Vietnam And Russia: History of Friendship Spanning Decades
	Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vietnamese President To Lam meet Viet alumni in Russia

Nguyen Phuong Hoa, director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shared with the Vietnam Times about the results achieved from the activities of Vietnamese Cultural Days 2024 in Russia.

Recently, a delegation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism led by Minister Nguyen Van Hung has carried out many cooperation and exchange activities in the Russian Federation. What is the most outstanding highlight of this working visit?

From July 1 to July 8, Minister Nguyen Van Hung and his delegation visited the Russian Federation to organize the Vietnamese Culture Days in Russia. Overall, the trip achieved outstanding and comprehensive results in three areas of culture, sports, and tourism, while further strengthening people-to-people exchanges.

Opening ceremony of Vietnamese Cultural Days in the Russia in 2024. Photo: T.L

This program is considered our first activity following the State visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Vietnam on June 20th, having significant political meaning, positively received by the Russian political circles. The trip, with its specific activities, concretized the contents of the Joint Statement.

The Joint Statement is about deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, building on the achievements of 30 years of implementing the Treaty on the Basic Principles of Vietnam-Russia Friendly Relations, and looking towards the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Russian Federation (1950-2025).

The Vietnamese Cultural Days in Russia in 2024 also marked the participation of high-ranking Russian officials. Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvyenko sent a congratulatory letter to the event, and sent the First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Andrey Yatskin to attend the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony was also attended by two former Prime Ministers of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Fradkov and Sergey Stepashin.

Performances by Vietnamese artists at the event. Photo: T.L

During the Vietnamese Cultural Days in Russia, the activities were diverse and vibrant, warmly welcomed by the audience. The art performances at Zaryadye Concert Hall in Moscow and the evening performances at Capella Theater in Saint Petersburg were all fully booked. The Vietnamese artists received endless applause after each performance. Additionally, the Vietnamese film screenings in Russia and exhibitions showcasing the country and people of Vietnam also attracted a lot of Russian interest.

Russia appreciated and acknowledged the practical initiatives of Minister Nguyen Van Hung related to delegation exchanges, such as organizing additional specialized cooperation forums for managers and scholars to exchange views on mutual concerns, and finding specific solutions to enhance cooperation between the two countries.

Dance performance by Vietnamese artists at the program. Photo: T.L

During this working visit, the two sides launched the first meeting of the Working Group on Cultural Cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Russian Ministry of Culture, as part of the Intergovernmental Committee between the two countries. Notably, the two Ministers held direct talks, set specific goals and activities to further promote and strengthen substantive cooperation. The focus of the cooperation is to prioritize high-quality human resource training. Additionally, the Deputy Ministers of both sides were assigned as heads of the working groups.

Through the cultural exchange activities between the two countries during the event, what message did Vietnam give to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in culture and sports, especially in the field of tourism?

Through various tourism promotion and introduction programs, Minister Nguyen Van Hung conveyed the message 'Vietnam is ready to welcome Russian tourists' to a large number of Russian people. The tourism promotion program in Russia's two largest cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg, which was attended by a large number of travel agencies and airlines, demonstrated the significant interest of the Russian market in Vietnamese tourism.

A large Russian audience watched the performances at the event. Photo: T.L

After concluding this working visit, the Minister will also work with ministries and agencies to make specific proposals to the Government, thereby finding solutions to promote the early opening and increase the direct flights between Vietnam and Russia.

In the field of sports, Minister Nguyen Van Hung and the Russian Minister of Sports held direct talks, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding on sports cooperation between the two Ministries. This document outlines specific goals, content, and a roadmap to make this cooperation more substantive. The two Ministers also agreed to establish a working group on sports cooperation between the two countries to effectively implement specific contents. In the talks, the Minister also expressed a particular desire to cooperate with Russia in sports, helping to further improve performance.

The performance of Vietnamese artists attracted the attention of audiences. Photo: T.L

In addition to cultural introduction and tourism promotion activities, both sides have also intensified activities to continue the revolutionary tradition and special friendship between the two countries. This is reflected in activities honoring the leaders, such as exhibitions about the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh at Lenin's Mausoleum, or Minister Nguyen Van Hung's visit and working session at the Ho Chi Minh Institute of St. Petersburg State University, as well as flower-laying ceremonies at the statue of President Ho Chi Minh.

These further demonstrate the fact that President Ho Chi Minh's thought is the foundation for the friendly relations between the two nations, continuing to be carried on and shine even brighter in the current context.

A dance performance by young Vietnamese artists. Photo: T.L

Based on the successful results of the Vietnamese Cultural Days, what specific activities will both sides prioritize in the coming time to enhance cultural, sports, and tourism exchanges and cooperation?

The success of the Vietnamese Cultural Days in Russia has affirmed the good cultural, sports, and tourism relations between Vietnam and Russia. Especially, the results from Minister Nguyen Van Hung's visit and the plans that the ministries have agreed upon are an important basis for further promoting exchange and cooperation activities in the future.

Traditional instruments performance. Photo: T.L

Nguyen Phuong Hoa, director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Photo: T.L

Without having to wait until 2025 when the Russians come to Vietnam to organize Russian Cultural Days, both sides will have events in the last six months of 2024 to showcase Russian culture in Vietnam.

In September 2024, in response to Minister Nguyen Van Hung's initiative to organize a cultural cooperation forum between the two countries, the Russian side has also proposed organizing a specialized session on Vietnam-Russia cultural, artistic, and tourism cooperation within the framework of the International Culture Forum in Saint Petersburg.

Also in October 2024, Russia is expected to send an art troupe from the Bolshoi Theater to tour Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. The Russian side will send new films to participate in the Hanoi International Film Festival at the end of 2024.

In 2025, after organizing Russian Cultural Days in Vietnam and the Russian Film Festival in Vietnam to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Russia (1950-2025), both sides will agree to sign a new Cultural Cooperation Program between the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Russian Ministry of Culture for the 2025-2027 period.

The Minister's visit and working session this time have created a vibrant and enthusiastic atmosphere in the cooperative relationship between the two countries with many initiatives being implemented. The Minister also said that when implementing activities, the scale will also be upgraded to be commensurate with the relationship between the two countries and spread more widely to the public.

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