A colourful corner at the Singapore Festival. (Photo: vnexpress.net)
Prominent among the participants were visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security of Singapore Teo Chee Hean and member of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung.
Speaking at the ceremony, head of the Singaporean board Keith Tan said the organisation of the first Singapore Festival in Vietnam is one of the key activities in the campaign to popularise Singapore’s tourism to the country, thus further strengthening bilateral diplomatic relations. The official expressed his hope that through the event, visitors can feel a Singapore from fine art, music, food to fashion.
Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam Catherine Wong also stressed that they will bring Singapore closer to the people of Hanoi and help Vietnamese get a better understanding of the unique experiences found only in Singapore.
For his part, Chairman Chung highlighted that Singapore is always a traditional partner of Vietnam since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations on August 1, 1973. In recent years, the relations between the two countries in general and between Hanoi and Singapore in particular have seen vigorous developments.
Hanoi, recognised by the UNESCO as the city for peace, has become a friendly destination preferred by foreign visitors, including those from Singapore, Chung stressed, adding that last year, visitors from Singapore to Hanoi numbered more than 80,000, creating the 12th largest foreign tourists’ group to the capital, representing 28 percent of the total Singaporean guests coming to Vietnam.
The festival will last through March 24with various activities like fashion shows, installation art, music performances and street food.
