Viet Nam News
HA NOI — Vietnamese and Moroccan experts have emphasised the importance of cultural diversity for national unity during a conference held yesterday in Ha Noi.
They also shared experiences in cultural preservation and development as Viet Nam and Morocco have many similarities in culture and history. Both of the countries enjoy the harmony of different communities with unique cultures, said Azzeddine Farhane, Moroccan Ambassador to Viet Nam.
The conference was held in the framework of historical relations between Morocco and Viet Nam, and within the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Institute for Africa and Middle East Studies (IAMES) and the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences Research (CERSS), signed, on March 28, last year.
The conference saw the attendance of senior officials, professors, Ambassadors and students.
During the event, the specialists discussed general scope and meanings of cultural diversity and lessons learned from Cultural diversity experiences and implementation of legal frameworks on this issue. They considered cultural diversity as ‘a cement’ for national unity and territorial integrity.
“This event aims to contribute to strengthening academic research, and more specifically to exchange the experiences of Morocco and Viet Nam in cultural diversity, for permanent inter-cultural dialogue and mutual enrichment,” said Farhane.
“The seminar took the form of a debate about the relations between culture diversity, co-existence and national unity.”
The Ambassador said the event will help strengthen co-operation in research academic programs about cultural diversity, smooth integration and national unity; and put out the policy model of Morocco and Viet Nam for strengthening national unity, social cohesion and territorial integrity.
Michael Croft, head of the UNESCO Ha Noi Office said cultural diversity is embodied in uniqueness and plurality as a source of exchange, innovation and creativity.
“Cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature,” he said. “Cultural diversity widens the range of options opened to everyone. UNESCO always works to promote cultural diversity in each country.”
Le Phuoc Minh, general director of the Institute for Africa and Middle East Studies (IAMES), said Viet Nam has a rich and diversified culture, that’s the result of the establishing and developing process of the nation during thousands years.
“The ethnic groups always show solidarity and cultural exchange due to the real condition that Viet Nam always faced with the risk of being invaded during its history,” he said.
“Viet Nam has a treasure of 7,000 festivals; a rich heritage of folk music, art and crafts; as well as various beliefs and worshipping that nurture the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people.”
In order to preserve and develop cultural diversity, Minh suggested that managers and cultural activists should focus on popularising Vietnamese language, training a generation of traditional cultural practices and respecting the indigenous culture of ethnic groups.
Prof Abdallah Saaf, former Minister of National Education of Morocco, said he has researched much about Vietnamese history and culture and realised some similarities in cultural diversity between two countries.
“While Viet Nam has 54 groups with some communities immigrated from neighbouring countries such as Thailand, Laos and Cambodia and China, so does Morocco, some Moroccans look like Europeans, some look like Asians.”
He stressed that the unique culture of each group is an integral part of the national culture and plays an important part in developing the nation comprehensively.
On the occasion, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Viet Nam introduced a Vietnamese translation of the book Histoire d’Anh Ma (Brother Ma’s History), written by Prof Saaf.
It’s the story of Ben Aomar whose Vietnamese name is brother Ma. Moroccan Communist Party sent Aomar to Viet Nam following President Ho Chi Minh’s request with aim to support the then Viet Nam Communist Party during the resistance against French invaders.
Prof Saaf compiled the book due to his personal sentiment and respect for Aomar. He wants to honour Aomar’s braveness and achievement in political activities in general and Vietnamese revolution in particular. — VNS
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Moroccan facts
- In Morocco, it is considered impolite to handle food with the left hand and to say no to meat if it is offered at a meal.
- Moroccan Berber women still have tattoos in geometric designs on their faces, sometimes covering much of their forehead, cheeks, and necks.
- Moroccans jokingly call their tap water Sidi Robinet (Sir, or Lord, Tap), and it is drinkable in most parts of the country.
- Morocco is the largest processor and exporter of sardines in the world.
- Casablanca, the film named after the Moroccan city, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, won the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture in 1942