Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Trần Phước Anh and delegates cut the ribbon to open the Vietnam Phở Festival 2025 in Singapore. — VNA/VNS Photo

SINGAPORE — The Vietnam Phở Festival 2025 officially opened on October 18 at Our Tampines Hub in Singapore, drawing large crowds of visitors eager to experience the iconic Vietnamese dish.

This marks the first time Vietnam’s renowned phở has been the focus of a dedicated festival in the island country, offering new opportunities to promote cultural exchange, cuisine, and trade cooperation between the two countries.

Under the theme Phở – Enjoying Together, Growing Together, the two-day event presents Vietnamese phở as a “cultural ambassador” that connects communities and fosters collaboration in culture, tourism, trade, and investment between Việt Nam and Singapore.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Desmond Choo, Singaporean Minister of State for Defence, highlighted phở as a symbol of Vietnamese heritage and resilience, saying it embodies cultural values that connect people across borders. He noted that the festival’s theme reflects the close friendship and shared aspirations between Singapore and Việt Nam.

The festival’s highlights included an authentic Vietnamese culinary space where master chefs and artisans prepare traditional phở alongside other favourites such as bánh mì and nem rán (fried spring rolls). Exhibitions feature images, agricultural products, spices, and tourism services from Việt Nam, complemented by cultural performances blending traditional music with modern elements, offering visitors a taste of Vietnamese culture and hospitality.

Desmond Choo described the festival as a practical expression of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Việt Nam and Singapore. He said the event helps Singaporeans better understand Việt Nam's diverse agricultural products, paving the way for future business cooperation both within Singapore and across the region.

Visitors warmly welcomed the festival, expressing delight at experiencing authentic Vietnamese flavours and diverse regional phở ​​​​​​styles in Singapore.

A key feature of the festival was the Việt Nam–Singapore Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Forum, which gathered around 150 enterprises from both countries. The forum provided networking opportunities, discussions, and business-matching sessions aimed at strengthening partnerships and promoting new bilateral agreements.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Trần Phước Anh highlighted that the festival holds special significance as it takes place at a time when Việt Nam–Singapore relations are at their best, especially following the recent upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He noted that hosting the event at Our Tampines Hub — Singapore’s largest integrated community and residential complex — helps spread Vietnamese culinary culture more widely while also strengthening bonds within the Vietnamese expatriate community.

The Vietnam Phở Festival 2025 is jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore, Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) Newspaper, and the Saigontourist Group, in collaboration with the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade and the Vietnamese Liaison Committee in Singapore. — VNA/VNS