The Italy-Vietnam Relations Institute (IRIV), a non-profit organisation, made its debut in Rome on September 13.

Addressing the event, IRIV Chairman Oliviero Diliberto, who is also General Secretary of the Italian Communist Party, said that the institute aims to promote friendship and cooperation between the two countries in politics, culture and education.

He said he hopes that both countries will take more measures to step up their bilateral ties in various fields.

Later the same day, the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy held a National Day reception in the presence of Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and his Italian counterpart Staffan De Mistura, along with several international representatives and members of the overseas Vietnamese community in Italy .

During his speech, Son praised the development of traditional ties and cooperation and thanked Italian people as well as international friends for supporting Vietnam during its process of national construction and development.

Italy’s Deputy FM De Mistura, said he hopes that political relations between Vietnam and Italy will continue to grow and flourish with both countries’ actively preparing for the 40 th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties next year.-VNA