The 2022 Kochi-Vietnam winter exchange festival was held in Kochi prefecture of Japan on November 27, VNA reported Monday.

This is also the first time this kind of cultural exchange festival has been held in Kochi prefecture.

The Kochi-Vietnam Cultural Exchange Festival has been organised in Kochi Prefecture, Japan, for first time in an effort to boost cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

At the festival, local residents expatriated Vietnamese, and foreigners were entertained with displays of unique art performances and a showcase of the culinary culture of both countries.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event, Tsuji Akinori, chairman of the Kochi-Vietnam Exchange Association, thanked the Consulate General of Vietnam in Osaka, the Kochi prefecture government and donors for their support in the organization of the festival.

He said he hopes that the event will popularise the cultural and traditional beauties of the two countries, helping to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan in general, as well as between Kochi prefecture and Vietnam in particular.

Okamura Shouichi, head of the Culture, Community and Sports Department of Kochi, said that the local administration attaches great importance to the contributions of the expatriate communities in Kochi, including the Vietnamese community with more than 1,200 people.

He expressed his belief that cultural exchange festivals between Kochi and other countries, including Vietnam, will contribute to enhancing mutual understanding and promoting collaboration for mutual benefit.

Le Huy Hoang, who is in charge of the Consulate General of Vietnam in Osaka, highly appreciated the organization of the event - the first-ever exchange festival between Kochi prefecture and Vietnam.

Hoang said he hopes that the Kochi-Vietnam Exchange Association and the Vietnamese community in the prefecture will act as a bridge to enhance mutual understanding and contribute to promoting cooperation between Kochi prefecture and Vietnam.

He also congratulated the success of the recent visit to Lam Dong province by the delegation of the Kochi prefecture government and businesses, wishing the cooperation between Kochi and Lam Dong province to continue to develop well.

He expressed his hope that the Kochi-Vietnam Exchange Association and the Kochi prefecture government will continue to organize the annual exchange festival, especially in 2023 when the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of their establishment of diplomatic relations.

The Governor of Kochi prefecture and the representative of Lam Dong province also sent congratulations to the festival organizers.

Kochi Prefecture is located on the island of Shikoku. The prefectural capital is Kochi City.

The largest of the four prefectures on Shikoku, it has a relatively small population, with the Prefectural Capital of Kochi City having approximately 300,000 people. Primarily mountainous, the primarily agricultural populace cope with the use of terraced rice paddies, and other fields.

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