The city also unveiled a wide range of summer activities for children, highlighted by the HCMC Children’s Festival and the 2026 Children’s Book Fair.
The press conference jointly organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission and the HCMC Department of Culture and Sports was chaired by the deputy head of the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission, Tang Huu Phong.
Thong Nhat Stadium Renovation project reaches 25 percent completion
Speaking at the press conference, the Deputy Director of the Project Management Unit No. 2 under the Management Board of Industrial and Civil Engineering Construction and Investment Projects of HCMC, Truong Khac Luong stated that the Thong Nhat Stadium renovation and upgrade project commenced on March 24, 2026, with a total investment of nearly VND320 billion (US$12.2 million). The construction period is scheduled to last 360 days.
The project comprises two main components: new construction and renovation. Upon completion, the stadium will have a total seating capacity of 17,750.
After nearly three months of construction, approximately 25 percent of the project workload has been completed.
Under the approved schedule, all project components are expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2027. However, to ensure the venue is ready to host events of the 10th National Sports Games in 2026, scheduled for November in Ho Chi Minh City, the project management board has worked with the contractor consortium to accelerate construction progress.
Accordingly, all works related to the A, C, and D stands, the football pitch, the athletics track, internal roads, and perimeter fencing are expected to be completed in compliance with regulations by October 2026. Meanwhile, the newly built structures, including the B, C1, and D1 stands, are scheduled for completion in February 2027.
Wide range of activities featured at HCMC Children’s Festival
Also at the press briefing, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Children’s House, Nguyen Dang Phuc, provided information on the 4th HCMC Children’s Festival 2026, themed “Circle of Friendship.”
The festival is scheduled to take place from June 26 to June 28 at the main campus of the Ho Chi Minh City Children’s House in Xuan Hoa Ward. Various accompanying activities will also be held at the Children’s House Branch No. 2 in Thu Dau Mot Ward and the Ba Ria–Vung Tau Youth Cultural Center in Vung Tau Ward.
The event will feature a wide range of cultural, artistic, sports, recreational, and educational activities, along with programs aimed at supporting the material and spiritual well-being of children in the city. It will also serve as a platform for interaction and cultural exchange between local children and international children who are living and studying in Ho Chi Minh City.
Key activities include the closing ceremony and awards presentation for the 9th Children’s Literature Writing Competition; a mass flashmob performance of the song “This Earth Belongs to Us”; the final round of the 2026 Young Paintbrush children’s painting contest; a family care workshop; the “Little Ambassador” playground introducing and experiencing multicultural traditions; and exchange performances by children’s clubs, teams, and dance groups.
Children will also have opportunities to participate in the “Drawing the Future City” coding and presentation activity, as well as hands-on STEAM experiences, programming and robot assembly workshops, AI and virtual reality (VR) experiences, robot control demonstrations, a mobile knowledge bus, and practical skill-building activities designed to foster creativity and innovation.
HCMC Children’s Book Fair to be held at three venues
Pham Thi Yen, Deputy Head of the Press and Publishing Division under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, announced that the 6th HCMC Children’s Book Fair 2026, themed “Reading Brings Joy, Learning Brings Wisdom,” will take place from June 26 to July 2.
The event will be held simultaneously at three venues, including the Ho Chi Minh City General Sciences Library, the Sora Gardens Complex, and the Vung Tau Book Street.
In addition, a wide range of outreach activities will be organized at the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street, Tan An Hoi Book Space, workers’ dormitories, social housing projects, hospitals, and various remote and underserved areas.
These activities are expected to broaden children’s access to knowledge resources, foster a lifelong reading habit, and encourage participation in meaningful cultural and educational programs within their local communities. The initiative aims to ensure that all children, regardless of their circumstances or place of residence, have opportunities to engage with books and enriching learning experiences.
