Over 100 Vietnamese and Lao delegates attended the third Vietnamese-Lao People’s Friendship Festival, which opened in Hanoi on July 16.

At the 6-day festival’s opening ceremony, the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association’s President Vu Trong Kim welcomed the Lao delegates to the festival, as both countries are celebrating the 50 th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 35 th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty.

Vietnam and Laos enjoy a time-honoured traditional friendship originally fostered by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kaysone Phomvihane, said Kim, adding that bolstering this special traditional and relationship is a responsibility for the Party committees, authorities, organisations and people in both countries.

He said that the third festival is an opportunity for both countries to discuss the success of friendship activities in localities across both countries as well as agree on measures to further enhance Vietnamese- Lao cooperation, to raise their relationship to a new level.

The President of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association, Phankham Viphavan, who is also a Politburo member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and Laos Minister of Education and Sports, said Laos-Vietnam special friendship is a valuable treasure and safeguards the existence of both countries, which is a rare occurrence in global international relations.

He said that Laos will do its best to educate all its people, especially the younger generations, about the traditional friendship and special solidarity and fine relationship between the two Parties and nations.

On the same day, Lao delegates visited the northern province of Ninh Binh.

They are also scheduled to attend a celebratory meeting to mark the 50 th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 35 th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty.

Later they will visit the Tan Trao historical revolutionary site in Son Duong district and similar localities in Tuyen Quang province.-VNA