Celebrating 30 years of Vietnam joining ASEAN in Kazakhstan

On August 23, the capital Astana, Kazakhstan became brilliant in the colors of Southeast Asia when the Vietnamese Embassy together with the Embassies of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand co-organized the ASEAN Summer Festival 2025.

Ambassadors of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam (from left to right) at the ASEAN Summer Festival 2025.

The festival is one of the activities to celebrate the 58th anniversary of ASEAN. The event attracted about 700 guests, including leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, ASEAN Ambassadors, diplomatic corps, artists, local community and many people of the capital Astana.

Coming to the festival, the audience will be immersed in an ASEAN cultural space with many attractive activities: music performances, traditional dances, fashion shows, cooking classes, photo exhibitions, food fairs and interactive games. The event will feature an impressive Pencak Silat performance by artist Checep Arif Rahman - a famous Indonesian movie star and martial artist.

The pavilions of Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia introduced to international friends their traditional dishes, national costumes and exquisite handicrafts. Among them, the Vietnamese pavilion stood out with its Ao Dai, conical hats, fried spring rolls and Vietnamese coffee, attracting a large number of visitors. This was not only a cultural experience but also a bridge of friendship, helping the Kazakh public understand more about the diversity and richness of Southeast Asian countries.

The Embassy and the Vietnamese community in Kazakhstan attended the Festival.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Pham Thai Nhu Mai emphasized that 2025 has special significance as it marks the 30th anniversary of Vietnam joining ASEAN. In 1995, Vietnam officially became the 7th member of the Association, opening an important turning point in foreign policy and international integration. From a modest economy with a GDP per capita of less than 400 USD, today Vietnam has risen to 35th place in the world, with a GDP per capita of about 4,500 USD, among the top 20 countries globally in attracting investment and trade.

“Those achievements are not only Vietnam’s, but also part of ASEAN’s overall success... In today’s vibrant atmosphere in Kazakhstan, we feel more deeply the value of the principle of ‘Unity in Diversity’, which has united ASEAN for nearly six decades and will continue to guide future cooperation with Kazakhstan and the Central Asian region,” Ambassador Pham Thai Nhu Mai emphasized.

In addition to promoting culture, ASEAN Ambassadors also shared the goal of enhancing cooperation in trade, education, and especially tourism. In 2024, about 200,000 Kazakh tourists visited Thailand, 150,000 tourists visited Vietnam, 50,000 tourists visited Malaysia, and 21,000 tourists visited Indonesia. ASEAN aims to increase the total number of Kazakh visitors to the region to 1 million per year, while aiming for a trade turnover with Kazakhstan of 5 billion USD.

ASEAN Summer Festival 2025 brought to the people of Astana a colorful festival where music, cuisine and Southeast Asian culture blended together in an atmosphere of friendship and solidarity. The event left a strong impression, affirming that cultural diplomacy is a sustainable bridge connecting ASEAN and Kazakhstan, marking a meaningful journey of Vietnam-ASEAN cooperation.

Some images of promoting Vietnamese culture at the event:

Cultural diplomacy is a sustainable bridge connecting ASEAN and Kazakhstan.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/ky-niem-30-nam-viet-nam-gia-nhap-asean-tai-kazakhstan-325603.html