What does Vietnam sound like? The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism thinks the answer deserves a proper archive, and its new programme, The Sound of Vietnam – Melodies of Life 2026, is asking people at home and abroad to contribute it. Think street vendors' calls, lullabies, folk tunes, traditional instruments, the noise of daily work — anything that captures the country's cultural identity.
The idea is summed up in the programme's tagline: one person, one melody, with millions of people together creating the sound of Vietnam. Contributors identify, record and share sounds rooted in their own lives and communities, and the best submissions will feed into two long-term projects — a Vietnamese Sounds Bank and a Vietnamese Music Map, both digital resources for preserving and developing the country's musical heritage.
The programme runs on three strands, all hosted on its official platform. The Vietnamese Sounds Quiz is an online competition testing knowledge of songs, folk music, traditional instruments and musical heritage. Vietnamese Sounds Reflections invites short videos in which people share memories or feelings about a melody, song or folk tradition. And Vietnamese Sounds Creation is the open-ended one: original works built from music, spoken word, sound effects, folk tunes or everyday audio, optionally combined with video, animation or graphic art. Submitted pieces go through review for publication, with clear terms on authorship, copyright and use.
Entries are open from October 12 to November 30, with judging afterwards and an awards ceremony in December. Anyone can join — Vietnamese citizens overseas and foreigners interested in Vietnamese culture are explicitly welcome, with no age or occupation limits. Sign-up and competition details, including weekly rounds and voting periods, sit at thanham.vn and on the organisers' channels.
Deputy Culture Minister Nguyen Huy Dung framed it as more than a one-off contest. He wants the initiative to become part of daily life and to help build Vietnam's music industry as a genuine cultural sector — one where professional artists and ordinary people alike can earn income from creative work. Success, he said, will be measured by public participation.
Why should a traveller care? If you've ever been struck by the sing-song calls of a street seller in Hanoi or a boatman's song in the Mekong Delta, this is a rare chance to contribute to a national archive rather than just post to your own feed. For culture-minded visitors, it's also a useful pointer: the programme shines a light on traditions like ca tru ceremonial singing, still performed in Hanoi's Old Quarter, and could surface lesser-known regional sounds worth seeking out on a trip. Even if you don't enter, the Sounds Bank and Music Map promise to become a free digital resource for hearing Vietnam before you go.
