On the morning of November 30, at Saigon Riverside Park – An Khanh Ward, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, in coordination with the Vietnam Vovinam Federation, organized a mass Vovinam martial arts dance performance by students across the city, aiming to set dual Vietnamese and world records as directed by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee.
The event successfully set dual records with 60,000 students performing Vovinam simultaneously, taking place both at the main venue and at numerous school sites across Ho Chi Minh City. This included 5,000 students at the main venue and 55,000 students at 150 school locations throughout the city.
Students eagerly awaited the moment of the record-setting performance.
The event created a grand and impressive scene as Ho Chi Minh City students performed the Vovinam martial arts dance with the goal of achieving dual national and world records.
More than 5,000 students in Vovinam uniforms filled the square at Saigon Riverside Park with a striking sea of blue.
During the opening remarks, Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, stated:
“The ‘Synchronous Vovinam Martial Arts Dance Performance — combining live and online connections at multiple school sites, with the highest number of participating students in Vietnam and the world’ is being held right here in the city.”
He emphasized that the image of thousands of students practicing and performing together not only symbolizes unity but also reflects the dynamism, confidence, and determination of the younger generation. He noted that the education sector greatly values the efforts of the students as well as the dedication of teachers and schools during preparations. According to him, the program is not merely a physical activity but also promotes values of mental discipline, self-cultivation, and national cultural pride through the Vovinam martial art.
The event began with a performance titled “The Essence of Vietnamese Martial Arts”, presented by athletes from the Ho Chi Minh City Vovinam team.
The performance showcased the distinctive features of Vovinam, a Vietnamese martial art recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Signature Vovinam kicking techniques, known for their visual appeal, have contributed to the spread of this martial art to more than 80 countries and territories worldwide.
The characteristics of Vovinam—suitable for the physique of Vietnamese people and embodying the values of Viet Vo Dao such as martial spirit, cultural identity, and national pride—made it an ideal choice for a mass performance by students.
At the main venue, 5,000 students performed simultaneously to establish the dual record, while LED screens broadcasted live performances from 150 school locations across the city.
The performance featured decisive and powerful martial arts movements set to the song “Nòi giống Rồng Tiên” by composer La Nhật Huy.
To mobilize such a large number of participants, preparations began as early as the summer of the 2023–2024 school year. The Department of Education and Training organized citywide teacher training; coordinated synchronized practices across all schools; developed internationally standardized scripts, formations, and procedures; and completed all record-setting protocols.
Over nearly a year, the education sector closely coordinated efforts — reviewing documents, verifying participant lists, preparing technical equipment, and holding multiple practice rounds at 150 school sites, from Con Dao District to all 168 wards and communes of Ho Chi Minh City. These efforts culminated in an impressive and visually striking mass performance.
This special program celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, marking a golden milestone in its journey of innovation and development.
It was also an unprecedented event in world history:
- 60,000 students performing simultaneously at the main venue and 150 school locations
- Multi-location online connections
- Global monitoring
- Standardized international procedures
This accomplishment reflects the extraordinary efforts of the entire education sector—from leaders and teachers to students and every participating unit.
After completing the martial arts dance routine, student performers conducted the Vovinam “Formal Ceremony” (Nghiêm lễ).
Amid smoke effects and powerful music, students formed the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, accompanied by the song “Nhà tôi có một lá cờ.”
In the final formation, students transitioned into creating the Vietnamese national flag, set to the melody of “Giai điệu tự hào.”
The transformation from the Liberation Front flag—symbolizing the reunification mission completed on April 30, 1975—into the red flag with a yellow star, the national flag of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, recreated the nation’s historical journey: from the aspiration for independence to the pride of a developing and rising country.
The student performers had undergone extensive practice not only for the martial arts dance but also for the synchronized formation routines. Record organizations officially recognized the achievement of 60,000 students performing Vovinam martial arts dance simultaneously, setting both Vietnamese and world records.
Immediately after the performance, the organizers announced and awarded the Vietnam Record certificate.
Representing the Vietnam Records Organization (VietKings), Ms. Nguyen Thi Quynh Ngoc, General Secretary of the Vietnam Records Council and Vice Director of the Vietnam Records Institute, performed the ceremony to announce the record:
“The largest live–online combined Vovinam martial arts dance performance at school sites, with the highest number of participating students in Vietnam and the world.”
The record was awarded to three entities:
- Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training
- Vietnam Vovinam Federation
- Nestlé Vietnam Co., Ltd.
Mr. Tran Hoang, Chairman of the Vietnam Marketing Association and Standing Member of the Vietnam Records Council, presented the certificate on behalf of the organization.
The representative of the World Records organization also announced the second record:
“The largest live–online combined Vovinam martial arts dance performance at school sites, with the highest number of participating students in the world,” awarded by VietKings.
Mr. Pham Ngoc Thuong, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, stated that the mass Vovinam martial arts dance performance by students of all three educational levels in Ho Chi Minh City “is not only an impressive display in terms of scale but also a vivid demonstration of unity, coordination, discipline, creativity, and the aspiration to rise of students in the city named after President Ho Chi Minh.”
He explained that the dual record carries multiple layers of meaning.
First, it represents the collective pride of the Ho Chi Minh City education sector, affirming the pioneering, dynamic, and innovative spirit of a major special urban center.
Second, it conveys a message about preserving and promoting the unique values of Vietnamese martial arts—Vovinam—bringing the nation’s traditional martial art to an international level.
The Deputy Minister emphasized that spreading this traditional martial art beyond Vietnam’s borders through the younger generation ensures deep-rooted and widespread influence.
Article & Photos: Le Giang – Dan Viet Newspaper