The program was organised by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organisations (HAUFO) and the municipal Department of Tourism on April 24.

This is one of the annual cultural exchange activities conducted by HAUFO, contributing to advertising the image of the country and the people of the capital to international friends. The program is also in response to the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) which will take place in Vietnam from May 12-23.

It attracted the participation of representatives from foreign embassies, international organisations, and bilateral and multilateral friendship associations of HAUFO.

International participants visited Thay Pagoda. Source: Vietnam Times

According to Vietnam News Agency, Nguyen Lan Huong, President of the municipal Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and Chairwoman of HAUFO, said this was a meaningful occasion to introduce the Vietnamese culture to foreigners living in the country and also a chance for cultural exchange so as to strengthen the friendship and mutual understanding between the Vietnamese people and international friends.

Huong added that serving as the venue of the opening and closing ceremonies and many sports of the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), Hanoi is now ready for a safe and successful Games so as to leave good impression on regional and international friends.

Cultural Performance in the program. Source: Vietnam Times

During the program, participants visited Thay Pagoda - a famous destination of spiritual tourism in Hanoi, learned about traditional culture, and experienced folk games and traditional dishes of Vietnam in Tuan Chau Hanoi tourist site in Quoc Oai district.

Talking to reporters during this friendship journey, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) said that the Friendship Journey 2022 plays an important role in promoting the image of Vietnam country and its people with international friends. The program also contributes to the country's people-to-people diplomacy.

“Main task of people-to-people diplomacy is to mobilize international support and solidarity for Vietnam. Activities such as friendship journeys help international friends understand more about cultural traditions imbued with identity, ethnicity, development potential, and the rich spiritual life of the Vietnamese people. Through these activities, the cohesion and friendship between the Vietnamese people and people around the world will be strengthened. This is a positive contribution to the people-to-people diplomacy of the whole country in general and of Hanoi in particular”, added Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga.

According to VOV World, Nguyen Phuong Nga, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations shared at the program: “Visiting Thay Pagoda, you will get more information about the traditional culture of Hanoi people, about the life and great contributions of Zen Master Tu Dao Hanh to Vietnamese Buddhism, to Vietnamese culture, especially the traditional art of Vietnamese water puppetry. International friends will also witness the peaceful life, very close to nature of Vietnamese people.”

Participants watching the cultural performance in the program. Source: Vietnam Times

Venezuelan Ambassador Tatiana Pugh Moreno described Hanoi as a capital with mixed traditional and modern features, a dynamic and strongly developing city, a land with rich trade, tourism, cultural potential, and a great and warm home to her.

Cuban doctor, Hastie Gonzales Brizaida, who is currently working in Hanoi, expressed his pleasure in joining the friendship journey this year. “I see Vietnam as a safe country. The 2022 friendship journey has helped foreigners to understand more about Vietnamese people. I find Thay pagoda very beautiful and I love watching Vietnam's water puppetry”, Hastie Gonzales Brizaida said to Ha Noi Moi Online.

Friendship Journey 2022 has brought international friends many interesting experiences about the unique cultural values ​​and hospitality of the people of Hanoi as well as the people of Vietnam, and at the same time, opened new cooperation opportunities with Quoc Oai district in the near future.

Many young international friends joined the program for the first time. Source: Vietnam Times

According to Ha Noi Moi Online, Standing Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee and Chairman of People's Council of Quoc Oai District Dam Cong Loi expressed: “We very much expect that when coming to Quoc Oai, you will all feel the safety, friendliness, quality and attractiveness of the district. We are ready to cooperate with ministries, departments, branches and units to implement programs in the area.”

Quoc Oai district is located in the west of Hanoi city, a land with a long history and development. Quoc Oai has many historical and cultural relics, famous architectural works and sculptures with thousands of relics and antiquities dating back thousands of years. Among them, Thay Pagoda is one of the oldest pagodas, a spiritual tourist destination chosen by many domestic and international tourists when traveling to Quoc Oai./.

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