The World Championships & Junior Championships of Vocotruyen (Vietnamese traditional martial arts) opened in Italy on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – Cervia City in Ravenna Province, Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region hosted the World Championships & Junior Championships of Vocotruyen (Vietnamese traditional martial arts) on Wednesday.

The event will last until October 5, with a series of competitions, training sessions, professional exchanges, cultural activities and networking events.

Organised by the World Federation of Vietnam Vocotruyen (WFVV), the event brought together more than 500 coaches and athletes from 29 countries, competing in 378 categories in martial arts performances and combat events for different age groups.

The programme will also feature training and upgrading courses for international traditional martial arts referees, professional exchanges, cultural activities, and networking among Vietnamese traditional martial arts organisations, martial arts schools, coaches and athletes from around the world.

Notably, the second WFVV General Assembly will be held as part of the programme to review the federation’s first-term performance, discuss organisational, personnel and professional matters, finalise its charter and regulations, and set development orientations for Vietnamese traditional martial arts internationally in the next period.

The assembly will also provide a forum for members to discuss the development of the movement, professional training, the building of coaching and refereeing teams, improving the quality of competitions, and strengthening connections among Vietnamese traditional martial arts organisations worldwide.

The Vietnamese traditional martial arts delegation to the event were led by Dr. Nguyễn Ngọc Anh, President of the Việt Nam Federation of Traditional Martial Arts. It comprised 83 managers, referees, coaches and athletes, including 40 athletes selected from those who have achieved outstanding results at domestic and international competitions.

The event offers Vietnamese athletes an opportunity to improve their professional skills, gain competition experience and interact with Vietnamese traditional martial arts communities and international athletes from different countries.

Promoting Vietnamese martial arts as a tool of cultural diplomacy was identified in Decision No. 2013/QD-TTg dated November 30, 2021, approving the Cultural Diplomacy Strategy through 2030, which calls for developing a project to promote the arts and using them to enhance the image of Vietnam.

This orientation was further reflected in Politburo Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW dated January 7, 2026, which emphasises promoting Vietnamese cultural values in international integration, expanding cultural and martial arts club models overseas, organising international events, and intensifying communication and promotion of Việt Nam’s image.

Through competitions, demonstrations, cultural exchanges and promotional activities, the Italy event is expected to introduce the distinctive values of Vietnamese traditional martial arts to international audiences while promoting Việt Nam’s land, people and culture.

It will also contribute to people-to-people exchanges, mutual understanding between Việt Nam and international partners, and broader cooperation and the international presence of Vietnamese culture. — VNA/VNS Photo