Vietnam Festival in Sapporo (Hokkaido, Japan): Opening up many opportunities for exchange and cooperation

After 3 times of organization, the Vietnam Festival in Sapporo (Hokkaido, Japan) has become an "important spiritual food", a cultural exchange event with rich and diverse content, attracting thousands of Japanese people, the Vietnamese community living and working in Japan and tourists in Hokkaido (Japan) to attend.

Quang Ninh province delegation took souvenir photos with delegates at the Festival.

Hokkaido is located in the north and is a large prefecture, accounting for about 20% of Japan's total area. Sapporo City is the industrial, commercial and tourist center of the prefecture.

According to the assessment, Hokkaido province (Japan) has many similarities and many opportunities in cooperation in socio-economic development with Quang Ninh province, especially in the areas of strength in tourism, fisheries, coal mining, energy, human resources, etc.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son visits the exhibition booth
of Quang Ninh province.

Although the Vietnam Festival in Sapporo (Japan) 2024 only took place over the weekend of August 10 and 11, it had many meaningful activities. Here, local people, the Vietnamese community in Japan and tourists were immersed in the diverse cultural colors of Quang Ninh province (Vietnam) and Japan through more than 20 exhibition booths, food booths and art programs by artists.

Mr. Ishiyama (Sapporo City, Hokkaido Province, Japan) shared: I have not been to Vietnam, but through the images and artifacts displayed at the exhibition, I feel that your country is beautiful with rich culture, cuisine and friendly people. Especially Quang Ninh Province, the land of heritage with many attractive places for Japanese tourists.

Tourists heard about the culture, landscapes, potential and strengths of Quang Ninh province.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thanh, a Vietnamese student in Japan, said: I have lived and studied in Japan for 4 years. When I came to the festival and saw the exhibition photos, I saw that my homeland is so beautiful and increasingly developed. My plan is to continue working in Japan for a while after finishing my studies to gain experience, then return to Vietnam to live and work with the desire to contribute a small part of my efforts to the development of my homeland.

Coming to the festival, Quang Ninh province participated in 2 exhibition booths to introduce and promote the culture, people, nature, potential, economic development strengths, tourism and typical products of Quang Ninh province; the beauty of the country, people, culture and tourism potential of Vietnam. In addition, the art program performed by artists of Quang Ninh province with the theme "Colors of Vietnam - Japan friendship" with singing, dancing and music performances introducing traditional and contemporary music of Quang Ninh province in particular, Vietnam in general and songs and performances in Japanese showing artistic exchange.

Art program by artists from Quang Ninh province and Japan
perform.

As part of the program of visiting Hokkaido province and attending the Vietnam Festival in Sapporo 2024, the delegation of Quang Ninh province led by Mr. Dang Xuan Phuong, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, also participated in many important activities, such as: Attending the reception of the Governor of Hokkaido province; paying a courtesy call to the Governor of Hokkaido province; Hokkaido - Vietnam Human Resources Forum and the Seminar "Strengthening cooperation in human resource development in strategic areas between universities in Vietnam and Hokkaido, Japan"; surveying a number of high-tech manufacturing facilities in Hokkaido province. Through these activities, the cooperative relationship between Quang Ninh province (Vietnam) and Hokkaido province (Japan) has been deepened, opening up many opportunities for deeper and broader cooperation in areas where the two localities have strengths.

A delegation from Quang Ninh province surveyed the high-tech farm of Ad One Farm Joint Stock Company, Hoakkaido province.

Mr. Takahiro Nakata, Head of the Organizing Committee of the Vietnam Festival in Sapporo (Japan), said: Following the success of the Hokkaido Festival in Quang Ninh in 2023, this year we are delighted to welcome you to our country. Through this festival, we will further strengthen the relationship established between Quang Ninh province (Vietnam) and Hokkaido province (Japan), while opening up many opportunities for cooperation in various fields between businesses; universities of Japan and Vietnam, especially cooperation in student exchange, human resources, high-tech agriculture, green growth, etc.

The Vietnam Festival in Sapporo (Japan) in 2024 contributes to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan; at the same time, it brings businesses and people of the two countries the opportunity to exchange, learn and experience each other's culture, opening up opportunities for cooperation and development in the future.

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