Attending the ceremony were former National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan; Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son; leaders of central ministries and sectors; delegations from provinces and cities nationwide; more than 50 ambassadors, consuls general, and international organisations; numerous enterprises; local residents; visitors; and over 80 beauty ambassadors from various countries.
Speaking at the opening, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son praised Lam Dong Province and the coordinating agencies and enterprises for organising the World Tea Fest 2025 with a variety of meaningful events linked to cultural activities that honour tea growers, processors, and traders in Lam Dong and the tea industry of Viet Nam as a whole.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that Viet Nam has a long-standing cultural history of tea production and consumption. Today, tea is among the country’s key agricultural products, with the Vietnamese tea sector holding a firm position globally and exporting to more than 70 countries. Lam Dong is one of the nation’s leading tea-growing localities, known for its successful models and innovative approaches in developing the tea value chain.
To develop the Vietnamese tea sector sustainably in a green, clean, high-quality, and high-value direction, the Deputy Prime Minister urged central ministries and localities, including Lam Dong, to accelerate restructuring of the industry toward large-scale production, value-chain linkages, high-tech application, deep processing, and product diversification to meet international standards.
He also stressed the need to integrate tea-related cultural and tourism values, and to focus on building strong tea brands of Viet Nam.
He also expressed hope that international partners would continue expanding investment and cooperation, applying high technology to help Lam Dong and Viet Nam’s tea industry grow and broaden its markets, based on shared benefits and shared risks.
Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son expressed confidence that with the initiative, creativity, and strong aspirations of localities, businesses, and citizens in Lam Dong and across Viet Nam, Vietnamese agricultural products, especially tea, will continue to affirm their quality, prestige, and strong brand identity, securing a firm foothold in regional and global markets as a source of national pride.
VietKings announced four new Viet Nam records, including: the 1927 Tea Factory in Bao Loc, one of the oldest surviving tea-processing facilities in Viet Nam; the organisation of the International Tea Festival featuring the largest series of cultural, economic, and diplomatic activities; the performance of 1,111 tea maidens brewing and offering tea in the “Viet Tea Ceremony” style — the largest gathering at a single venue; and the festival hosting the greatest number of Miss Cosmo beauty queens and international representatives participating in experiential activities.
The Viet Nam Federation of UNESCO Associations and the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan also awarded a Certificate of Intangible Cultural Heritage Practice to Lam Dong Tea Joint Stock Company for its efforts in gathering practitioner communities and spreading tea knowledge on an unprecedented scale. The UNESCO “Doi Dep” Cultural Brand was also presented in recognition of contributions to preserving and promoting Vietnamese tea culture and fostering international connections for peace and sustainable development.
At the ceremony, Lam Dong Vice Chairman Dinh Van Tuan highlighted that Lam Dong tea — stretching from Cau Dat through Di Linh to Bao Loc — is the pride of the province and stands alongside many renowned teas across Viet Nam and around the world.
He stressed that the festival is an opportunity for Lam Dong and tea businesses to showcase their distinctive tea products and culture to domestic and international friends, serving as a bridge to strengthen international cooperation.
The opening ceremony features a vibrant art programme with performances by top contemporary Vietnamese artists, attracting large numbers of locals and visitors.
A wide range of events, such as an international tea expo fair, a high-level conference on sustainable tea development, a grand tea music concert, diplomatic tea programmes, street festivals, and cultural tea spaces, will also be held during the festival.
