TEHRAN – Vietnam Cultural Days was held in Tehran on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Iran and Vietnam.

The cultural event took place from August 9 to 11 at the Iran Cinema Museum with the presence of a delegation of high-ranking government and cultural officials of Vietnam. 

The opening ceremony of the event was held on Wednesday evening in the presence of Iranian and Vietnamese officials, including Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili, President of the National Assembly of Vietnam Vuong Dinh Hue, the country’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Iran Luong Quoc Huy.

In a meeting with the president of the National Assembly of Vietnam before the ceremony, Iran’s minister of culture and Islamic guidance said that the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to sign a comprehensive memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation with the Republic of Vietnam, reiterating: “We are ready to expand our relations with this country.”

With the expansion of cultural relations between the two countries, their cultural experiences will be available to each other, Esmaeili stated and noted that the Iranian president has always emphasized on the expansion of relations with friendly countries.

“Holding Iran's cultural weeks in Vietnam is also one of the measures through which we can display the works of art of our country in Vietnam and introduce our art to the nation and government of Vietnam”, the minister commented.

The president of the National Assembly of Vietnam, for his part, expressed his satisfaction over being in Iran on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Iran and Vietnam and attending Vietnam Cultural Days in Tehran, and said: “I am grateful for the cooperation of Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to hold this event in Tehran.”

“I believe that the establishment of relations between us and Iran, as well as relations with other countries, should always start from cultural fields”, the official noted.

Referring to the important role of culture in promoting bilateral relations between countries, Vuong Dinh Hue said: “Some countries pay more attention to economic and social development goals than cultural goals and have forgotten cultural development, but I believe that economic and social development should take place at the same time with the cultural development.”

In the end, he invited Iran’s minister of culture and Islamic guidance to sign a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation between the two countries, in Vietnam, and added: “We welcome and support holding Iran's cultural week in Vietnam”.

‘Cultural co-op capacity very high between Iran, Vietnam’

Addressing the opening ceremony of Vietnam Cultural Days, Iran’s minister of culture and Islamic guidance emphasized that the capacity of cultural cooperation between the two countries is very high, and it is possible to turn potential capacities into actual ones.

There are many favorable conditions and opportunities for the development of bilateral relations, one of which is the existence of a common Asian culture, the minister added.

The relations between Iran and Vietnam have always been based on friendship and brotherhood.

During this half century, since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Iran and Vietnam, bilateral relations have been formed on the basis of three components of respect and affection, and the development of relations in the political, economic and cultural fields, and mutual cooperation in the field of international institutions.

“I thank the presence of the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation in Iran, the president of the National Assembly of Vietnam and his companions, and I hope that the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon organize a magnificent cultural week in the beautiful country of Vietnam, hosted by the lovely people of this country.”

During Vietnam Cultural Days, handicrafts, traditional clothes, books and photos taken from touristic, cultural and historical attractions of Vietnam were showcased. 

Three Vietnamese films also screened during the three-day event. 

The cultural event was held with the joint cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Iran Cinema Museum and the Embassy of Vietnam in Iran.

Photo: Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili (R) shakes hands with the President of the National Assembly of Vietnam Vuong Dinh Hue during the opening ceremony of Vietnam Cultural Days at Iran Cinema Museum on August 9, 2023.

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