Launched on March 3 by the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion in coordination with the Viet Nam Youth Association for Blood Donation Advocacy, the annual event has become a fixture of the Lunar New Year period since it was first held in 2008.
Organisers describe each donated unit as a “gift of life”, offering hope to patients in urgent need of transfusions. Rather than giving material presents at the start of the year, many residents now choose to donate blood as a meaningful gesture of goodwill and good fortune.
After nearly two decades, the festival has evolved beyond a charitable drive into a distinctive cultural hallmark of the spring season, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of mutual support and compassion. Since 2010, it has been designated by the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation as one of the country’s key annual blood donation campaigns and has been rolled out nationwide.
Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Ha Thanh, Director of the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, said that more than 5,000 units of blood had been collected within the first five days of this year’s festival, underscoring growing public awareness of the importance of early-year donations.
In Ha Noi alone, the event has collected nearly 120,000 units over the past 18 years. Ahead of the 2026 festival, hundreds of volunteers organised 324 outreach teams at universities, bus stations and parks, alongside extensive social media campaigns. More than 12,000 people had registered to donate before the opening day, signalling strong community engagement and sustained momentum for the years ahead.
