President Luong Cuong meets with Chairman of Korea Foundation for International Exchange, Witnesses Cultural Cooperation Document Exchange
WVR - On the afternoon of November 1 (local time), during his participation in the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and bilateral engagements in Republic of Korea, President Luong Cuong met with Kim Ghee Whan, Chairman of the Korea Foundation for International Exchange (KF).
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| President Luong Cuong meets with Kim Ghee Whan, Chairman of the Korea Foundation for International Exchange. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
During the meeting, Kim Ghee Whan expressed his honour to welcome the President to the ASEAN Cultural Center headquarters and his delight at the President's interest in cultural exchanges between Korea and Vietnam.
Chairman Kim Ghee Whan stated that the KF is focusing on funding projects related to people-to-people, cultural, and youth exchanges with various partners. Among these, based on the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, which is developing exceptionally well, Vietnam remains a top priority partner for the foundation.
Currently, more than 30 Vietnamese universities receive funding from the Foundation through the Korean Studies training program. The Foundation also provides scholarships to over 300 Vietnamese postgraduate students and scholars researching Korean Studies and implements a youth exchange project between Korea and Vietnam.
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| The President highly appreciates the role of the Korea Foundation for International Exchange in enhancing understanding, trust, and friendship between the peoples of the two countries. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Given the current global and regional situation, which is experiencing many fluctuations affecting cultural development and people-to-people exchanges, Chairman Kim Ghee Whan hopes that Vietnam and Korea will continue to maintain close relations to address risks and promote cooperation, including in culture and people-to-people exchanges.
Speaking at the meeting, the President acknowledged the KF's efforts in recent times, demonstrating its pioneering role in cultural diplomacy and strengthening the humanistic foundation for the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Korea.
Affirming over 30 years of friendly cooperation, Vietnam and Korea are now leading partners in many fields, including cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, which the KF is actively promoting.
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| President Luong Cuong presents a display artifact to the ASEAN Cultural Center in Busan and witnesses the signing of a cooperation document between KF and the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
The President also expressed his impression of attending Korea's unique cultural and artistic programs during some activities within the APEC Summit framework and noted that APEC leaders had adopted three contents, including a declaration on cultural industries.
The President suggested that based on the potential, strengths, and affection for Vietnam and its people, the KF should continue promoting the culture of both countries; continue its pioneering role in expanding cooperation with Vietnam; enhance cooperation in teaching Korean in Vietnam, especially in training teachers, developing curricula, and exchanging expertise to meet the growing demand for learning Korean in Vietnam.
Additionally, the President hopes the Foundation will coordinate to organize events introducing and promoting Vietnamese culture in Korea and Korean culture in Vietnam; support research, digitization, and preservation of cultural heritage, especially cooperative projects between research institutes, museums, and universities of the two countries, as well as promote people-to-people exchanges through art, sports, cuisine, and fashion.
Agreeing with the President's views, Chairman of the KF emphasized the vast potential for cooperation with Vietnam in cultural exchange and promotion, where understanding each other's language is crucial. The President hopes the KF will continue to collaborate and invest in cultural exchange to foster the relationship between the two countries for the benefit of their peoples.
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| President Luong Cuong and the Chairman of the Korea Foundation for International Exchange witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and the ASEAN Cultural Center – KF. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Also at the meeting, President Luong Cuong presented a souvenir to Kim Ghee Whan, Chairman of the Korea Foundation for International Exchange, and a display artifact to the ASEAN Cultural Center.
President Luong Cuong, along with the high-level Vietnamese delegation and the Chairman of the Korea Foundation for International Exchange, also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and the ASEAN Cultural Center – KF, marking an important milestone affirming a long-term commitment to cooperation, promoting exchanges, understanding, and friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
On this occasion, President Luong Cuong and the high-level Vietnamese delegation visited the art installation space "Vietnamese Folk Toys: The Connection" organized by the Consulate General of Vietnam in Busan, in collaboration with the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences) and the ASEAN Cultural Center – KF.
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| President Luong Cuong and the high-level Vietnamese delegation visit the cultural and Vietnamese folk games exhibition space. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
After the meeting, President Luong Cuong and the high-level Vietnamese delegation visited the cultural and folk games exhibition space and traditional costumes of Vietnamese ethnic groups at the ASEAN Cultural Center.
The exhibition space vividly recreates the rich spiritual cultural life of the Vietnamese people through generations, from familiar folk games and meticulously handcrafted traditional toys to the distinctive costumes of 54 ethnic groups.
The President and delegation members expressed interest and enthusiasm in learning about the process of preserving and promoting the cultural values of ethnic groups in modern life. The visit contributed to spreading the image of Vietnam – a country rich in tradition, dynamic, and integrated, while conveying a message of cultural exchange and connection between regional and global cultures.
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| President Luong Cuong attentively explores handcrafted folk toys, reminiscent of the traditional cultural beauty of the Vietnamese people. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
On the second floor, the President and the delegation explored many intricately crafted folk toys associated with the childhood memories of many generations of Vietnamese people, and directly experienced some traditional games such as "o an quan", "nem con", and "nhay sap". Not only a cultural exchange activity, this was also an opportunity to introduce the simple yet distinctive beauty of Vietnamese culture to international friends.
Subsequently, the delegation moved to the first floor to visit the Southeast Asian architecture exhibition area, showcasing models, images, and artifacts reflecting the diverse identity of the region – from ancient Buddhist temples and towers to folk structures embodying community spirit and a philosophy of living in harmony with nature.
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| The President and the delegation explored many intricately crafted folk toys associated with the childhood memories of many generations of Vietnamese people. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
The visit left a profound impression, contributing to spreading the cultural values of Vietnam in the broader flow of Southeast Asian civilization, embodying the spirit of exchange, connection, and joint development for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region.
