Viet Nam and the Netherlands kicked off an elaborate four day celebration of Vietnamese culture at the Lucent Danstheater in Hague City on September 23, expected to attract thousands of international friends and Overseas Vietnamese.
Speaking at the opening, Viet Nam Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai highlighted the great importance of the Viet Nam-Netherlands relationship and talked with specificity about how the traditional relationship based on mutual understanding and respect has evolved over recent years.
Deputy PM Hai especially underscored the fact that the relationship between the two nations was elevated to that of an equal strategic partnership in the fields of climate change adaptation, water management, agriculture and food security.
The ceremony featured art performances by Vietnamese artists from the Viet Nam National Academy of Music, who were voraciously welcomed by an audience of over 500 at the theatre.
Meeting with Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai the same day, Amsterdam Mayor E.E Van der Laan congratulated Viet Nam for its rising stature in the international arena. He also expressed his steadfast determination to boost all-around cooperation between Amsterdam and Vietnamese localities and Ha Noi alike.
The Mayor said the city of Amsterdam is especially interested in enlarging cooperation in the fields of urban management, infrastructure development, trade exchange and education and training.
On the occasion, he extended an invitation to representatives of the Viet Nam Government and Ha Noi to attend International Water Week scheduled for October 2015 in Amsterdam.
Deputy PM Hai thanked the Mayor for his invitation and graciously accepted the offer. Hai expressed his sincere appreciation as well for the Dutch Government and City of Amsterdam staging of Viet Nam Day in the Netherlands 2014 celebrations from September 23-26.