Enhancing Cultural and Sporting Exchanges: Bolstering Vietnam – Russia Friendship Through Tourism and Beyond

On the evening of July 6, at the Capella Theater in Saint Petersburg, the Cultural Days of Vietnam in the Russian Federation drew to a close, capping off a string of brilliant successes.

Over the course of nearly a week, the Cultural Days of Vietnam in the Russian Federation showcased and promoted the cultural values and tourism potential of Vietnam to the Russian public through a diverse range of artistic performances, film screenings, exhibitions, and tourism promotion seminars. These events served to strengthen mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation between the people of the two countries, further solidifying the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, shared his thoughts on the resounding success of the Cultural Days of Vietnam in the Russian Federation, 2024.

– Honorable Minister, the Cultural Days of Vietnam in the Russian Federation concluded with achievements that exceeded expectations. How do you assess the impact and reach of this event?

As part of the Cultural Days of Vietnam in the Russian Federation, we collaborated closely with our Russian counterparts to organize a wide range of synchronized activities. With each event, we could feel the enthusiasm and interest of the Russian people in Vietnamese culture, especially the artistic performances in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, which received a very warm response from the audience.

In addition to the interest shown by the Russian people, this year’s Cultural Days of Vietnam also witnessed the participation of high-ranking Russian officials. Notably, the First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia, Andrey Yatskin, attended the opening ceremony, and the Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia, Valentina Matvyenko, sent a letter of congratulations.

Moreover, at each local event, we received a warm welcome from the governors and leaders of the respective regions.

This demonstrates the growth and strength of our culture, connecting people, fostering genuine exchange and understanding between our nations. Through these interactions, we have the opportunity to embrace and integrate different cultures into the development of Vietnamese culture.

Additionally, while organizing the Cultural Days of Vietnam, we not only focused on cultural activities but also utilized these events to promote and boost tourism, showcasing the beauty and potential of Vietnam’s destinations and people.

I hope that through these activities, we can stimulate the development of tourism, increase the number of Russian visitors to Vietnam, and vice versa, leading to a significant rise in Vietnamese tourists to Russia.

Another important aspect was that through the Cultural Days of Vietnam in Russia, high-level leaders from both countries had the opportunity to meet and review the achievements in cultural and sports cooperation. From there, they discussed solutions to further enhance this collaboration in the future.

The success of the Cultural Days of Vietnam in 2024 lays the foundation for elevating this event to new heights.

– In terms of future cooperation in culture, tourism, and sports between the two countries, what areas will we prioritize, Honorable Minister?

First and foremost, based on the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation and in line with the Joint Statement on further deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Russian Federation during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Vietnam on June 20, we will continue to focus on developing cooperation in culture, tourism, and sports between the two countries.

In the realm of culture, both sides will continue to prioritize the organization of Cultural Days in each other’s countries. We aim to elevate these events beyond mere artistic performances and exchanges, utilizing the language of art to permeate Vietnamese culture into various fields and promote it widely in Russia.

In addition to artistic programs, we also need to consider organizing in-depth workshops and forums to raise awareness, seek solutions, and foster development. Depending on the theme each year, the common goal is to promote cultural development and, through that, contribute to strengthening the friendship between the two countries.

Regarding tourism, the Russian Federation is a potential market, but we face challenges in air connectivity. We will work closely with relevant Vietnamese agencies and our Russian counterparts to address this issue. With direct flights in place, tourism between our countries is bound to flourish.

In the field of sports, the Russian Federation has many advantages that we can leverage through cooperation. Apart from annual delegation exchanges, Russia has also committed to supporting us in sports science and athlete training. Through this partnership, we aim to improve our performance in elite sports and enhance our competitiveness in international events…

We also agreed with our Russian counterparts on not supporting the politicization of sports, and that sports should uphold the true Olympic spirit.

– What agreements have been reached between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and the relevant ministries of the Russian Federation to create highlights in the cooperation between the two countries in the coming time, Honorable Minister?

During the talks with the Russian Minister of Culture, our ministries agreed on cooperation plans for the next five years, including annual programs.

Accordingly, in 2025, marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Russian Federation (1950-2025), the two countries will continue to organize Cultural Days in each other’s countries.

Moving into 2025, we will come together to evaluate the achievements and challenges faced by the Task Force on Culture, Sports, and Tourism over the year. Simultaneously, we will organize forums that align with the nature of the industry to promote cultural exchange between Vietnam and Russia, find common ground, and devise specific cooperation plans.

– Thank you, Honorable Minister!