Culture Minister tours France
(VOV) - Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh is conducting a working visit to France from February 12-16 as part of activities marking the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and France.
He said he hopes that the 2014 Vietnam Year in France, which features about 100 events across the country, will leave a deep impression on French friends and result in increased cultural exchanges in the future.
Darcos, for his part, said Anh’s visit to launch the 2014 Vietnam Year in France demonstrates that the Vietnamese Government gives this event due importance, adding that the French Government also pays great attention to exchange activities with Vietnam.
He shared the Vietnamese minister’s view that the Vietnam – France Exchange Year is not a short term project, but should be passed down to young generations in order to continually foster the traditional friendship between the two countries.
At an earlier meeting with UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova, Minister Anh reiterated Vietnam’s commitment to fulfilling its role as a member of the World Heritage Committee (WHC), adding that the country is considering the possibility of hosting the annual WHC meeting by 2016.
Vietnam will hold an ASEAN Culture Festival this April and the country is actively working for the realisation of the ASEAN community on three pillars by 2015, including the ASEAN socio-cultural community, he said
Bokova suggested Vietnam send young officials to UNESCO for training to become cultural diplomats, especially in the heritage realm.
She invited the Vietnamese minister to attend a special session on the link between culture and development at the UN General Assembly, which is a UNESCO initiative.
At the talks with French Minister of Culture and Communication Aurelie Filippetti, the two sides pledged to work more closely in the future, after reviewing the bilateral partnership in culture, including projects on preserving Vietnamese cultural heritage.
Filippetti said the 2014 Vietnam Year in France is a chance to introduce to both peoples the growing bilateral partnership of the two countries.
After the talks, the two ministers witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Vietnam Film Institute (IFV) and the France’s National Audiovisual Institute (INA).
Under the agreement, the INA will lend IFV 203 audio-visual materials with a total length of 5 hours and 30 minutes and 528 radio materials running 97 hours, which include records of President Ho’s speeches and military campaigns between 1945-1954.