Vietnam prioritises preserving and promoting national identity and cultural traditions, said Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, at a ceremony to mark the country’s 74th National Day (September 2).

Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission in Geneva,
delivers an opening remark at a ceremony to mark the 74th National Day
in the Swiss city on September 24. (Photo: VNA)

The ceremony was held at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)’s headquarters in the Swiss city on September 24 in the presence of heads of international organisations and permanent missions, foreign diplomats and local officials.

In his opening speech, Dung recalled Vietnam’s achievements after three decades of the renewal period. Vietnam has transformed from a war-torn country to one of the most dynamic economies in Asia-Pacific, he said, adding that the country has become a member of various international organisations, such as Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In Geneva, Vietnam was an active member of the UN Human Rights Council from 2014 – 2016 and the core group of sponsors of the council’s resolution on human rights and climate change since 2015. It has also contributed to other UN agencies, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), UN International Law Commission (ILC) and WIPO, the Vietnamese diplomat said.

2020 will be significant for Vietnam, he continued. The year will mark the end of the country’s socio-economic development plan for 2016 – 2020 and more importantly, it will assume the ASEAN Chair and become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure, he noted.

Vietnamese designer Minh Hanh wowed the guests with her latest collection of Vietnamese traditional clothing made from silk and brocade in a fashion show named “Vietmode” that reflected the country’s ethnic diversity and cultural richness.

On September 17, the Vietnamese Embassy in the Swiss capital Bern hosted a banquet to celebrate the 74th National Day at Bellevue Hotel. The event featured exciting performances with Vietnamese traditional musical instruments – “dan tranh” (16-string zither) and “dan t’rung” (bamboo xylophone) – alongside “Son Long Quyen Thuat” traditional martial arts show.