Saint Petersburg plans big for Vietnam Year in Russia hinh anh 1An overview of the meeting between Saint Petersburg Acting Governor Alexander Beglov and Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh (Photo: VNA)

Moscow (VNA) – Saint Petersburg city has taken the lead in launching activities to mark the Vietnam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam in 2019 by hosting the first Russia-Vietnam Youth Forum and is planning a wide range of activities for the whole year, stated Acting Governor of the city Alexander Beglov.

At a meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh on the sidelines of the forum, which opened on November 30, Beglov said that the partnership between Saint Petersburg and Vietnamese localities has been fruitful.

Along with speeding up preparations for the Vietnam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam in 2019, the city has kept close coordination with the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia and its twin partners in Vietnam to build an extensive programme throughout the year, he said.

The key event in summer 2019 will be a conference on President Ho Chi Minh’s spiritual heritage on the occasion of the 50th death anniversary of the late leader, said Beglov.

In April 2019, the second largest city of Russia will organise an exhibition on Vietnam’s struggle for independence and freedom, and in May, it will hold another exhibition featuring Vietnam’s ancient culture at the State Hermitage Museum, he revealed.

In particular, there will be a conference on one of the issues of Vietnam’s great concern, security in East Sea, which will be held by Ho Chi Minh Institute at Saint Petersburg State University, he said.

The Governor added that the local media will run articles on the Russia-Vietnam relationship throughout the year, and the city will invite many Vietnamese delegations to visit.

For his part, Ambassador Ngo Duc Manh lauded the plan of Saint Petersburg and pledged to support all the activities.

He proposed strengthening tourism partnership between the city and Vietnam, saying that more tourists travelling will encourage airlines to open direct air routes linking Saint Petersburg and Vietnam.

The two sides also expressed support of a proposal to launch a culture-business centre of Ho Chi Minh City in Saint Petersburg.

The decision on organising the Vietnam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on November 3, 2018, aiming to further promote the bilateral relationship.-VNA
VNA