In his opening speech, Andre De Jong, a member of the GBA Board, remarked that for more than three decades, the festival has been held annually in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to introduce Germany's traditional culture to the Vietnamese people.
He said it is the largest German cultural festival in Southeast Asia, recording over 10,000 attendees every year. It has also become a symbol of the enduring bilateral relationship between Germany and Vietnam.
The festival brought to Da Nang the authentic atmosphere found in the massive beer halls of the original Oktoberfest in Munich and Bavarian music from the Austrian-based Oktoberfest band O'zapft. Participants were treated to traditional and richly flavoured dishes prepared by German chefs, premium imported German beers, and non-alcoholic beverages.
According to GBA Co-Chairmen Elmar Dutt and Torben Minko, 2023 marks the 48th anniversary of the Vietnam-Germany diplomatic relations, with their bilateral strategic partnership strengthened across all areas, particularly culture, economy, trade, and investment. In recent years, the GBA in Vietnam has promoted the nations' bilateral economic and social relations and introduced unique cultural values from Germany throughout the Southeast Asian country via the Oktoberfest.
