Hanoi (VNA) - The spouse of the Party General Secretary, Ngo Phuong Ly, on January 16 joined female ambassadors and diplomats of foreign countries in Hanoi in wrapping ‘banh chung’ (glutinous rice cake) – a traditional dish on the occasion of Vietnam's Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.
The event is part of activities in the cultural diplomacy programme themed A Concert of Vietnamese Tet, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ly said that in today's modern society, ‘banh chung’ is no longer something to be enjoyed only during the Lunar New Year, but the tradition of wrapping this kind of cake for Tet remains an indispensable part of many Vietnamese family celebrations.
Participants enjoyed other traditional dishes of Vietnam, watched folk singing performances, and visited booths showcasing traditional handicrafts. They then toured a Tet flower market, asked for calligraphy from the Ong do (Vietnamese calligrapher), and experienced pottery making and hand embroidery.
Expressing her joy in taking part in the event, Egyptian Ambassador to Vietnam Amal Abdel Kader Elmorsi Salama took time out to praise Vietnam's socio-economic achievements in recent years, with a high economic growth rate and improving living standards.
She wished continued prosperity for Vietnam to succeed in its future socioeconomic development plans./.
