The gala music to welcome New Year and award-winning performances of 'International Friendship Art Festival' in the evening of was held on December 27 is said to be the New Year's wishes for good health, happiness and success from Vietnamese people to international friends.

The program of "International Friendship Art Festival" is a unique international artistic activity organized to enhance exchange activities, promote friendship and cooperation between Hanoi capital and national friends/ Photo: Nguyen Cuc-VNA

The program was organized by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations, Hanoi International Exchange Center and Vietinbank.

Attending the Gala were representatives of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and Hanoi authorities, leaders of friendship associations’ members, embassies of countries, international organizations, non-governmental organizations as well as foreign students who are working and studying in Hanoi.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ms. Nguyen Lan Huong, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Hanoi and Chairwoman of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations, said that despite being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Hanoi capital has still steadily overcome difficulties and achieved certain results in many fields, making its position to increasingly enhance within the region.

"People-to-people diplomacy has vastly contributed to the country’s foreign affairs. People's external activities have been innovated and created, closely following the political mission of the city, in which each of the capital citizens is an emissary of peace and friendship," Mrs. Nguyen Lan Huong emphasized.

Mrs. Huong also appreciated the successful of the "International Friendship Art Festival", which was organized at Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian streets and Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square from December 18 to 20.

The program "International Friendship Art Festival" is a unique international artistic activity organized to enhance exchange activities, promote friendship and cooperation between Hanoi capital and international friends through the establishment of an open and creative cultural space for both Vietnamese and foreign artists professionals and amateurs to perform.

At the gala night, the excellent awarded performances in the two categories of piano and dance were also performed by Vietnamese artists. Besides, the audiences were also immersed in the charm of the unique Indian dance performed by artist Kiranmai Bonala from the Indian Cultural Center in Vietnam, the traditional dance performance of Sakar Jepun by dancers from the Indonesian Embassy, and the piano performance by Mr. Dimitriy Alekseev, the Third Secretary of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Vietnam.