Bac Ninh (VNA) – The spouse of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Le Thi Bich Tran, on April 21 held a meeting with the ASEAN Community Women's Circle of Hanoi (AWCH) at the Do Temple historical relic site in the northern province of Bac Ninh.
The event was attended by Vu Thi Bich Ngoc, spouse of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, honorary chairwoman of the AWCH, along with female ambassadors, spouses of ambassadors, and representatives from ASEAN embassies in Hanoi.
Tran and delegates offered incense at the main altar and learned about the history of the temple and the altars dedicated to the eight kings of the Ly Dynasty.
After the incense offering ceremony, within the cultural and historical space of the temple, Tran and the participants engaged in unique experiential activities such as making Dong Ho folk paintings, preparing betel leaves, creating "phu the" cakes, and enjoying UNESCO-recognised Quan ho (love duet) folk songs.
Vuong Quoc Tuan, Deputy Secretary of the Bac Ninh provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, expressed his honour to welcome the delegation on the occasion of the festival commemorating the 1,015th anniversary of Emperor Ly Thai To’s coronation.
He said in its development, Bac Ninh aims to closely link socio-economic goals with preserving and promoting traditional cultural identities. This activity contributes to bringing Bac Ninh closer to regional and international friends.
Sharing about the AWCH’s, Ngoc highlighted that the group’s overarching goal is to create a bridge connecting women from ASEAN countries and their partner nations.
She said that the group has made significant contributions to promoting the cultural beauty of member countries, showcasing local potential, and organising various charitable activities to support disadvantaged people in Vietnam.
Akiko Morioka, spouse of the Malaysian ambassador, said that this is her first visit to Bac Ninh and she appreciates the beauty of this land and its people. These will always be memorable moments, bringing the group members closer together.
Tran praised the activities of the AWCH, especially in 2025, which marks many important celebrations of both ASEAN and Vietnam. She emphasised the indispensable contributions of women to the development journey of ASEAN and Vietnam. In the future, she said she hopes to continue working with the group to further promote the uniqueness and diversity of ASEAN cultures.
On this occasion, the lady presented gifts bearing the cultural features of traditional craft villages and the identities of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam to the AWCH members./.
