Ottawa (VNA) – The ASEAN festival recently held at Vincent Masseypark, Ottawa, Canada, was blazed up with numerous sport events and typical dishesfrom ASEAN member states.
The festival is held annually to strengthen solidarity among the bloc’s membersas well as between ASEAN and Canada. This year event drew tens of families of stafffrom embassies of ASEAN nations and guests from the Canadian Ministry of ForeignAffairs, organisations, universities and colleges.
According to Philippine Ambassador to Canada Petronila P. Garcia, rotating chairmanof the ASEAN Committee in Canada, the event is of significance as this year isthe hallmark of the bloc’s 50th birthday and 40 years of ASEAN-Canada dialoguerelations.
The committee will hold other activities to celebrate the events, includingtree planting at the Indonesian Embassy and ASEAN film festival, the PhilippineAmbassador said.
Meanwhile, Robert Bisset from the Global Affairs Canada stressed that Canadawants to have a long-lasting relations with ASEAN and wishes to deepen therelations, especially in trade.-VNA