Vietnam Festival imbued with Vietnam-Japan friendship

The Vietnam Festival 2013 ended with handshakes filled with friendship, tears of joy and warm hugs between Vietnamese and Japanese friends.

Ambassador Doan Xuan Hung and former Senator Matsuda Iwao bid farewell to the audience at the closing ceremony. (Source: Huu Thang/VNA)

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Festival, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Doan Xuan Hung affirmed that the relationship between Vietnam and Japan has never been as good as it is now and that the Vietnam Festival was truly successful beyond the expectations of the organizers.

Ambassador Doan Xuan Hung affirmed that the festival was a great success because “Vietnam has a wonderful friend country, Japan, and the country and people of Vietnam are also wonderful.” The Ambassador sent his thanks to the agencies, organizations, individuals and artists who did not hesitate in the rain or shine to bring a truly vibrant Vietnam Festival.

Responding to the cheers and applause from the audience at the closing ceremony, former Senator and co-Chairman of the Festival Organizing Committee Matsuda Iwao expressed his emotion about the successful festival and thanked the Vietnamese Embassy and Vietnamese-Japanese friends who have accompanied him during the past time.

Every good party must come to an end, but the former Secretary of State did not forget to meet his Vietnamese friends again at the Vietnam Festival at Yoyogi Park, Tokyo on September 13-14, 2014.

The Vietnam Festival 2013 is part of a series of events called “Vietnam Days in Japan” co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnamese Embassy, ​​the organizing committee, individuals and localities of Japan to practically celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.

Vietnam Festival 2013 took place on September 14 and 15 with the participation of 133 booths including cuisine, exhibitions, tourism, handicrafts... Besides the booths, the festival also attracted visitors with special cultural and artistic programs with domestic artists and singers touring with Japanese singers and musicians.

The highlight of this year’s festival is the Vietnam House exhibition area with photos of the material, cultural and spiritual life of the Vietnamese people, gongs, traditional musical instruments, etc., creating a space that bears the mark of the “S-shaped strip of land”. Many Japanese guests, especially those who have never experienced life in Vietnam, were extremely interested and impressed by this miniature Vietnamese cultural space.
Also on September 15, Ambassador Doan Xuan Hung and Head of the Festival Organizing Committee Matsuda Iwao had a direct meeting and talked with festival visitors to listen to their thoughts, feelings and sharing from those interested in the festival and the Vietnam-Japan friendship.

Ambassador Doan Xuan Hung said the meeting gave him many new perspectives and new directions for the future. Notably, there were some ideas from individuals and organizations in Japan who wanted to contribute to the effort to strengthen economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

The Ambassador was also particularly impressed by the idea of ​​organizing Vietnamese language classes for Japanese people of Vietnamese origin, including children in multicultural families and young Vietnamese people born and raised in Japan.

Both superficially and deeply, the Vietnam Festival 2013 left deep impressions in everyone’s heart. “See you again next year!” That was the message from the organizing committee and also the farewell that Vietnamese and Japanese friends gave each other before leaving./.

According to Vietnam+ - M.Đ