Hanoi (VNA)♕ – Several cultural exchange events have taken place in Vietnam andAustria recently as part of activities celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vienna from September 28 - 29, the Vietnam Day in Austria attracted a large number of visitors from theEuropean nation, neighbouring countries, and the Vietnamese community there. Minister of Foreign Affairs BuiThanh Son, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong, andVietnamese Ambassador to Austria Nguyen Trung Kien cut the ribbon to open the day. As part of this event, a photoexhibition reflected the close-knit relations between the two countries sincetheir diplomatic ties were established on December 1, 1972. Another displayshowcased photos of Vietnam’s beautiful destinations and people’s life in thecountry. At Pálffy Palace inVienna, visitors to the Vietnamese Cultural Space from September 27 to 29 had achance to taste Vietnamese tea specialties and learned about the country’s artof tea making with guidance from artisans. Meanwhile, an artisan from thenorthern province of Bac Ninh introduced Dong Ho folk painting genre. He alsoinstructed visitors in how to create pictures from this genre’s long-standingwoodblock printing technique. The Cultural Space also providedinternational visitors a closer look at the traditional art of lacquer-waremaking by directly painting lacquered items under the guidance of a lecturefrom University of Industrial Fine Arts. They could also keep those itemsas souvenirs of the event. Other notable activities included aconcert of traditional musical instruments by Vietnamese artists and a show ofthe two countries’ traditional-style costumes created by Vietnamese-origindesigner La Hong and Austrian designers Anita Stolnberger-Oimtrocht and MarkusSpatzier. On September 28, a chamber music concertwas held in Vienna by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture,Sports and Tourism of Vietnam in celebration of the 50th anniversary of bilateraldiplomatic ties. In their remarks, VietnameseMinister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Secretary-General of the Austrian Ministry of  Foreign Affairs Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal highlighted the increasinglyreinforced relations, including economic links, between their countries overthe last five decades. Famous symphony orchestra pieces ofboth countries were performed by artists of the Vietnam National Academy ofMusic. The show also featured performancesby Austrian artists who will take part in the “Music from Vienna” concertscheduled to take place at the Hanoi Opera House in November. The comingevent will be organised by the Austrian Embassy in Vietnam and the VietnameseMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Meanwhile, the Austrian Embassyin Vietnam, in cooperation with the Vietnam NationalAcademy of Music and the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music, organised the concertsof the AUREUM Saxophon Quartett in Hanoion September 28 and HCM City on October 1. The band presented pieces from their recently launchedalbum “Golden Roots”. Through the album, released in August 2022, theensemble embarks on a search for its roots musically, artistically and verypersonally. At a meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Secretary-General of the Austrian Ministry of  Foreign Affairs Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal in Vienna late September,Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong affirmed that cultureand classical music have helped intensify the two countries’ cooperation,noting that via the ASEAN European Academic University Network (ASEA-UNINET), manyAustrian experts have come to engage in academic exchanges and perform inVietnam. The Austrian Secretary-General highlyvalued Vietnam's sending of a symphony orchestra delegation to perform in his countryin celebration of the 50-year diplomatic ties. He also expressed his belief inthe success of future cooperation plans between art training establishments ofVietnam and Austria./.