Top leader attends launch of Vietnam-Russia heritage and cultural connectivity space in Moscow

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam, his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation attended the opening of a Vietnam-Russia heritage and cultural connectivity space at the S.A. Gerasimov All-Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow on September 8, during their State visit to Russia.

The event was also attended by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly Andrey Yatskin, Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova, and VGIK Rector People’s Artist Vladimir Malyshev.

Addressing the event, Chernyshenko highlighted President Vladimir Putin’s view that Vietnam-Russia relations are developing in a substantive and open manner across all fields, including culture. He expressed his belief that the space will become a symbol of the friendship between the two countries and a venue connecting those who love Vietnam’s distinctive culture. General Secretary and President Lam said Vietnam-Russia relations are built on a special foundation of profound political trust, sincere and steadfast sentiments, and mutual understanding between the two peoples that have overcome numerous historical challenges.

Culture, education and arts have played a particularly important role in this journey, he said, describing culture as the spiritual foundation and endogenous driving force of bilateral relations.

Vietnam is always grateful for the valuable and wholehearted support provided by the former Soviet Union and present-day Russia in training human resources in culture and arts over the past more than seven decades, he said, noting that VGIK has made important contributions to nurturing generations of Vietnamese directors, screenwriters, painters and cinematographers who helped shape the country’s film industry.

The Vietnamese leader noted that Vietnam has recently adopted a resolution on the development of cultural industries, affirming that culture and people constitute an important foundation and endogenous resource, a major driving force and a pillar of the country’s rapid and sustainable development. Cultural values must be closely and harmoniously integrated into all aspects of social life and become a source of national soft power in the new era, he said.

To build an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity, Vietnam wishes to continue deepening cooperation with Russia in culture, arts and cinema, he stated, urging the two sides to step up cultural exchanges through festivals, film days, art exhibitions and creative forums, and consider human resource training and youth connectivity an investment in the future of bilateral relations.

He called for more opportunities for young Vietnamese and Russian filmmakers to meet, exchange experience, and create together from an early stage.

The General Secretary and President emphasised that heritage truly lives on only when it is carried forward through creativity, while friendship can remain sustainable only when passed on to future generations through sincere, vivid and relatable experiences.

At the ceremony, General Secretary and President Lam and Deputy PM Chernyshenko jointly launched the Vietnam-Russia heritage and cultural connectivity space.

They then joined delegates from both countries to tour the space, which is not merely an exhibition venue for cultural heritage. Each image and artefact on display preserves part of a shared memory and tells stories of friendship, solidarity and humanistic values that have connected the Vietnamese and Russian peoples across generations./.