Vibrant Vietnamese cultural colours shine at Seongnam Global Harmony Festival

Addressing the opening ceremony, Seongnam Deputy Mayor An Gwang Lim underlined the importance of people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation in fostering mutual understanding and friendship between nations. He affirmed Seongnam’s identity as a dynamic, multicultural city that values openness, integration, and harmonious development.

Nguyen Thi Thai Binh, Minister Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK, expressed deep appreciation to the Seongnam city government and organisers for sustaining this meaningful festival over 15 years. She described it not only as a cultural exchange but also as a space for human connection through music, cuisine, traditional attire, and distinctive cultural narratives from each country.

She emphasised that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and the RoK is progressing positively, with cultural and people-to-people exchanges acting as bridges between the two nations. She noted that the Vietnamese community in the RoK now numbers over 350,000, increasingly integrating and contributing practically to the host country’s development as well as bilateral cooperation.

Under the theme ‘World Traditional Wedding Experience’, the 15th Global Harmony Festival commemorates World Day (20 May) and aims to nurture an open society of respect and communication by deepening understanding of diverse cultures and traditions.

The event drew participation from diplomatic representatives, international organisations, and expatriate communities.

Highlights included a flag parade featuring 28 countries, awards recognising outstanding contributions to multicultural foreign affairs, a programme introducing traditional wedding cultures from various nations, and an exhibition displaying wedding attire from five countries: the RoK, Viet Nam, China, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

Visitors also enjoyed renowned dishes from 10 countries, such as Vietnamese bun cha (noodles with grilled pork), Chinese braised pork rice, Japanese yakitori, Filipino lumpia, Ghanaian meat pies, Indian samosas, and Nepalese sel roti.