HÀ NỘI – The Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria has promoted national cultural values at a recent Asian festival held in the capital city of Sofia.

Themed “United in Diversity”, this year's festival featured 53 booths, including 11 ones run by representative agencies of Asian countries in Bulgaria. Held after a three-year hiatus, this event attracted nearly 20,000 visitors.

During the June 14 event, the Vietnamese embassy introduced to the public typical Vietnamese dishes, sophisticated handicrafts and bamboo instruments. The Vietnamese booth stood out with the red colour of the national flag.

Coming to the Vietnamese booth, visitors had the chance to take part in a bamboo dance, a workshop on painting woven bamboo or rattan, or quizzes about Việt Nam.

Staff at the embassy, Vietnamese people in Bulgaria and Bulgarians joined performances that impressed international audience.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Bulgarian Vice President Iliyana Yotova emphasised that cultural exchange is the key to peaceful coexistence between peoples. She and representatives of other countries together released doves which are considered a symbol of peace, to convey a message of friendship and solidarity from the capital Sofia to the world.

Before the festival, on June 13 afternoon (local time), the Vietnamese delegation joined representatives of other countries in a colourful parade on Vitosha pedestrian street, the busiest street in Sofia. In traditional costumes, the Vietnamese community and international friends warmed up the festival atmosphere, while widely promoting the image of Việt Nam to local residents. — VNA/VNS