The International Food Festival took place in Ha Noi on December 8, featuring nearly 130 pavilions run by members of the ASEAN Community, international agencies, cultural centres and foreign relations departments of Vietnamese localities and businesses.
A pavilion at the festival (Photo: baoquocte.vn)
Hosted by the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the festival is an annual cultural and charity fundraising event. It is sponsored by Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga, Honorary President of the ASEAN Women’s Circle of Hanoi.
Palestinian Ambassador Saadi Salama said he believes the festival will create a wonderful opportunity for people to enjoy food and culture from different countries, while helping participating parties enhance their mutual understanding.
Last year, the festival raised nearly 2.6 billion VND (112,000 USD), which was donated to handicapped people, orphans and the poor.
In recent years, the organisers have donated funds for the construction of Binh Thuan Kindergarten in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai, a new bridge in the southern province of Long An and 10 scholarships for students in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, to name but a few./.