Netherlands - Vietnam Connection Night: For a green and sustainable relationship

On the evening of March 21, the Netherlands - Vietnam connection night was held at Thong Nhat Hall, connecting businesses, organizations and localities of both sides.

Chủ tịch UBND TP.HCM Phan Văn Mãi (thứ hai, bên phải) và Đại sứ Hà Lan tại Việt Nam Kees van Baar (thứ hai, bên trái) trong sự kiện tối 20-3 - Ảnh: HỮU HẠNH

Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai (second, right) and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar (second, left) at the event on the evening of March 21 - Photo: HUU HANH

On the evening of March 21, a networking event was held at Thong Nhat Hall, organized by the Dutch business delegation, with the aim of connecting businesses, organizations and local authorities of the Netherlands and Vietnam. In the context of celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations and more than 400 years of people-to-people exchange, the 140-member Dutch business delegation led by the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality C. van der Wal Zegglink and the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Mark Harbes, paid a working visit to Vietnam from March 18 to 21.

Previously, on March 19, the delegation had a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the Government Office. Within the framework of the delegation's visit and work, the event on the evening of March 21 was to exchange and connect businesses, organizations, localities and individuals who have made positive contributions to the trade and cultural aspects between the Netherlands and Vietnam. "Tonight's event is about connection and sustainability. Let's work together to bring the best to the relationship between the two countries in the fields of economy , trade, culture and society," said Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar. Responding to the Dutch Ambassador, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai affirmed that the city always attaches importance to the cooperative relationship with the Netherlands. According to Mr. Mai, the city has received support from the Dutch Government and partners in many fields. Mr. Mai said that in the context of the city building a green development strategy until 2050, Ho Chi Minh City is eager to learn from the Netherlands' experience. "We invite Dutch investors to Ho Chi Minh City to help the city develop green infrastructure, green industry, green consumption, green finance to continue developing a green Ho Chi Minh City," Mr. Mai emphasized. In addition, exploiting the theme of business, culture and sustainability, the event introduced two fashion collections with sustainable materials by designer Vu Thao and Dutch designer of Vietnamese origin - Xuan Thu. Sharing with Tuoi Tre Online , designer Vu Thao said that the collection took 6 months to prepare materials, with many organic materials grown by themselves, such as cotton, hemp, silk, banana silk and pineapple silk... The outfits in designer Vu Thao's collection are also dyed with many types of vegetable dyes such as indigo dye, brown root dye, red ant dye... For designer Xuan Thu, she hopes that the collection with sustainable materials will help Vietnamese consumers become aware of slow fashion , as well as be more conscious of the origin of the garments they consume.