HA NOI (VNS)— Viet Nam and its culture will be highlighted during the Year of Viet Nam in the Paris suburb of Choisy le Roi, said its governor, Daniel Davisse, at a ceremony on Wednesday.

Located about 11km south-east of Paris, Choisy le Roi was home to a delegation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government Republic of South Viet Nam from 1968-73.

In addition to celebrating the 40th anniversary of the signing of the historic Paris Peace Accord (February 1, 1973), the Wednesday ceremony also kicked off a year of cultural activities to mark the 40th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and France.

Davisse said the cultural activities would help strengthen mutual co-operation, friendship and solidarity between the two countries.

At the ceremony was a display entitled Vietnamese Space, which replicated Ha Noi's symbolic Hoan Kiem Lake with the legendary tortoise, lotus flower and The Huc Bridge. Statues of famous water puppetry characters also were on display at the venue, presenting the wet rice civilisation of the Hong (Red) River Delta.

A mosaic mural of the signing of the accord will be completed in March by artist Nguyen Thu Thuy to hang in the Choisy le Roi convention hall. The mural is a gift of the Ha Noi People's Committee to celebrate the sister-city relationship between Ha Noi and Choisy le Roi.

The year-long celebration will also include a screening of a documentary about the accord, made by French journalist Daniel Roussel.

An exhibition of pictures of the northern Viet Nam delegation during 1968-73 will be held at the city's central park. Twenty 60x80cm photos on the theme Viet Nam Peace Movements will highlight anti-war demonstrations in the US, France and Viet Nam during the period.

Also marking the event, a square in the city will be named "Paris Peace Accord" and a residential street will be named "Dong Da", after a district in Ha Noi. — VNS