First Vietnam – ASEAN culture, food festival opens in HCM City

The first Vietnam – ASEAN culture and food festival opens in HCM City on May 25. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – The 2023 Vietnam – ASEAN Culture and Food Festival, the first of its kind, kicked off at Hoa Lu Sports Centre in Ho Chi Minh City on May 25 evening.

Hosted by the Institute for Research Development and Conservation of Southeast Asian Art and Culture (IRSAC), the four-day event is one of a series of events designed to realise the goals of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025 and strengthen the ASEAN identity towards the 56th founding anniversary of ASEAN (August 8, 1967 – 2023).

The festival sees the presence of local and foreign restaurants, hotels and travel businesses, and food processing establishments, which display their products and services at 200 pavilions, including traditional and modern dishes, food products, and specialties.

On display at the event are traditional and modern dishes, food products, and specialties. (Photo: VNA)

There are also cooking demonstrations by skilled chefs, as well as a presentation of traditional costumes, performances of traditional music and dances, and folk games from ASEAN countries.

According to Director of IRSAC Le Van Tiep, the festival aims to introduce characteristics of culture and cuisine, people and arts of the ASEAN community to local and international visitors, thus strengthening understanding, friendship and cooperation among ASEAN member countries.

In the framework of the festival, the organiser will arrange two seminars on preserving and promoting the value of Vietnamese culinary culture; and guiding enterprises to register exclusive trademarks and labels for products./.

VNA