Australian Ambassador Andrew Goledzinowski's Tet wishes: The best is coming
WVR - Tet is a special time of the year. It’s a very personal holiday to spend time with close family and friends. Tet or New Year is also a moment to look back at our achievements over the past year and it’s fair to say that 2023 was the busiest year ever for the Australian Embassy in Hanoi and Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City.
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| Australian Ambassador Andrew Goledzinowski enjoys seeing how beautiful Hanoi looks around Tet holiday. (Photo: QT) |
As we approach the Tet festival - the most important celebration in Vietnam - it is a great pleasure for me to share with you my feelings about the holiday and offer some reflections about the state of the Australia-Vietnam relations.
Tet is a special time of the year. It’s a very personal holiday to spend time with close family and friends. Last year, I was lucky to be invited to Tet festivities by Vietnamese friends to share in their traditional celebrations. This will be my second Tet in Vietnam as Ambassador and I’m looking forward to witnessing more Vietnamese traditional values.
I enjoy seeing how beautiful Hanoi looks around Tet, particularly as people prepare the kumquat trees and peach blossoms. Last year, I bought decorations from Hang Ma street and a Kumquat tree which I’m still taking care of. I also had fun trying to make a bánh chưng filled with mung beans and pork. I now know there are many different types of bánh chưng and I hope I will have the opportunity to taste some more flavours this Tet.
Tet or New Year is also a moment to look back at our achievements over the past year and it’s fair to say that 2023 was the busiest year ever for the Australian Embassy in Hanoi and Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City with high-level visits and events to celebrate 50th anniversary of Australia-Vietnam diplomatic relations. All of which demonstrated the deep friendship between our countries.
And I think the best is yet to come. 2024 is shaping up to be another significant year for the Australia-Vietnam relationship. In March, Australia will host the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne and we look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to this significant event for the region. We also hope to conclude the elevation of the Australia-Vietnam relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the first half of the year. I have no doubt that the Australia-Vietnam relationship will continue to flourish.
At this special time of year, I wish all of your readers a very happy Tet and a healthy and prosperous year of the dragon!
