Over 150 black and white photos portraying the friendship and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos are being displayed at an exhibition that opened in Vietnam ’s northern province of Son La on April 23.

The exhibition celebrates the 50 th anniversary of Vietnam-Laos diplomatic ties, the 35 th year of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty, the Vietnam-Laos National Assembly Cooperation Conference on April 23-24 and the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year in 2012.

It was jointly held by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the Vietnam National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations and the Son La Party Committee, the Son La People’s Committee and Son La Newspaper.

Lao National Assembly Vice Chairperson Somphanh Phengkhammy, Vietnamese NA Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong, Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavat and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the event.

Speaking at the event, VNA Deputy General Director Nguyen Hoai Duong said the photo journalists had successfully captured historical moments and the development of the friendship and special solidarity between the two Parties, States, National Assemblies, Governments and people.

Many of the photos were introduced to the public for the first time, vividly reflecting the relations between Vietnam and Laos as well as between Son La province and Lao northern provinces over the past 50 years.

Images such as President Ho Chi Minh in talks with his Lao counterpart Souphanouvong at the Viet Bac resistance base in 1948 and with Party General Secretary Kaysone Phomvihane in Hanoi in 1962, Pathet Lao soldiers standing side by side with Vietnamese volunteers, establishments in Lao which were built with the support of Vietnamese people and Lao children chatting with Vietnamese soldiers will live with the two countries’ people forever.-VNA