On the afternoon of April 15, 2023, at the Binh Duong Provincial Exhibition Center, the Vovinam Viet Vo Dao sect solemnly held the 85th Anniversary Ceremony (1938-2023), reviewing the proud tradition of Vovinam in the journey of building and developing Vietnamese martial arts as well as providing directions for the nation's martial art to develop strongly in the world. Attending the ceremony were President Vo Van Thuong and former President Nguyen Minh Triet.

President Vo Van Thuong presents flowers to leaders of the Vovinam sect. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Also attending were leaders of several ministries, sectors, localities, the Vietnam Vovinam Federation, and representatives of Vovinam practitioners nationwide. Vovinam is a martial art founded on the basis of traditional Vietnamese martial arts and the quintessence of many martial arts in the world. Currently, this martial art has been included in martial arts competitions around the world, contributing to promoting Vietnamese culture to international friends.

The ceremony to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the founding of Vovinam Viet Vo Dao (1938-2023). (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

In 1938, Master Nguyen Loc founded a Vietnamese martial art from traditional wrestling based on the principle of soft and hard coordination, called Vovinam. When it came to Grand Master Le Sang, he and other martial arts masters researched and studied to perfect the system of theory, techniques and martial arts, contributing to building a solid foundation for the development of this Vietnamese martial art. Inheriting those achievements, the late Grand Master Nguyen Van Chieu and other martial arts masters spread Vovinam Viet Vo Dao to international friends across five continents.

Not only is it a martial art imbued with the Vietnamese national spirit, receiving the support and participation of a large number of people in the country, Vovinam has contributed significantly to the development of Vietnamese martial arts, sports and culture. Vovinam is growing more and more widely in the world, present in 70 countries and territories worldwide, with more than 1 million practitioners worldwide.

Vovinam students perform at the 85th anniversary of Vovinam Viet Vo Dao. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

 

Based on the principle of the development of softness and hardness, Vovinam students are trained from basic moves to forms, using weapons such as swords, long sticks, large knives... In addition, students are also trained with bare-handed exercises against weapons, counterattacks at the level of level, self-defense locks and unlocks from basic to advanced and especially the system of 21 typical foot attacks. The establishment of the World Vovinam Federation in 2008 created a turning point for the development of the global Vovinam movement when Vovinam Federations of continents were established in Asia, Europe, Africa...

Since then, the international competition system such as continental championships and world championships has been held regularly and has been increasingly improved in quantity and quality, contributing to promoting Vietnamese martial arts to countries in the region and around the world. In 2022, Vovinam returned to the SEA Games arena in Hanoi. With the quintessence summarized in each martial art move, Vovinam is contributing to helping international friends love the country and people of Vietnam more and more. 

At the upcoming 32nd SEA Games, Vovinam will continue to be present at the regional sports festival in Cambodia.

Performance by Vovinam students at the 85th anniversary of Vovinam Viet Vo Dao. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

 

This year, the Vietnam Vovinam Federation will coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training to organize Vovinam competitions at the Southeast Asian Student Sports Festival in Da Nang, and coordinate with the General Department of Physical Education and Sports and the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City to organize the 6th World Championship in Ho Chi Minh City. In June 2023, the Vietnam Vovinam Federation will complete the application for recognition of Vovinam as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Performance by Vovinam students at the 85th anniversary of Vovinam Viet Vo Dao. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

 

At the ceremony, President Vo Van Thuong presented a flower basket to congratulate the leaders of the Vietnam Vovinam Federation, Vovinam masters and students in the country and around the world on their efforts and successes in practicing and promoting the Vietnamese national martial art globally.

 

According to Nhan Dan Newspaper