Staff at Vietnamese representatives agencies and their families at the Tet celebration event in Argentina. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese communities in Argentina andJapan have joined activities to celebrate the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.
At the event held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Argentina,overseas Vietnamese in the Latin American country watched a video featuringVietnam’s socio-economic development achievements and Vietnamese people whileenjoying traditional Vietnamese dishes during the Tet festival.
Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina DuongQuoc Thanh said that in 2023, Vietnam-Argentina relations witnessed steps of development with the high-level visit of National Assembly Chairman Vuong DinhHue on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomaticrelations between the two countries.
The year 2024 is expected to see many important visits by Vietnamese leaders, and representatives from ministries, and localities toArgentina to further promote potential for cooperation between the twocountries.
According to the Ambassador, theVietnamese community in Argentina numbers about 230 people, mostly living in northern Argentina and Buenos Aires province. Recently, many of them have returned to their homeland on the occasion of the Tet festival.
Meanwhile, the Consulate General of Vietnam in Fukuoka, theVietnamese Association in Fukuoka, and the Vietnam Trade and InvestmentPromotion Association in the Kyushu region held the"Homeland Spring 2024" festival in Fukuoka prefecture, southern Japan, on January 20.
"Ao dai" show - part of activities held to celebrate Lunar New Year in Japan's Fukuoka prefecture. (Photo: VNA)Previously, they kicked off the festival with the“Vietnam Ao Dai Fashion Week” on January 18.
Festival goers can join traditional activities during Tet, playfolk games, enjoy musical performances, and visit booths that offer Vietnameseand Japanese food and handicraft products.
Speaking at the event, Vu Chi Mai, Consul General of Vietnam inFukuoka, said that 2023 saw many important events in Vietnam-Japanrelations including the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, 15 years ofthe friendship between Hanoi city and Fukuoka prefecture.
Particularly, during his state visit to Japan last November,President Vo Van Thuong travelled to Fukuoka and met withrepresentatives of the Vietnamese community in the Kyushu region.
Mai said that the festival is not only an opportunity tointroduce traditional Vietnamese cultural values to international friends, including Japanese ones, but also contributes to consolidating and strengtheningunderstanding and friendship between the two countries.
Omagari Akie, Vice Governor of Fukuoka,said that the prefecture established friendly and cooperative relationship withHanoi city in 2008. After the festival, a delegation from Fukuokawill visit Hanoi, and amemorandum of understanding is expected to be signed to further bilateral cooperation, she added.
Omagari spoke highly of the Vietnamesecommunity's contributions to the two countries' relations and local socio-economicdevelopment as the largest foreign community in Fukuoka.
Within the framework of the event, the Consulate General ofVietnam in Fukuoka handed over certificates of merit from Foreign Minister BuiThanh Son to four individuals who have made effectivecontributions to the development of cooperation and friendshipbetween Vietnam and Japan.
The consulate also gave certificates of merit to three groupsand 12 individuals for their contributions to community service activities andthe Homeland Spring event in Fukuok"./.
