General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and State President Tô Lâm (right) and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh shake hands at the ceremony on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo

ULAANBAATAR — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and State President Tô Lâm, Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and high-level delegations from the two countries attended an opening ceremony for the first Việt Nam Culture Day in Mongolia on September 30.

The event was organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with the Mongolian Ministry of culture, Sport, Tourism and Youth as part of the activities to mark the 70th anniversary of the Việt Nam-Mongolia diplomatic relations and welcome Lâm and the Vietnamese delegation to the East Asian country.

In his opening remarks, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Văn Hùng affirmed that the two countries have maintained their friendship as well as mutual understanding and trust since they set up their diplomatic ties seven decades ago, adding Party chief and President Lâm’s visit opens up a new chapter in the bilateral ties as they upgraded their relations to a comprehensive partnership, creating a breakthrough development in cooperation in the coming period, including in the areas of culture and tourism.

Laying stress on the role of the cultural exchange cooperation between the two sides, Hùng described the Việt Nam Culture Day in Mongolia as an important milestone that helps enhance the friendship and develop the comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

Mongolian Minister of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth Nomin Chinbat underlined that on the basis of the time-honoured relations and respect for history and culture of each other, the Việt Nam-Mongolia relationship has unceasingly developed, expanded and enhanced, comprising culture and tourism.

He expressed his delight at the signing of a Memoranda of Understanding in culture and tourism, asserting that the Việt Nam Culture Day in Mongolia, organised within the framework of the Vietnamese leader’s visit, is a vivid demonstration for the more robust cooperation between the two nations.

Participants at the event were treated to a cultural feast that spotlights Việt Nam’s traditional musical instruments like T’rung, lithophone, two-string fiddle and 16-string musical instrument while introducing the image of a Việt Nam of peace, stability and huge development potential during international integration.

The Việt Nam Culture Day will run until October 2, aiming to promote mutual understanding as well as sound friendship and cooperation between the two peoples and contributing to developing the bilateral ties in the coming time.

Earlier, Lâm, Khurelsukh and the high-level delegations visited an exhibition featuring impressive photos on Việt Nam’s UNESCO-recognised natural and cultural heritage items. — VNS