On the occasion of Belarus’s Independence Day, Việt Nam News presents an article by ambassador Vladimir Goshin.

On July 3, 2019, the Republic of Belarus celebrates its Independence Day – the main national holiday of the country.

Belarusian artists perform in Hà Nội last night. — Courtesy Photos of Belarusian Embassy

The year 2019 coincides with two significant commemorative dates – the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus in the Second World War and the 100th anniversary of the Belarusian Diplomatic Service.

To celebrate these significant occasions, today the Embassy of Belarus to Việt Nam hosts a national reception, inviting our Vietnamese colleagues and friends, representatives of the diplomatic corps in Việt Nam, as well as our citizens currently in Việt Nam.

Representing our country abroad, alongside well-known industrial and agricultural achievements, we speak more and more about a progressively developing IT and high-tech sector, which has let Belarus attract global attention and win wide acclaim worldwide.

At the same time we never forget that building a healthy nation and uniting people through sports have always been among the pillars of Belarusian national policy.

In this regard, we warmly welcome the 2nd European Games – international multi-sport competitions among athletes of the European continent, which are held every four years under the direction of the European Olympic Committees.

For the first time ever in its history Belarus will host such a remarkable sporting event starting tomorrow in Minsk – the capital of our country, and will last till June 30, 2019.

Each guest will have a chance to get acquainted closer with Belarus, its distinctive traditions and heritage, as well as to visit historical cultural places such as Mir and Nesvizh castles listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, go on an ethnographic tour with a tasting of authentic national Belarusian cuisine.

I would like to invite all readers, sport fans and Vietnamese friends to visit Belarus on this significant occasion. Do not miss your chance to visit our “blue-eyed” land well known abroad for its numerous lakes and rivers, as well as to enjoy famous Belarusian hospitality.

But let’s get back to our Belarusian-Vietnamese ties, to the relationships with a geographically distant but spiritually close comradeship and friendship.

Fraternal relations between Belarusians and Vietnamese, formed in the times of the Soviet Union, have never been interrupted, and as a result of progressive development reached a new level. More than that, constructive co-operation with Việt Nam has always been one of the priorities of the foreign policy of Belarus.

The deepening of bilateral ties is promoted by regular meetings and dialog of the leaders of our countries, as well as active contacts between relevant ministries, public organisations and business circles.

Developed political relations require a solid economic basis.

In 2019 we are looking forward to some truly momentous milestones in our trade and economic cooperation such as the launch of the first Belarusian-Vietnamese trucks assembling plant MAZ Asia and laying the first stone in the foundation of a joint milk processing company in Hưng Yên Province in the north of Việt Nam.

I hope soon you will have a chance to enjoy high quality Belarusian milk products produced in Việt Nam. I cannot forget to mention the citizens of Hà Nội have already for almost two years been enjoying the comfort and quality of Belarusian low-floor buses MAZ plying along the routes No. 3 and No. 108 of Hà Nội’s urban system.

However, I strongly believe that we haven’t yet reached the enormous potential which exists between Belarus and Việt Nam. I hope that the Free Trade Agreement between Việt Nam and Eurasian Economic Union will help us in achieving valuable results in the coming years. My deep conviction as the Ambassador is that we need to shift from simple trade to the creation of joint ventures on both territories for further production of high-tech products.

Victory Square in Minsk, capital of Belarus, which is a symbol of independence and victory.

Fruitful bilateral co-operation cannot exist without cultural bonds. Besides organising traditional exchanges of days of culture between the two countries, this year we invited the outstanding Belarusian children’s dancing ensemble Rovesnik to perform in Việt Nam for the first time ever to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Belarusian Diplomatic Service.

Performances will be held in Hà Nội, Hưng Yên Province and Nha Trang City. The concert in Hà Nội City will be held on Saturday at Vietnam National Academy of Music. Taking this opportunity as the Ambassador of Belarus I would like to invite our Vietnamese friends to enjoy the performances with us. We are happy to share a part of our national culture as well as to illustrate the authenticity of the Belarusian folk dances.

We hope to see you at one of our scheduled cultural events. — VNS