Seminar on Cultural Diplomacy of France and Vietnam

On Friday morning, September 27th, 2019, at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam’s traditional room, there was a seminar on cultural diplomacy of France and Vietnam, an event organized by the Diplomatic Academy in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and co-organized by the French embassy. Attending the seminar were French lecturers and students of the Academy, and especially the presence of two guests who are also two speakers of the program: Director of the Foreign Affairs Department. culture and UNESCO Mr. Mai Phan Dung and French Cultural Counselor Mr. Etienne Rolland-Piegue. The seminar was chaired by Ms. Vuong Thi Thanh Thuy, Vice Dean of the Faculty of French. 

The seminar started with the presentations of two guests. If speaker Mai Phan Dung, Director General of the Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO presented very carefully Vietnam's cultural diplomacy from definition, history to strategies of Vietnam in which the outstanding must be the cultural diplomacy program honoring President Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnam Day abroad program, the French Cultural Counselor Etienne Rolland-Piegue focused on the communist influencing foreign policy. France with its own characteristics and very diverse goals, emphasizing humanism, cultural diversity, and dialogue between cultures.

The session ended with a question-and-answer session. Questions are mainly revolved around the image of France and Vietnam in the eyes of foreigners, and the characteristics of the people of each country. Mr. Do Duc Thanh, Head of the Academy's Office, in charge of Francophone of the Academy gave a closing speech.