Ottawa (VNA)💯 – The embassies of ASEAN countries in Canada have held an ASEAN food festival in Ottawa to promote their solidarity, hospitality, and cultural identities to international friends, particularly Canadians, on the occasion of the 57th anniversary of the bloc (August 8, 1967 - 2024).

The event attracted much attention from representatives of local authorities and the Canadian Government. Ottawa's Mayor Mark Sutcliffe delivered a speech on cultural diversity and national identity that people of the Southeast Asian origin have contributed to Canada. Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita Austria, rotating chairperson of the ASEAN Committee in Ottawa, reviewed the bloc’s history and achievements over the past time. Regrading to the ASEAN-Canada relations, the diplomat said Canada has been a strategic partner of the grouping since 2023, while ASEAN has remained the fourth largest trading partner of the North American country, with two-way trade reaching 38.7 billion USD. The relations have never been as vibrant as they are today, driven by multi-faceted cooperation of mutual interest, the ambassador said, expressing her hope that the festival will bring ASEAN closer to Canadians. In the coming time, ASEAN ambassadors will continue their coordination to organise similar events in Montreal, Toronto or other localities of Canada, she said. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, President of the Canada-ASEAN Business Council Wayne Farmer emphasised that such events will help build relations between governments and businesses, as well as among enterprises of Canada and ASEAN countries, thus helping strengthen their trade and business ties in the future. He noted that the ASEAN-Canada relations are focusing on the two areas of food security and energy, in which the two sides can cooperate as reliable trade partners. More than one million people of the Southeast Asian origin now consider Canada their second home, and have deeply integrated into the host society. ASEAN and Canada are promoting negotiations to complete a free trade agreement by 2025./.