Quyen placed in the top 3 and won the 2nd runner-up title at the Mrs Friendship International 2025 competition.

VOV.VN - On December 14, at Da Lat Flower Garden in the Central Highlands’ Lam Dong province, the country’s largest flower bouquet, crafted from 108 different flower varieties and harmoniously arranged into a unique work of art, was officially recognized as a Vietnam Record.

VOV.VN - From intricate beeswax patterns to the echoing sound of the khen flute, the Mong Cultural Festival at Ho Van-Van Mieu in Hanoi creates a vivid space featuring traditional crafts, costumes and the rich spiritual life of Mong community from across the country.

As the cultural industries emerge as a new growth engine for many economies worldwide, Vietnam’s recent release of a Strategy for the Development of Cultural Industries to 2030, with a vision to 2045, holds significant importance.

VOV.VN - Vietnamese representative Mai Ngo narrowly missed out on a spot in the Top 5 of Miss Charm 2025 during the Q&A segment, held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 12, ultimately securing a place in the Top 12.

VOV.VN - Day of Phở 2025 officially opened in Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City on the morning of December 13, promoting Vietnamese food, agricultural products, and brands.

VOV.VN - Vietnam Film Week – Itinéraire de Lumière (Vietnam Cinéma – Itinéraire de Lumière) concluded on December 12 at the Pathé Palace cinema with a screening of Red Rain, leaving a strong emotional impression on international audiences.

VOV.VN - The closing ceremony of the Hue International Tea Festival 2025 was held at Truong Sanh Palace inside the Hue Imperial Citadel on the evening of December 12, bringing to an end three days of continuous activities of the first international tea festival ever hosted in the former imperial capital.

VOV.VN - The Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva hosted a photo exhibition titled “Vietnam – a Dynamic and Aspirational Nation” at the Mission’s headquarters on December 12 to mark Vietnam’s election as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term.

VOV.VN - As part of the 2025 European Phở Week, the Vietnamese Embassies in Germany and Bulgaria simultaneously organized events to promote Phở (Vietnamese noodle soup) on December 12, coinciding with the annual “Phở Day”.

VOV.VN - The European Union (EU) Delegation to Vietnam hosted the EU-Vietnam Sustainable Design Awards (EVSDA) 2025 on the evening of December 12 in Hanoi, marking a milestone in the ongoing cooperation between the EU and Vietnam to promote sustainable development through culture, creativity, and innovation.

VOV.VN - A national costume event for Miss Charm 2025 took place in Ho Chi Minh City on December 11, featuring representatives from 36 countries and territories wearing a colorful array of outfits that highlight distinctive cultural beauty, most inspired by traditional attire.

VOV.VN - Three Vietnamese dishes have been recognised by international culinary guide TasteAtlas among the world’s top 50 duck dishes.

VOV.VN - More than 70 foreign beauties impressed the media while modeling Ao Dai in the second season of the Best of Vietnam Fashion Show, part of the Miss Cosmo 2025 beauty pageant, held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 11.

A light art exhibition featuring images of President Ho Chi Minh and the friendship between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea opened at the Rok's National Assembly headquarters in Seoul on December 10.

The Arabic edition of Dien Bien Phu by General Vo Nguyen Giap has been introduced to readers in Algeria, marking a new step in Vietnam’s efforts to promote its historical and cultural values to Arab countries.

VOV.VN - The Hue International Tea Festival 2025 opened at Truong Sanh Palace in the Hue Imperial Citadel on December 11, bringing together the finest tea traditions from around the world.

VOV.VN - The northern province of Dien Bien is putting the finishing touches to preparations for the ninth Vietnam-Laos-China ball-throwing festival from December 19–21, according to a local official.

VOV.VN - The biennial Hanoi Creative Design Festival, with major events typically in November, will run from January to November in 2026, shifting from a traditional festival model to a dynamic urban creative ecosystem.

An exhibition featuring more than 200 curated watercolour works from the 20-year artistic career of Polish-Vietnamese painter Minh Dam is currently on display at the Temple of Literature special relic site in Hanoi.

The Da Nang New Year Festival 2026, set to take place from December 30, 2025 to January 3, 2026, will feature a wide range of new artistic and entertainment activities designed to enhance visitor experiences, stimulate tourism demand, and create a festive atmosphere to welcome 2026.

VOV.VN - UNESCO has recently recognised the traditional craft of Dong Ho folk painting as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, raising the total number of the country’s such UNESCO-recognised intangible elements to 17.

VOV.VN - An exhibition opened at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi on December 9, showcasing a collection of striking photographs of Vietnam captured by Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Meynardo Los Banos Montealegre.

VOV.VN - Sa Dec village in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap is gearing up for the third edition of flower and ornamental plant festival which is scheduled to take place from December 27, 2025 to January 4, 2026, featuring nearly 40 cultural and tourism activities.

VOV.VN - The traditional craft of Dong Ho folk painting has been inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, marking Vietnam’s 17th element recognised on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list.

VOV.VN - Vietnam has been ranked 16th among the world’s 100 best cuisines, up three notches from 2024 and six places from 2023, according to the latest annual rankings released by international food guide TasteAtlas.

VOV.VN - Runner-up Mai Ngo, Vietnam’s representative at Miss Charm 2025, on December 8 officially unveiled her national costume titled "Hậu ấn kim hoa" at the ongoing beauty pageant.

The ao dai and other forms of traditional Vietnamese dress are enjoying a strong revival in contemporary life, gradually becoming a new cultural asset for the tourism sector.

For the first time, Vietnam will host the 2025 National Breaking – HipHop Showcase and Multi-Discipline Street Dance Mass Performance at Ho Xuan Huong Indoor Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City from December 26-28.