A Vietnamese traditional music gala was held on April 21 in New York as part of a Vietnam culture promotion programme at the Asia Society headquarters.

The programme, jointly organised by the Vietnamese delegation to the United Nations, the Asia Society and the Institute of Vietnamese Culture and Education (IVCE), also includes an exhibition of ancient Vietnamese art titled “From delta to sea” from Feb. 2-May 2 and a presentation of the film “My Lai” on April 22.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vishakha Desai, President of the Asia Society, stressed Vietnam’s long-lasting history and its importance as a component of the culture of the region and the world.

Ambassador Le Luong Minh, representative of the Vietnamese delegation to UN, said that through experiencing centuries of development and integration into regional cultures, the Vietnamese culture today manifests the life, history and tradition of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups.

Both the traditional music gala and the exhibition on Vietnam’s ancient art reflect this spirit, he added.

It took the Asia Society 20 years to prepare and arrange the exhibition, the President of the Asia Society said./.