On the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations (July 21, 1970 - July 21, 2025), on the evening of July 21, the Vietnamese Embassy in Sri Lanka solemnly held the Opening Ceremony of Vietnam Film Week 2025 in the capital Colombo.
The event attracted the participation of about 250 guests, including many senior leaders of Sri Lanka such as Speaker of the National Assembly Jagath Wickramaratne, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Rizvie Salih, Minister of Culture, Buddhism and Religion Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Affairs Arun Hemachandra, Deputy Minister of Horticulture and Community Infrastructure Sundaralingam Pradeep, leaders of ministries, sectors, and political parties of Sri Lanka; solidarity and friendship associations of Sri Lanka with Vietnam; diplomatic corps, Vietnamese community, press agencies, and media of the host country.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Trinh Thi Tam reviewed important milestones in the relationship between the two countries, emphasizing that Vietnam and Sri Lanka have a long-standing traditional friendship even before the official establishment of diplomatic relations in 1970.
Over the past 55 years, with the efforts of generations of leaders and people of the two countries, the relationship between the two countries has been constantly strengthened and expanded in many fields from politics-diplomacy, trade-investment, to education , culture, people-to-people exchange as well as in actively coordinating and supporting each other at regional and international forums.
The Ambassador also reviewed the commemorative activities implemented by the Embassy since the beginning of the year, with the active support of Sri Lankan ministries and sectors, including organizing competitions to learn about and design logos about Vietnam-Sri Lanka relations, composing songs about Vietnam-Sri Lanka friendship, promoting high-level visits, etc.
Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam believes that the Vietnam Film Week 2025 in Colombo will be a meaningful activity in the anniversary year, not only contributing to honoring the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Sri Lanka over the past half century, but also an opportunity to introduce the culture, country, people and the rapidly developing film industry of Vietnam to Sri Lankan and international friends.
In his speech at the ceremony as the guest of honor, Speaker of the National Assembly Jagath Wickramaratne expressed his honor to attend this event of special significance; emphasizing that the relationship between Vietnam and Sri Lanka is a living testament to the sincere friendship, based on mutual respect, solidarity in the history of the struggle for independence and cooperation for development for the benefit of the people of the two countries.
The National Assembly Chairman highly appreciated the socio-economic development achievements that Vietnam has made in recent decades, considering them a source of inspiration for developing countries, including Sri Lanka; affirming that the Sri Lankan Parliament is always ready to support initiatives to strengthen parliamentary relations, people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation between the two countries.
Speaker of Parliament Wickramaratne welcomed the initiative to organize the Vietnam Film Week in Colombo, considering it a cultural bridge contributing to enhancing mutual understanding between the people of the two countries through the language of cinema - a powerful means of global communication.
In a solemn and cultural atmosphere, the program opened with a traditional Vietnamese bamboo dance and musical performances by children led by representatives of Truc Lam Zen Monastery - the first Vietnamese temple in Sri Lanka.
At the ceremony, the Vietnamese Embassy introduced three outstanding films that will be screened within the framework of this Film Week, including “ Dao, Pho and Piano ” – a romantic and heroic love story amidst the flames of war; “ Ba gia di bui ” – a humorous journey of self-discovery of an old woman and “ Vang trang tho tu ” – a touching film about the childhood of President Ho Chi Minh.
In addition, short documentaries introducing the natural beauty and cultural life of Vietnam will also be screened, giving Sri Lankan audiences a diverse and authentic perspective on the country and people of Vietnam.
Another highlight of the event was the award ceremony of the logo design and research contest on Vietnam-Sri Lanka relations, launched by the Embassy in early 2025. The winning entries not only demonstrated understanding and affection for Vietnam but also contributed to spreading the message of solidarity and creativity in the Sri Lankan community.
In particular, the opening ceremony also recognized the efforts to promote literary exchange between the two countries with the introduction of the Sinhala translation of the famous war diary “ Dang Thuy Tram’s Diary ” - one of the most moving works of modern Vietnamese literature, personally performed by the Minister of Buddhism, Religion and Culture of Sri Lanka, Mr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi.
The program ended with the song “Vietnam-Sri Lanka” composed and performed by Sri Lankan musician Mohamed Iqbal, along with a chorus of the Vietnamese folk song “ Drum Rice ” with the participation of Sri Lankan children and the audience.
After the ceremony, Sri Lankan and international leaders and guests enjoyed Vietnamese cuisine. In particular, lychee, introduced for the first time by the Embassy to Sri Lankan friends, attracted the attention and love of many guests because it had not yet appeared in the Sri Lankan market.
The guests were also delighted with the souvenirs, which were cups printed with the logo commemorating the relationship between the two countries and bamboo dragonflies depicting the national flags of the two countries with the words "Celebrating the 55th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Sri Lanka 1970-2025".
The 2025 Vietnamese Film Week in Sri Lanka will take place over three days, from July 22-24, with free screenings for the public. This is a meaningful activity, contributing to deepening the Vietnam-Sri Lanka friendship on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/55-nam-quan-he-viet-nam-sri-lanka-khai-mac-tuan-phim-viet-nam-tai-colombo-post1051054.vnp
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