Present at the opening ceremony were Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, British Prince Andrew, British Ambassador to Vietnam Mark Kent, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Tran Quang Hoan and a large number of senior officials and international friends.

During the week, from Oct. 19-31, various cultural activities will take place, such as performances of traditional music and folksongs and an exhibition of paintings created by Vietnamese artists. A film screening programme will also be held to showcase three famous films which have won prestigious prizes, including “Dung Dot” (Don’t Burn), “Chuyen Cua Pao” (Pao’s story) and “Rung Den” (Black Forest).

The event aims to help British people become better acquainted with traditional Vietnamese culture and promote ties of friendship and multifaceted cooperation with the UK.