A family participates in AEON Ekiden 2024 at AEON Long Biên in Hà Nội. — Photo courtesy of AEON Vietnam

HÀ NỘI — Building on the past two years' success, the AEON Ekiden combined with the Vietnam-Japan cultural festival, began its third season, promising to bring exciting experiences for families and running enthusiast groups.

With the theme 'Relay Road, Together Have Fun', this year’s AEON Ekiden continues to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable development through unique elements such as medals made from recycled plastic and eco-friendly hand fans. 

More than 3,000 enthusiasts ran the first stage of the AEON Ekiden 2024 race, which started at Long Biên in Hà Nội on June 30 and will move to AEON Bình Dương Canary on July 28 and AEON Tân Phú Celadon in HCM City on August 25.

AEON Vietnam not only serves consumers with quality products and services, bringing peace of mind and safety to daily life but also strives to make every payment transaction when customers shop at AEON Vietnam through its sustainable development strategy. In doing so, AEON Vietnam aims to collaborate with the customers to create a sustainable future through environmental, social and economic aspects.

As part of the social sustainability commitment, through the AEON Ekiden race, AEON Vietnam aims to promote a happy lifestyle and build a diverse and inclusive community. Collaborating with local communities wherever AEON Vietnam is present, the company tirelessly organises activities to enhance mental and physical well-being. 

Deputy General Director of the Office Division, AEON Vietnam Takeuchi Takashi speaks at the event. — Photo courtesy of AEON Vietnam

"Since 2022, the AEON EKIDEN relay race has become an annual and iconic event for local community. The event was organised across three locations in Việt Nam with nearly 4,000 participants running together, bonding, and creating memorable moments with their families and friends," said Takeuchi Takashi, Deputy General Director of the AEON Vietnam Office Division, at the ceremony.

AEON Ekiden is not just a regular race, but a unique combination of two elements: sports and cultural exchange. It aims to bring participants interesting and meaningful cultural experiences through two main activities, the three-centre race and a  Vietnam-Japan Cultural Festival held in the morning, along with the AEON Cosplay Festival held in the afternoon.

The Vietnam - Japan Cultural Festival has special appeal for families with young children and anyone, especially the younger generation, interested in learning more about the traditional and modern cultures of the two countries. This event aims to enrich the community's experiences and strengthen relations between Vietnam and Japan.

The winners of cosplay performance competitions as part of the AEON Cosplay Expo 2024. — Photo courtesy of AEON Vietnam

 AEON Cosplay Festival is a playground that connects young people with the same passion, promoting the spirit of pursuing passion among the youth and understanding Japanese culture in the Vietnamese youth community.

At the event, participants had chances to experience Vietnamese culture with Vietnamese folk games like Tò He (clay figurines) and Tô Tượng (clay sculpture) and also to explore Japanese folk culture brought to Việt Nam through Daruma dolls or lucky charms. — VNS