The opening ceremony was attended by Shin Choong Il, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Ho Chi Minh City; Truong Quang Hoai Nam, Deputy Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations; Nguyen Van Hieu, Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Can Tho City Party Committee; Duong Tan Hien, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Can Tho City People's Committee; Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice Chairman of the Can Tho City People's Committee.
There were also representatives from many organizations, businesses, and members of the Korean community in Ho Chi Minh City and throughout the Mekong Delta region.
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| Delegates performed the opening ceremony of the event. |
The Viet Nam-Korea Cultural Day in Can Tho city this year spanned two days, October 5th and 6th, featuring a diverse array of activities. These included cultural exchanges, culinary experiences, tourism, and educational insights from both nations; K-pop dance performances, art exhibitions, Taekwondo demonstrations; workshops on making kimchi and spring rolls; and a showcase of Can Tho city's signature products.
During the opening ceremony, Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice Chairman of the Can Tho City People's Committee, highlighted that Korea is now one of Viet Nam's largest investors and ranks second in development cooperation. The Republic of Korea also stands as the third largest partner in trade and labor cooperation. Moreover, in 2023, the Republic of Korea became Viet Nam's top tourist market. The collaboration between the two nations in culture, education, health, people-to-people exchanges, and local cooperation has been significantly strengthened.
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| Nguyen Van Hieu (right), Secretary of the Can Tho City Party Committee, introduces Can Tho's handicraft products to Shin Choong Il, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Ho Chi Minh City. |
In terms of bilateral cooperation, Can Tho City entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Jeolla Province in South Korea in 2012, covering sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, education, and culture. Following this agreement, numerous initiatives have been undertaken, including exchanges of delegations, staff training, and sharing of expertise across various fields.
According to Nguyen Thuc Hien, based on the good cooperative relationship between the two countries, the cooperative relationship between Can Tho city and its Korean partners is increasingly developing and becoming more substantial; the cooperative activities between departments, branches, and sectors of Can Tho City and Korean agencies and partners are also very rich and diverse. That demonstrates the close relationship between the two sides and the potential for expanding cooperation in the future.
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| Nguyen Thanh Xuan, Chairman of the Can Tho City Association for Promotion of Education, awarded scholarships to disadvantaged Vietnamese and Korean children at the event. |
Nguyen Thuc Hien reports that the inaugural Viet Nam - Korea Cultural Day in Can Tho city, held in 2022, garnered enthusiastic participation, particularly from the youth. Experience has shown that respect and comprehension of culture lay the groundwork for fostering empathy, trust, and cultural exchanges. These, in turn, broaden cooperative prospects across various sectors, creating reciprocal benefits for individuals and the business communities of both nations.
With this in mind, the leaders of Can Tho city are confident that the Viet Nam-Korea Cultural Day in Can Tho will provide vibrant cultural experiences not only to the city's residents, particularly the youth but also to those in surrounding areas. Moreover, it is expected to create numerous collaborative opportunities for the business sector. This event aims to further incorporate the essential values and distinctive products of the Republic of Korea and Viet Nam into the daily lives of both peoples, thereby enhancing the Viet Nam-RoK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
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| Performances by artists from the Republic of Korea at the Viet Nam - Korea Cultural Day in Can Tho city. |
Shin Choong Il, the Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Ho Chi Minh City, has expressed his commitment to further support and foster the development of cooperation between RoK, Viet Nam, and Can Tho city, with a special focus on education. This initiative is expected to enhance opportunities for international student exchanges and bolster collaboration between educational institutions and businesses from both countries.
During the opening ceremony, the Department of Foreign Affairs of Can Tho City, the Korean Cultural Center in Viet Nam, the Department of Education and Training of Can Tho City, and the Korean Language Center in Ho Chi Minh City jointly announced the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation.
At the event, there were exchange programs and performances by artists from RoK, Ho Chi Minh City, and students from universities in Can Tho City.
During this event, the People's Committee of Can Tho City, in collaboration with the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Ho Chi Minh City, raised funds to provide scholarships to underprivileged students who have excelled academically despite hardships, as well as to Vietnamese-Korean children facing difficulties. A total of over 600 million VND was collected, which was allocated to 311 scholarships and entrusted to the Can Tho City Association for Promoting Education for distribution. At the ceremony, the Association initially presented 9 scholarships to Vietnamese-Korean children in need.
Source: VNA
