Food festival helps promote intra-ASEAN friendship

An art performance at the opening ceremony (Photo: VNA) 

HCM City (VNA) – A food festival themed “Unity in Diversity” opened in Ho Chi Minh City on November 24, with the aim of promoting friendship and cooperation between the people of Vietnam and other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Hosted by the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO), the four-day event features 50 booths of businesses and restaurants which introduce special traditional dishes of Vietnam and other countries in the region.

HUFO Vice President Ho Xuan Lam underlined the significance of the event, saying that it is part of activities organised in 2022 to celebrate ASEAN’s 55th founding anniversary (1967-2022).  

Visitors at the festival (Photo: VNA)

The festival offers a chance for people in HCM City and international tourists to learn about and experience the cultural quintessence, and enjoy traditional dishes and art shows of the ASEAN countries, Lam said, adding that it also contributes to promoting the image of HCM City as an attractive tourist attraction for international friends.

Lam believed that through the event, the friendship and mutual understanding between the people of the ASEAN countries will be strengthened, creating new impetus to strongly pushing cooperation between Vietnam, including HCM City, and ASEAN friends, thus affirming that ASEAN is a prestigious community, a model of successful cooperation, an important factor for maintaining peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

Within the framework of the festival, an art exchange night, shows of traditional costumes and street art performances will be also organised./.