A photo exhibition themed “Vietnam – Cuba, 50 years of solidarity, cooperation and development” opened in Hanoi on Dec. 30 to mark the 50 th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Cuba (Dec. 2, 1960 - Dec. 2, 2010).

Attending the opening ceremony were Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Tien Tho, Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Fredesman Turroz Gonzalez and representatives of the Embassies of Cuba, Thailand, France, the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association and news agencies.

On display are almost 100 photos depicting the friendly cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba and as well as the Cuban people, land and culture.

Addressing the event, Deputy Minister Tho described the exhibition as a chance to review the traditional friendship and bilateral cooperation between the two nations in the fields of politics, economy, culture and education since the two countries established their diplomatic ties in
1960.

He said he believed that the exhibition would contribute to strengthening the bilateral friendship and boosting the comprehensive partnership between the two nations.

For his part, Cuban ambassador Fredesman Turroz Gonzalez expressed his thanks for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s participants in the event and affirmed that this year was important in exchanging bilateral culture between Vietnam and Cuba, especially the exchange visits by the two nations’ culture ministers and the signing of cultural exchange programme in the 2011-2013 period.

The exhibition, which is co-organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Cuban Embassy to Vietnam, will last until January 3, 2011./.