Speaking at the festival’s opening ceremony, former Japanese senator
Iwao Matsuda, Co-Chairman of the festival’s organising board said that
the festival was the largest cultural exchange between the two countries
during the year. It would help Japanese people to understand more about
the Vietnamese people and land.
Vietnamese
ambassador to Japan Nguyen Phu Binh said the festival is held in
September to mark the National Day of Vietnam (Sept. 2), and especially
to celebrate the up-coming 1,000 th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi in
October. He expressed his hope that after the festival more Japanese
friends would visit Vietnam .
The two-day Hello! Vietnam
festival 2010 is held following the success of the first Hello!
Vietnam in September 2008, which drew the participation of more than
150,000 people, including Crown Prince Naruhito.
The
festival this year is scheduled to include performances by popular
artists from both countries, like singers Ho Quynh Huong and Nam Cuong
from Vietnam , artists from Japanese Idoling, Gypsy Queen and Rap DG
Samurai groups.
The organising board expected that the Hello! Vietnam 2010 will attract about 100,000 people./.
