The programme, entitled “Vietnamese traditional arts charity concert in support of Agent Orange victims - Love & Peace Concert 2026 in Hiroshima”, took place at the Minami Ward Cultural Center in Hiroshima.

Under the message “For Agent Orange victims, for Viet Nam-Japan friendship, for peace”, the event was organised by the Love & Peace Concert Organising Committee in coordination with friendship associations and the Vietnamese community in Hiroshima. It was held under the patronage of the Embassy of Viet Nam in Japan, the Consulate General of Viet Nam in Osaka, the Hiroshima local authorities and various relevant agencies and organisations.

Vietnamese and Japanese artists at the concert. (Photo: VNA)

Cao Thanh Dinh, a representative of the Organising Committee, said preparations for the programme had begun in February 2026, with the participation of numerous organisations, volunteers, artists and people in Japan who love Viet Nam and cherish peace. He noted that holding the event in Hiroshima, a city that once suffered an atomic bombing, added significance to its message about the consequences of war, the responsibility to safeguard peace and solidarity with victims who continue to suffer its long-term effects.

The programme’s special guest was Nguyen Duc, an Agent Orange victim from Viet Nam. Before the concert, Nguyen Duc visited Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and laid flowers at the memorial to the victims of the atomic bombing. He also took part in a dialogue with Kiriake Chieko, a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, discussing memories of war, the losses it left behind and the aspiration for peace.

The meeting between two witnesses to the consequences of war was a highlight of the series of activities, conveying a shared message of a world free from nuclear weapons, chemical weapons and war.

Speaking at the event, Nguyen Duc expressed his hope that through music, particularly the sounds of traditional Vietnamese and Japanese musical instruments, audiences in both countries would gain a deeper understanding of one another and work together to cherish and preserve peace for future generations.

The artistic highlight of the programme was a performance by the Bong Sen Art Troupe from Viet Nam. Under the theme “54 ethnic groups weaving a thousand-year symphony of Vietnamese culture”, the artists introduced Japanese audiences to a range of performances featuring traditional musical instruments, including the dan bau (monochord), dan T’rung (bamboo xylophone), K’lông pút (bamboo percussion instrument), dan da (lithophone), flutes and drums, alongside ethnic dances.

The programme also featured friendship performances by singer Kimoto Izumi and the YAMATO group, creating opportunities for cultural exchange between artists from the two countries.

Nguyen Duc signs autographs for Japanese audience members attending the programme. (Photo: VNA)

In addition to the performances, the Organising Committee arranged an exhibition area showcasing photographs and documentary materials on the consequences of Agent Orange and activities supporting victims in Viet Nam.

The Organising Committee said that contributions raised through the programme would be used to support Agent Orange victims in Viet Nam. Through music, stories about the consequences of war and humanitarian activities, the “Love & Peace Concert 2026” helped build another bridge for people-to-people exchanges between Viet Nam and Japan while spreading a message of peace from the city of Hiroshima.

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