In the first days of the new year, not only Vietnamese people but also many foreign tourists come to Hanoi’s Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam or Temple of Literature - the first university in Vietnam, to ask for letters and pray for a good new year.
Having a calligraphic work written on red paper to display during the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, Vietnam’s biggest traditional event is a local tradition to pray for good things. The calligraphers write letters meaning prosperity, longevity, and happiness.
Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam often holds the Spring Calligraphy Festival, hosting exhibitions of excellent calligraphic works, culinary delights, folk games, traditional music performances, water puppet shows, or activities to introduce handicraft works.
Many international tourists come to visit the Temple of Literature on Tet days and enjoy asking for letters at the beginning of the year. Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam
Austrian tourists are being introduced to the character sets as well as the meaning of the custom of asking for letters at the beginning of the year. Photo: To Quoc Newspaper
From the elderly... Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam
...to young people... Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam
... even children ask for letters at the beginning of the year. Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam
The handwriting is written by calligraphers or calligraphy masters, dressed in ao dai, a Vietnamese traditional dress, on Do or Diep paper. Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam
Cindea GiGi from Romania felt extremely excited and excited when he was able to celebrate Tet for the first time and ask for the first word of the new year at the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam.
He shared that he likes the tradition of asking for words and giving words in Vietnam. Through it he learns many more profound and meaningful wishes. He asked for the letter 'An' to hope that peace will come to everyone in this new year and he wishes Vietnam will increasingly develop and spread good cultural values to contemporary generations.
GiGi and Thomas from Romania were excited about their calligraphy work. Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam
The joy of foreign tourists after getting the first letter of the year. Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam
With inspiration from Ukiyo-e, a Japanese wood painting technique, young Vietnamese artists bring a personal touch to their work, creating an artistic interplay between Vietnam ...
Hotel bookings along the parade route are rising sharply. What do travelers need to know when coming to Hanoi for the rehearsal and National Day parade?
With funding of around EUR 80 million over nearly six decades, MCNV has accompanied Vietnam across four pillars: health development, social inclusion, climate change adaptation, and livelihood improvement, bringing tangible benefits to hundreds of thousands of people.
On July 28 in Hanoi, a workshop and exhibition titled “United for Change: Leaving No One Behind in the Fight Against Trafficking in Persons” was held to mark the World and National Day Against Trafficking in Persons (July 30).
On July 25, the Vietnamese Embassy in Myanmar and the Vietnam Business Club in Myanmar handed over houses, water tanks, and livelihood support to residents in areas severely affected by the earthquake that struck Myanmar in March 2025.
More than just a simple experience-sharing or inspiration seminar, “Old Stories, New Stories” is organized to promote interdisciplinary cooperation, opening up new intersections between conservation and development, between culture and the economy, and between tradition and innovation.
On April 30, the 120th voyage of the Peace Boat Organization, departing from Yokohama (Japan), docked at Ha Long International Cruise Port, Quang Ninh Province. During the stopover in Vietnam, the delegation visited the Quang Ninh Museum and the 2025 OCOP Fair, where they experienced the cultural heritage, history and culinary quintessence of the Northeast region.
On April 26, a program titled "Happy Lunar New Year for Some Asian Countries 2025" was held in Hanoi. The event, organized by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations in collaboration with the embassies of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, offered an opportunity for international friends to share the joy of the New Year and to strengthen solidarity and friendship among nations.
On the morning of 27 April 2025, along Le Duan Boulevard, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, the Parade and Marching Subcommittee for the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification held the full dress rehearsal for the parade. Vietnam People's Army Forcers proudly join the parade.
General Secretary To Lam met with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, who is also President of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, at the Party Central Office on April 27 afternoon.