The 11th Vietnam - India People's Friendship Festival launched on December 2 in the capital Chennai of Tamil Nadu state, Southern India, aiming to strengthening the friendship at all levels.

Attending the festival, the Vietnamese side had a 25-member people's delegation led by Ha Minh Hue, former Standing Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam - India Friendship Association.

On the Indian side, there was Pallab Sengupta, Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) Central Committee, Chairman of the World Peace Council, member of the All India Peace and Solidarity Organization (AIPSO) Presidium; Harchand Singh, AIPSO Secretary General ; Ma. Subramanian, Minister of Health and Family Welfare of Tamil Nadu; and a large number of officials, people and local press.

Delegates at the 11th Vietnam - India People's Friendship Festival. Photo: VNA

Speaking at the opening of the festival, Ha Minh Hue emphasized the long-standing traditional friendship between Vietnam and India, and expressed his joy at the great achievements of the two countries' relationship since the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2007, and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016, helping cooperation between the two countries become more substantive and effective on all five pillars of politics-diplomacy, national defence-security, economy-trade, science-technology, and education-training and people-to-people exchange.

The Vice President of the Vietnam - India Friendship Association affirmed his belief that with the favorable development momentum and rich experience of more than 50 years plus the joint efforts of both sides, the friendly relationship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and India will definitely continue to reap many new and greater achievements, meeting the practical interests of the two peoples, for peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity in the region and around the world.

Besides, he expressed his belief that this festival, with the participation of a large number of delegates representing all walks of life, scholars, intellectuals, artists and peace organizations, will be a forum with open and cordial exchanges, thereby contributing to promoting the traditional friendship between the two peoples in the new situation.

At the ceremony, Pallab Sengupta reviewed the tradition of solidarity, sympathy, support and mutual assistance between India and Vietnam in both wartime and peacetime. He reiterated the slogan of actions of all classes of Indian people supporting the just struggle of the Vietnamese people that once roared out in many Indian cities, including Chennai, "Your name, my name, our name, Vietnam! Vietnam!".

He emphasized the important role of this people-to-people exchange activity, saying that each festival is an opportunity for the people of the two countries to review the important milestones of the long-term friendship and cooperation relationship between the two countries. Besides, he thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people's affection for India.

Also at the ceremony, Ma. Subramanian, Minister of Health and Family Welfare of Tamil Nadu, appreciated that Chennai being chosen as the venue for this 11th festival, and voiced his hope that there will be more and more many people-to-people exchanges in general and between localities of the two countries in particular.

After the opening ceremony, the large audience attending the festival enjoyed many unique musical performances praising the homeland, the country and its people, and the Vietnam-India friendship performed by Military Theater's artists along with traditional songs and dances by many Indian artists and children. Vietnamese artists made a deep impression on local audiences by performing many songs in Hindi.

Within the framework of exchange activities with political and social organizations, on the morning of November 2, the Vietnamese people's delegation paid a courtesy visit to AIPSO leaders, had working meetings and discussions with leaders of the CPI and Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Chennai.

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