Musical Diplomacy: When melodies connect cultures

Music – The connecting language in diplomacy

In the context of modern diplomacy, where soft power is increasingly emphasised in foreign strategies, artistic exchanges go beyond mere performance value. Many countries are choosing music as a means to expand contact spaces, foster dialogue, and promote cultural cooperation.

Representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, the Hungarian Embassy in Vietnam, and artists at the concert.

The concert celebrating Vietnam–Hungary relations, attended by a large audience and artists from both countries, is a prime example. Here, Central European melodies were presented alongside Vietnamese tunes, each culture preserving its unique identity while finding resonance with the other. This intersection embodies the spirit of cultural diplomacy: respecting differences, striving for understanding, and fostering trust between nations.

Thus, music can be seen as a form of aesthetic diplomacy, creating necessary pauses to build trust and positive emotions in international relations. When words or arguments reach their limits, sound stories help nations come closer through shared experiences.

Artists from both countries.

Artists – The silent "cultural ambassadors"

In the realm of cultural diplomacy, artists play a special role as they bring the artistic memories and identities of their homeland into international exchanges. They do not need to make speeches or declarations, but their instruments and performance styles become cultural messages.

During the concert, artists Hoang Ho Khanh Van (violin), Hoàng Ho Thu, and Tran Viet Bao (piano) – who have studied in Hungary – shared stories of collaboration through music. Pianist Viet Bao noted that his time studying in Budapest exposed him to an art-rich environment of dialogue and learning. He shared: “During rehearsals for the performance, even though the artists came from two different countries and sometimes didn't communicate verbally, everything naturally fell into place.”

Familiar pieces like "Bèo dạt mây trôi" and "Ra ngó vào trông" not only evoke emotions among Vietnamese audiences but also provide international audiences with a simple yet profound way to access Vietnamese folk music.

Violinist Rodrigo Puskas also praised the harmonious collaboration with Vietnamese artists, noting that artistic exchanges have contributed to nurturing a sustainable cultural relationship over the past 75 years.

Through moments on stage, artists become gentle yet effective bridges, helping bring the image of their country closer to international friends.

Soft values in sustainable relations

Music demonstrates that sustainable relationships between nations are not only formed through official meetings or strategic cooperation frameworks but are also nurtured through shared cultural experiences. When sharing an artistic space, the public easily forms goodwill and trust – elements that traditional diplomacy sometimes struggles to establish immediately.

This accumulation of emotions makes cultural diplomacy increasingly a "soft core" that helps bilateral relations remain stable amid international fluctuations. Concerts, artistic exchanges, or ethnic performance spaces for international friends not only introduce culture but also create a positive mindset in integration.

For Vietnam, leveraging soft power has become a strategic approach in building the nation's image as rich in identity, proactive, and responsible in international relations.

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