Vietnam's mark at the International Charity Fair in Colombo

Typical products such as pho, spring rolls, coffee, instant noodles/pho, dried bananas, dried jackfruit, coconut candy, banh it and handicrafts such as bamboo dragonflies, leather wallets... quickly became the focus of the fair.

Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam, officials and their spouses of the Vietnamese Embassy in Sri Lanka took a souvenir photo at the booth. (Source: VNA)

On November 23, the Embassy and the Vietnamese community in Sri Lanka participated in the annual International Charity Bazaar at the Galle Face Hotel.

Unlike previous years, this year's event has a larger scale, gathering more than 100 international booths and creating a more vibrant cultural and culinary exchange space in the capital Colombo.

Amidst the crowded and bustling atmosphere of the fair, the most prominent was the Vietnamese booth with its decoration imbued with national identity.

The red color of the Vietnamese national flag, the red flag with yellow star and traditional Ao Ba Ba costumes create highlights that attract the eyes of visitors.

Typical products such as pho, spring rolls, coffee, instant noodles/pho, dried bananas, dried jackfruit, coconut candy, banh it and handicrafts such as bamboo dragonflies, leather wallets... quickly became the center of attention.

Many visitors lined up to enjoy spring rolls and pho - two dishes considered "Vietnamese culinary ambassadors" in Sri Lanka. Notably, Vietnamese coffee was sold out in a short time, leaving many latecomers feeling regretful.

Many people said they were familiar with Vietnamese flavors through restaurants in Colombo, through friends, the media or from trips to Vietnam, and were excited to have the opportunity to enjoy them again or buy them as gifts at this year's fair.

Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam said: “The International Charity Fair is a meaningful event, helping to connect culture and people-to-people exchange between Vietnam and Sri Lanka and other international friends. Vietnam participates in this event every year, with products that reflect the most typical and unique Vietnamese culture and cuisine. We are very happy to see Sri Lankan and international friends love Vietnamese cuisine and handicrafts. This shows that the Vietnamese brand, especially cuisine, has become familiar and loved in Sri Lanka.”

According to Ms. Nguyen Mai Trinh, Head of the Vietnamese Community Liaison Committee in Sri Lanka, the fair is an opportunity for the Vietnamese community to express the Vietnamese spirit. As Vietnamese living abroad, everyone wants to contribute to promoting the image of the country and people of Vietnam to international friends. This year, the community and the Embassy have coordinated very carefully to prepare, creating a beautiful, recognizable and proud image. Participating in the fair is not only a fundraising activity but also an activity to connect the community and spread Vietnamese culture in the host country.

Proceeds from sales will be used by the Embassy and the Vietnamese community to support people affected by floods in the country, and contribute to a number of charity programs in Sri Lanka.

With elaborate preparations, impressive display space and products imbued with traditional flavors, the Vietnamese booth continues to be the highlight of the International Fair in Colombo, affirming the attractiveness of Vietnamese culture and cuisine to international friends, contributing to promoting tourism and trade cooperation as well as connecting the people of the two countries.

According to figures from Sri Lanka, in the first 10 months of this year, there were an average of 300 Vietnamese visitors to Sri Lanka and 1,000 Sri Lankan visitors to Vietnam each month. The opening of direct flights in the near future will certainly help increase these significant numbers.

VNA

Source: https://nhandan.vn/dau-an-viet-nam-tai-hoi-cho-tu-thien-quoc-te-o-colombo-post925648.html