Building bridges of friendship through cultural diplomacy

Meaningful bridges

At Nguyen Tri Phuong Primary School in Hong Bang Ward, Japanese lessons are more than language classes. They provide a space for cultural exchange where students explore the language, culture and people of Japan through games, hands-on activities and stories about the country's festivals, cuisine and traditional attire.

Supporting the students is Yamashita Miyu, a Japanese volunteer participating in the Volunteer Program of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

While introducing students to Japan, Miyu has also gained a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture through everyday conversations with them.

"I came to Vietnam to teach Japanese, but I have learned so much from my students. They tell me about their families, food, customs and hometown. I have realized that cultural exchange is not about one person teaching and another learning, but about sharing and understanding each other," said Miyu.

International cultural exchange is also taking place at many other schools across the city. As part of the Red Flamboyant Festival – Hai Phong 2026, the city Department of Foreign Affairs, the Le Chan Ward People's Committee and Nguyen Van To Primary School co-organized a cultural exchange program with the Bujihwa Art Troupe from South Korea.

Performances of traditional singing genres by the school's teachers and students, together with performances by the South Korean art troupe, created a vibrant cultural exchange that helped students gain a better understanding of the cultures of both countries.

Extending the bridges of friendship

School-based exchange activities are part of Hai Phong's increasingly vibrant cultural diplomacy. Through education, culture and people-to-people exchanges, the city is expanding cooperation with partners around the world.

In the first six months of 2026, Hai Phong organized a wide range of exchange activities with partners from Japan, South Korea, China and Denmark, among others. The Red Flamboyant Festival – Hai Phong 2026 alone welcomed around 150 international delegates, along with art troupes, diplomatic missions and representatives of localities from countries that maintain cooperative ties with the city.

Activities such as the 10th Hai Phong Japanese Speech Contest and the "Fun Korean Learning" program have continued to bring cultural exchange closer to local residents, particularly young people.

According to Hiromatsu Mitsutaka, Third Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, Hai Phong has one of the closest relationships with Japan. The city ranks second in northern Vietnam in Japanese language education, with 35 primary, junior high and senior high schools offering Japanese language programs.

In addition, more than 200 Japanese-invested projects and cooperative relationships with numerous Japanese localities provide a strong foundation for expanding educational and cultural exchanges between the two sides.

It can be seen that cultural diplomacy is creating lasting "soft bridges" connecting Hai Phong with international partners. Through every classroom, exchange program and cooperative activity, the image of the dynamic, open and culturally rich port city is being shared more widely while creating opportunities for younger generations to engage confidently with the world without losing pride in Vietnamese culture.

BUI HANH

BUI HANH