Friendship Journey held in Hanoi to strengthen ties with int’l friends
The Friendship Journey 2022, a cultural exchange aiming at helping enhance Vietnam’s relations with international friends, was held in Hanoi’s Quoc Oai district on April 24.
A structure on the lake of Thay Pagoda. It is considered a symbol of the pagoda, located in Hanoi's Quoc Oai district. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The FriendshipJourney 2022, a cultural exchange aiming at helping enhance Vietnam’s relationswith international friends, was held in Hanoi’s Quoc Oai district on April 24.
The programme, part of annualactivities organised by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organisations (HAUFO) andthe municipal Department of Tourism, attracted the participation of representativesfrom foreign embassies, international organisations, and bilateral andmultilateral friendship associations of HAUFO.
Nguyen Lan Huong, President of the municipalVietnam Fatherland Front Committee and Chairwoman of HAUFO, said this was ameaningful occasion to introduce the Vietnamese culture to foreigners living in the country and also a chance for cultural exchange so as to strengthen thefriendship and mutual understanding between the Vietnamese people and internationalfriends.
For more than 20 years since it wasgranted the “City for Peace” title by UNESCO, Hanoi has always paid attentionto upholding traditional cultural values while striving to become a centre forconnecting global values and a place for sharing regional and internationalinitiatives for the sake of peace, stability, and development, she noted.
Huong added that serving as the venueof the opening and closing ceremonies and many sports of the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), Hanoi is now ready for a safe and successfulGames so as to leave good impression on regional and international friends.
On behalf of diplomatic delegations,Venezuelan Ambassador Tatiana Pugh Moreno said Hanoi has become a great andwarm home, describing it as a capital with mixed traditional and modernfeatures, a dynamic and strongly developing city, and a land with rich trade,tourism, cultural potential.
Hanoi has defeated the COVID-19pandemic and is continuing its development path, the diplomat added.
During the programme, participantsvisited Thay Pagoda - a famous destination of spiritual tourism in Hanoi, learnedabout traditional culture, and experienced folk games and traditional dishes ofVietnam in Tuan Chau Hanoi tourist site in Quoc Oai district./.
An exhibition has been held at Arcueil City Hall, aiming to introduce the cultural heritages and traditional musical instruments of Vietnam to the French and the Vietnamese community who are living, studying and working here.
In a small corner of Cape Town in South Africa, the Saigon - Vietnamese restaurant has become a familiar place over the past three decades among diners looking to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine.
The third congress of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association (VCFA)'s chapter in Ho Chi Minh City on April 19 agreed to further consolidate and foster friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the countries as well as between the southern economic hub and Cambodian localities.
Continuing activities within the framework of the seventh Vietnam - China Border Defence Friendship Exchange, in the afternoon of April 23, Defence Minister Gen. Phan Van Giang hosted a welcome ceremony for a delegation of the Chinese People's Liberation Army led by his Chinese counterpart Sen. Lieut. Gen. Wei Fenghe at Ta Lung International Border Gate, Quang Hoa district of Cao Bang province.
The exhibition showcases more than 100 valuable documents and artifacts, divided into two main parts: “Journalist Nguyen Ai Quoc – Ho Chi Minh” and “President Ho Chi Minh – Founder and Mentor of Vietnamese Revolutionary Press.” This is an opportunity to recall the late leader’s journalism journey and affirm his exceptional role in founding and guiding the revolutionary press in Vietnam.
For the first time, the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) has granted Vietnam hosting rights for the two championships, including the Asian women’s solo category, which debuts this year as an officially recognised event.
Eight teams will join the tournament, divided into two groups. Group A features Vietnam, the Philippines, Sichuan Club (China), and Australia, while Group B consists of Vietnam U21, Korabelka Club (Russia), Taiwan (China), and U21 Thailand.
Despite strong home support and high expectations, Vietnam were unable to overcome the defending champions, who secured their third consecutive win over Vietnam in a regional final, following previous victories in 2014 and 2023.
The event, part of Vietnam’s cultural diplomacy strategy through 2030, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela and USM’s Faculty of International Relations. It attracted thousands of students from universities across Venezuela.
For the first time, Vietnamese audiences will have the opportunity to experience the ballet masterpiece "Don Quixote" in its original version by renowned choreographer Marius Petipa.
The contest carried deep meaning as it was the first time the life of Vietnamese women abroad had been highlighted as the central theme, said poet and writer Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association.
The event formed part of Vietnam’s ongoing campaign to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the complex at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, scheduled to take place in Paris in July.
Creative cultural festivals are fast emerging as a new catalyst for tourism development in Vietnam, as localities increasingly invest in these vibrant events on a more systematic and larger scale.
This marks the first time Vietnam has hosted a continental-level Muay event which will feature competitions across 28 weight categories in combat and eight performance categories.
Coming to the Vietnamese booth, visitors had the chance to take part in a bamboo dance, a workshop on painting woven bamboo or rattan, or quizzes about Vietnam.
These are impressive achievements, not only showing the efforts and prowess of Vietnamese paddlers but also serving as proof of the sports sector’s strategic and systematic investment.
The cultural event in Canberra not only fostered cultural exchanges between Vietnam and Australia but also contributed to promoting Vietnam’s image internationally
The U23 competition will run from June 16 to 22, followed by the U17 event from June 23 to 28, while athletes competing in the U23 category will undergo weight and skill checks ahead of the matches starting June 18, while similar checks for U17 athletes will take place before June 23.
Vietnam continues to sit just behind continental powerhouses Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, China, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
A structure on the lake of Thay Pagoda. It is considered a symbol of the pagoda, located in Hanoi's Quoc Oai district. (Photo: VNA) 
