The ASEAN Festival 2017 was held in Vancouver in Canada’s western British Columbia province, featuring the traditional cultures and foods of the ASEAN countries, including Vietnam.
The festival was held
annually by five ASEAN countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Thailand and Vietnam. This year, the festival was also jointly organised by the
Institute for Asia Studies under the University of British Columbia.
![](http://baohoabinh.com.vn/Includes/NewsDetail/9_2017/dt_13920171452_1%2029.jpg)
At the ASEAN Festival
2016 in Vancouver. (Photo
for illustration)
Opening the event,
Thailand’s General Consul Sutthiluck Sa-ngarmangkang reviewed the 50 years of
ASEAN’s development from a five-member association to a community with combined
GDP of 2.4 trillion USD and population of 629 million people.
She said that ASEAN is
rising to the sixth largest economy in the world and the third in Asia as well
as the third biggest market in the globe.
ASEAN is not only an
important partner of Canada in the Asia-Pacific region, but also its dialogue
partner with strengthened ties after 40 years, said Sa-ngarmangkang.
Vietnamese Consul General
in Vancouver Pham Manh Hai said that the event helps connect ASEAN cultures and
ASEAN and Canada to foster friendship.
Canadian Senator Yuen Pau
Woo stated that Canada has paid great attention to strengthening partnership
with ASEAN. He expressed his hope that major commemoration events in 2017 will
be good opportunities for the two sides to bolster their cooperation in various
fields from economy, politics to culture and social affairs.
Participants enjoyed dances and food as well as handicraft
products of the ASEAN countries and improved their understanding of the
nations’ diverse cultures.
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