Activities mark 50th anniversary of Vietnam – Malta diplomatic ties

Receiving the Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy and Malta Duong Hai Hung at San Anton Palace, President of Malta George Vella expressed his delight at and support for the coordination between the Vietnamese embassy and Malta's partners to organise activities marking the 50th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic ties, thereby helping consolidate friendship and political trust and strengthen economic and cultural relations and people-to-people exchange between Vietnam and Malta.

Ambassador Hung said that the activities aim to consolidate traditional friendship between the two countries as well as exploit potential cooperation opportunities in all fields.

On February 21, a “Vietnamese Film Day” was held with the screening of movie “Yellow Flowers on Green Grass” by director Victor Vu at Spazju Kreattviv National Cinema.

The film was Vietnam’s only representative at the TIFF Kids International Film Festival, part of the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival in April, 2016. It bagged the best film award at the second Silk Road International Film Festival and the Golden Kite at the Vietnam Film Festival in 2015.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Hung emphasised that in addition to economic and political cooperation, culture, education, tourism, cinema and art exchanges serve a bridge to help enhance mutual understanding and consolidate traditional friendship between the two countries' people.

On behalf of Malta's Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government Owen Bonnici, Executive Chairman of the Malta Arts Council Albert Marshall conveyed a congratulatory message to the event, while highlighting the significance of Vietnamese Film Day in Malta.

Meanwhile, on February 22, the Vietnamese Embassy coordinated with Malta's economic agencies to organise the Vietnam-Malta cooperation forum.

Delegates at the forum spoke highly of the potential for cooperation between the two countries in the context of the dynamic economic development of both sides. They made specific proposals to boost the two countries’ cooperation, particularly in trade, such as footwear and garments, maritime, marine economy, finance, English training, tourism, health care, and labour export.

During his working trip to Malta, Ambassador Hung visited and worked with the Director of the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) located in Malta. He wished the IMLI to continue to support training and capacity enhancement for Vietnam through granting scholarships and cooperating in organising specific professional training courses