An international culinary festival entitled “the Asean Community and with international friends” was held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Ha Noi on December 05 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the MoFA and the formation of ASEAN Community at the end of 2015.
The festival featured 96 pavilions by 37 Embassies and one Culture and Trade Centre in Viet Nam as well as 17 units under the MoFA, northern provinces and some enterprises.
Visitors to the festival had a chance to enjoy typical dishes of Viet Nam and many other countries around the world.
Notably, the booths from the 10 ASEAN countries were gathered under one roof, representing the formation of the ASEAN Community.
A wide variety of cultural and arts activities were also held on sidelines of the festival including an arts exchange, an exhibition on handicrafts and souvenirs as well as a fashion show introducing traditional costumes from Viet Nam and ASEAN countries.
The funding raised at the festival will be donated to charitable organisations in Viet Nam to support needy people.
At the first two festivals, the MoFA raised nearly VND400 million to help people with disabilities and orphans.
The international culinary festival offers an opportunity for ASEAN countries, including Viet Nam, to promote their culture and cuisine to the world.
In addition, the event is expected to contribute to enhancing the co-operation between the ASEAN Community and international friends in all fields of politics, the economy, culture, society and security.
All proceeds will be donated to the Association for the Support of Vietnamese Handicapped and Orphans and other charities.
Speaking at the event, Nguyen Nguyet Nga, spouse of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, stated it is an opportunity for regional countries to learn about each other’s gastronomy ahead of the formation of the ASEAN Community.