The event was co-organised by the Embassy of Viet Nam in the Russian Federation, the “Tradition and Friendship” Cooperation Promotion Foundation, and Herzen University.
This is the first time the festival has been held in Saint Petersburg, on the sidelines of the city’s ongoing Viet Nam Week.
Speaking at the event, Vyacheslav Kalganov, Deputy Chairman of the Saint Petersburg Committee for External Relations, expressed his joy and honour that Saint Petersburg had been chosen to host the fifth edition of the Vietnamese Language Festival. He emphasised that cooperation with Viet Nam has become a priority in the city’s external affairs and is opening up great prospects.
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| Vyacheslav Kalganov, Deputy Chairman of the Saint Petersburg Committee for External Relations, spoke at the event. (Photo: XUAN HUNG) |
In her opening remarks, Mai Nguyen Tuyet Hoa, First Secretary in charge of Education at the Vietnamese Embassy in the Russian Federation, stressed that the Vietnamese Language Festival is a special occasion bringing together those who value the richness of Vietnamese culture and language.
This year’s festival carries particular significance, taking place as Viet Nam and the Russian Federation commemorate a series of important historical milestones. The Soviet Union was one of the first countries in the world to recognise and officially establish diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.
Following the opening ceremony, attendees enjoyed cultural performances by Vietnamese and Russian students. Notably, lecturers and students from various universities in Saint Petersburg participated in a Vietnamese language class combined with storytelling, conducted by scholars of Vietnamese studies.
