The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Gia Lai provincial People's Committee.
The opening ceremony featured a grand artistic performance themed "Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts – A Timeless Heritage of Excellence," bringing together hundreds of performers, artists, martial artists, and cultural artisans. A highlight of the ceremony was the parade led by the Vietnamese national flag, the festival emblem, and ceremonial red flags, followed by international martial arts delegations, domestic teams, and the host delegation from Gia Lai.
The festival has attracted martial arts delegations from France, Italy, Russia, Morocco, China, Algeria, Switzerland, Germany, Burkina Faso, and Thailand, along with dozens of teams from across Vietnam.
Earlier the same day, the organizing committee, together with domestic and international martial arts delegations, grandmasters and practitioners, offered flowers and incense at the Quang Trung Monument, the Tay Son Tam Kiet Shrine and the Kinh Thien Tower historical site in Binh Phu Commune, Gia Lai Province, in tribute to national hero Emperor Quang Trung - Nguyen Hue and the civil and military officials of the Tay Son Dynasty.
The 9th edition of the festival marks the 20th anniversary of its establishment and development, spanning the period from 2006 to 2026. Over the course of eight previous editions, the event has evolved into an international forum for martial arts exchange, helping promote Vietnamese traditional martial arts and the country's cultural identity to the world.
In his opening remarks, Chairman of the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee Pham Anh Tuan stressed that the festival is not only a celebration of martial arts but also an occasion to honor Vietnam's cultural values. Forged through thousands of years of history, Vietnamese traditional martial arts embody the nation's strength, moral philosophy, and enduring martial spirit.
