MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN
COLOMBO-The embassy of Vietnam in Colombo celebrated its 77th National Day in a grand scale both at the public library in Colombo on Friday,Sept 2, with a reception followed by a charity campaign where the mission distributed dry rations to 300 needy people in the city.
Ho Thi Thanh Truc, Ambassador of Vietnam and Phan Toan Thang hosted the celebrations, while the Additonal Secretary of the foreign ministry, Professor A Saj U Mendis was present as chief guest and Deputy Mayor of Colombo M.T.M.Iqbal was the Guest-of Honour at the evening event.
A cocktail reception was held at the foot of the statue of founder President of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh whose statue was erected in Colombo in July 15,2013 as a monument of his global contributions. Members of the diplomatic corps and senior government officials and well-wishers of Vietname were also present.
Minh was a great revolutionary and the beloved leader of the Vietnamese people, a national hero, and a UNESCO-recognised world cultural celebrity.
Mendis and deputy mayor also spoke at the gathering while the ambassador Truc said : “ September 2nd of every year is a special day for the Vietnamese people in every corner of the world.
They will never forget their nation’s Independence Day, thunderous moment when our great hero,
late President Ho Chi Minh, declared independence on this day in 1945.
The Vietnamese people commemorate this National Day with a refreshed spirit and renewed enthusiasm for further in-depth and extensive socio-economic reform, with a view to accelerating the development process and raising the living standard of the people. Vietnam is an active, responsible member and a reliable partner in the international community, pursuing a foreign policy of independence, sovereignty, openness, diversification, and multilateralization of its external relations.
The friendship between Vietnam and Sri Lanka goes back much further than the establishment of official diplomatic relations in 1970. Since then, our two countries’ long-standing friendship and multi-faced cooperation have grown in many aspects, including politics, economics, defense and security, education and culture. The two countries share many similarities, particularly in geography, religion, and culture. Love for nature and close family relationships, combined with deep spirituality, add value to our societies, while our countries’ similar geographical locations
provide ample opportunities for economic and trade growth.
Vietnam and Sri Lanka have collaborated more closely than ever during the recent years. The fourth Political Consultation, held in January 2022, consolidated the two countries’ political ties while opening up new avenues for future cooperation. Despite the effect of the COVID pandemic, twoway trade turnover has been steadily increasing, providing more opportunities for the two countries to accelerate trade relations. Meanwhile, the number of Vietnamese students including Buddhist monks and nuns who intend to undertake their higher studies in Sri Lanka is also on the rise”.
Colombo Times also published a special supplement to mark the occasion (Pix by Mohammed Nazar)
