Second more important change for Vovinam: the organization of the first International Vovinam Championships in Vietnam, Thanks mostly to Patrick Levet (Spain) but also to Tran Dai Chieu (Germany), the first International Vovinam Championships of all Vovinam's history were held in Saigon in 1996.

From that year, Patrick Levet would change completely the future of Vovinam in Vietnam. Patrick created a federation: Intercontinental Vovinam Viet Vo Dao Association. They would reach 30 countries!

Thanks to this organization, the Vovinam of Vietnam was, at last, able to gather countries for international competitions. All the International Competitions in Vietnam from 1996 to 2005 were all done thanks to Patrick Levet and his students.

First steps in the Ministry of Sports
In 1999, Patrick Levet wrote a 7 page letter, in Vietnamese, addressed to the Ministry of Sports of Vietnam. This letter was to ask Vietnam to create e World Vovinam Federation. Then, the Ministry of Sports of Vietnam accorded a visit to Master Juan Cid Argilles (Spain) and Master Patrick Levet to the Ministry of Sports in Hanoi.

During this interview, the two persons were received as official representatives of the Intercontinental Vovinam Association (IVVDA). Master Juan Cid Argilles was the President of the IVVDA and Patrick Levet the International Technical Director. The two men exposed their point of view regarding the fact that Vietnam, as Vovinam mother land, should have its own World Federation, as Japan as for Karate, or Korea for Taekwondo.

Therefore, that letter, as well as that interview in the Ministry of Sports premises in 1999, was the starting point of the future World Vovinam Federation of Vovinam, which might never had been created wiithout these two men.