International guests enjoy tea at the Ho Chi Minh City Friendship Dialogue 2024. Photo: Le Toan

The forum is the largest international event of the year organised by Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee under the direct guidance of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

With the theme “Green Transition in the Digital Age”, the forum is expected to gather over 1,500 domestic and international delegates, with a series of flagship activities.

The forum has received strong support from the World Economic Forum (WEF), along with the participation of globally renowned organisations and institutions such as UNESCO, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the International Telecommunication Union, and the global network of Fourth Industrial Revolution Centres (C4IR).

This year's forum will bring together major corporations in technology, logistics, energy, finance, and smart cities, as well as leading academic and research institutions from Vietnam and around the world.

Among them are Foxconn Industrial Internet, Schneider Electric, Siemens, MassRobotics, Qualcomm, Ant Group, Sunwah Group, Huawei, the University of Hong Kong, Seoul National University, the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies, RMIT University Vietnam, CMC, Nam A Bank, Thaco Group, and Viettel.

The series of major events begins on the morning of November 25 with an inspirational youth talk show, “Intelligent Generation NOW”.

Stephan Mergenthaler, managing director of the WEF, will share insights and inspire young people, the startup community, and young entrepreneurs with a global vision for advancing the green–digital transition and smart economic development.

On the afternoon of November 25, the CEO500 – TEA CONNECT programme will take place under the theme “Ho Chi Minh City: Towards a Global Mega-City in the Digital Age”.

This high-level dialogue between the government, the city, and more than 500 business leaders will focus on public-private partnership models, green investment strategies, technological renewal, and modern urban governance. The event is also an occasion for the City to introduce its development strategy for 2026–2030, with a vision to 2045, and present key projects calling for investment.

Notably, CEO500 – TEA CONNECT will witness the announcement of a series of strategic cooperation programmes between regulatory agencies, innovation centres, and leading domestic and international corporations, covering key sectors such as semiconductors, AI, space technology, logistics and seaports, international finance, and mobilising overseas Vietnamese resources for science and technology.

On the morning of November 26, the forum's plenary session will open, featuring welcome remarks from the PM, Ho Chi Minh City's leaders, and an online message from Børge Brende, president and CEO of the WEF.

During this session, delegates will also hear messages from leaders of international organisations and governments of Vietnam's strategic partner countries on trends in green-digital economic development, smart economic models, sustainable supply chains, and urban governance.

Three parallel panel discussions will then dive deeper into core issues related to Vietnam's and the region's dual transition towards a smart economy.

High-level delegates will join a luncheon with government leaders. This will serve as a platform for intensive discussions among the government, the city, the WEF, foreign leaders, global organisations, and international businesses on cooperation strategies, technology transfer, and innovation for sustainable development.

In the afternoon, the forum will continue with a series of key policy dialogues, including a high-level policy dialogue between the PM and WEF leaders. The session will outline strategic cooperation directions in green economics, high-tech industries, AI, and innovation.

The city and WEF will also jointly announce a joint declaration on an initiative to promote smart manufacturing and responsible industrial transformation in Vietnam, a major milestone connecting Vietnam to WEF's global innovation network, and the first Vietnam-WEF global initiative on smart manufacturing for developing countries.

Throughout the event, numerous side activities will be held, including conferences, thematic seminars, investment promotion programmes, and business networking sessions organised by global C4IR centres, ministries, localities, and international corporations, helping spread the spirit of public–private cooperation and sustainable innovation.

During the forum, the 3^rd Ho Chi Minh City Green Growth Products and Services Exhibition (GRECO 2025) will open at Nguyen Hue street. The exhibition will underscore the city's commitment to promoting sustainable development, encouraging innovation, and promoting green technology transfer to businesses and the public.

On the evening of November 25, government leaders will host a state banquet welcoming international delegations, global organisations, and strategic partners, reflecting Vietnam's openness, cooperative spirit, and deep international integration. Prior to the banquet, high-level delegates will participate in city experiences such as a flower-offering ceremony at the Ho Chi Minh Statue and a visit to the Ho Chi Minh City Friendship Symbol for commemorative photos.