Cultural exchanges help strengthen Vietnam - Austria ties

Several cultural exchange events have taken place in Vietnam and Austria recently as part of activities celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (second from right) and other delegates pose for a photo with an artisan (first, left) of the Dong Ho folk painting genre at the Vietnamese Cultural Space in Vienna. (Photo: baodantoc.vn)

Held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vienna from September 28 - 29, the Vietnam Day in Austria attracted a large number of visitors from the European nation, neighbouring countries, and the Vietnamese community there.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Nguyen Trung Kien cut the ribbon to open the day.

As part of this event, a photo exhibition reflected the close-knit relations between the two countries since their diplomatic ties were established on December 1, 1972. Another display showcased photos of Vietnam’s beautiful destinations and people’s life in the country.

At Pálffy Palace in Vienna, visitors to the Vietnamese Cultural Space from September 27 to 29 had a chance to taste Vietnamese tea specialties and learned about the country’s art of tea making with guidance from artisans.

Meanwhile, an artisan from the northern province of Bac Ninh introduced Dong Ho folk painting genre. He also instructed visitors in how to create pictures from this genre’s long-standing woodblock printing technique.

The Cultural Space also provided international visitors a closer look at the traditional art of lacquer-ware making by directly painting lacquered items under the guidance of a lecture from University of Industrial Fine Arts. They could also keep those items as souvenirs of the event.

Other notable activities included a concert of traditional musical instruments by Vietnamese artists and a show of the two countries’ traditional-style costumes created by Vietnamese-origin designer La Hong and Austrian designers Anita Stolnberger-Oimtrocht and Markus Spatzier.

On September 28, a chamber music concert was held in Vienna by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam in celebration of the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.

The Vienna concert marking the 50th anniversary of Vietnam - Austria diplomatic ties on September 28. (Photo: toquoc.vn)

In their remarks, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Secretary-General of the Austrian Ministry of  Foreign Affairs Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal highlighted the increasingly reinforced relations, including economic links, between their countries over the last five decades.

Famous symphony orchestra pieces of both countries were performed by artists of the Vietnam National Academy of Music.

The show also featured performances by Austrian artists who will take part in the “Music from Vienna” concert scheduled to take place at the Hanoi Opera House in November. The coming event will be organised by the Austrian Embassy in Vietnam and the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Meanwhile, the Austrian Embassy in Vietnam, in cooperation with the Vietnam National Academy of Music and the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music, organised the concerts of the AUREUM Saxophon Quartett in Hanoi on September 28 and HCM City on October 1.

The band presented pieces from their recently launched album “Golden Roots”. Through the album, released in August 2022, the ensemble embarks on a search for its roots musically, artistically and very personally.

At a meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Secretary-General of the Austrian Ministry of  Foreign Affairs Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal in Vienna late September, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong affirmed that culture and classical music have helped intensify the two countries’ cooperation, noting that via the ASEAN European Academic University Network (ASEA-UNINET), many Austrian experts have come to engage in academic exchanges and perform in Vietnam.

The Austrian Secretary-General highly valued Vietnam's sending of a symphony orchestra delegation to perform in his country in celebration of the 50-year diplomatic ties. He also expressed his belief in the success of future cooperation plans between art training establishments of Vietnam and Austria./.

VNA