The ninth International Festival of Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts concluded on August 5 evening after 10 days of performances and cultural activities that captivated traditional martial arts enthusiasts, tourists and local residents in the central province of Gia Lai province and beyond.
Addressing the closing ceremony, Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich, Vice Chairwoman of the provincial People's Committee and head of the festival's organising committee, said the event's success had not only helped preserve and promote the values of Vietnamese traditional martial arts, strengthen solidarity and friendship among nations, and boost tourism and related services, but had also demonstrated Gia Lai's capacity to host major national and international cultural and sporting events.
She noted that the festival had further enhanced efforts to prepare and promote the nomination dossier for the Binh Dinh traditional martial arts for UNESCO recognition.
Although the event has drawn to a close, its legacy would continue to resonate, she said. The festival has fostered the martial spirit, strengthened national pride, promoted cultural exchanges and reinforced the aspiration to bring Vietnamese traditional martial arts to a wider international audience.
Organised jointly by the Gia Lai Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam martial arts federation, it attracted 2,242 martial artists, masters and coaches from 102 domestic and international delegations.
Festival activities included incense and flower offerings at the Kinh Thien Palace and the Quang Trung Museum, large-scale martial arts demonstrations, exchanges between Vietnamese and international delegations, the 15th National Traditional Martial Arts Clubs Championship, cultural and performance exchanges at traditional martial arts schools, tours of historical sites and tourist attractions across the province, as well as a photo exhibition showcasing the activities of traditional martial arts schools and organisations in Vietnam and abroad.
Throughout the festival, participating delegations also staged public performances in several localities, reflecting the community-oriented spirit of Vietnamese traditional martial arts.
As part of efforts to preserve and promote the discipline, the Gia Lai Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been working closely with the provincial Department of Education and Training to introduce traditional martial arts into the curriculum at educational institutions across the province./.
