Cultural Minister presents Vietnam’s epic national poem to US politicians
(VOV) - Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh on August 10 discussed with Under Secretary of State Richard Stengel measures to boost cooperation in culture and tourism under the framework of the Vietnam Cultural Days in the US.
During the working session, he thanked the US Department of State (DOS) for its support to successfully organise the Cultural Days and appreciated the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP)’s assistance to cultural heritage preservation and other activities of the culture, sports and tourism sector in Vietnam through non-governmental organisations.
Minister Anh said Vietnam and the US have enhanced artistic and sport exchanges and cooperated in tourism development.
Particularly, the US has become the top foreign investor in tourism in Vietnam in recent years.
The Vietnamese government is facilitating US tourists to Vietnam through extending visa from three months to one year with the aim of welcoming 1 million American visitors to the country by 2017.
Mr Anh proposed that the two countries should foster cooperation in culture, sports and tourism on par with their potential.
For his part, Mr. Stengel echoed Anh’s view on the results of comprehensive cooperation over the last two decades, of which cultural and people-to-people exchanges play the key role in promoting peace and conciliation.
On the occasion, through Mr Stengel, Minister Anh presented Vietnam’s epic national poem, the Tale of Kieu (Kieu’s Story) to President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry and Senator John McCain.
On the same day, Minister Anh and the Vietnamese delegation compare notes with the American Society of Cinematographers on cinematographic development cooperation between the two countries.
They also visited the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.