Opening of the Iranian Culture Week

Attending the opening ceremony were Mr. Hussein Alvandi Behineh (Ambassador of the Republic of Iran to Vietnam), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Minh Hoa (Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities), along with many faculty members and students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

His Excellency Hussein Alvandi Behineh and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Minh Hoa cut the ribbon to inaugurate the exhibition. (Photo: Thanh Long/USSH)

Ambassador Hussein Alvandi Behineh delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, emphasizing the significance of this exhibition in introducing Vietnamese teachers and students to representative images of the country, its people, culture, history, economic potential, and diplomatic achievements between the two countries over the past years. The Iranian Ambassador stated that in the future there will be more diverse activities aimed at connecting relations and fostering mutual understanding between the people of the two countries, especially among the younger generation. In the near future, the Iranian Embassy hopes to cooperate with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities to establish an Iranian Studies program in Vietnam.

Associate Professor Tran Thi Minh Hoa acknowledged the significant achievements in cooperation between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Iranian Embassy over the years. The Iranian Embassy has supported the University in building an Iran Room, helped open Persian language classes for Vietnamese students, sent lecturers to teach at the University, supported the training of postgraduate students in Iran, organized many seminars and exhibitions, and artistic performances about Iran…

The Iranian Culture Week at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities will take place from February 24th to 28th, 2014, with activities including: an exhibition of paintings and photographs, screenings of Iranian films, and an international scientific conference on "Vietnam-Iran Relations in the Context of Globalization".

Delegates, students, and visitors after the opening ceremony. (Photo: Thanh Long/USSH)

Vietnam and Iran established diplomatic relations in August 1973. On January 22, 1991, Iran opened its embassy in Hanoi, and in 1997, Vietnam opened its embassy in Tehran.

Over the past 40 years, numerous agreements and treaties have been signed between the two countries, including: the General Agreement on Economic, Cultural and Scientific-Technical Cooperation (1993), the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation (1995), the Cooperation Agreement between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs (June 2000), the Air Transport Agreement (2001), the Commercial Maritime Transport Agreement (2002), the Agreement on Investment Promotion and Protection, the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation in the Fisheries Sector between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Ministry of Agriculture of Iran, the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation between the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Minerals, and the Memorandum of Understanding on the Draft Agreement on Government-level Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs between Vietnam and Iran (December 2009)... From 2001 to 2011, bilateral trade between the two countries increased nearly 30 times, from a level... $6.5 million rose to nearly $185 million.

Vietnam and Iran agreed to expand and diversify cooperative relations, leverage the existing capabilities of both countries, and promote cooperation in the fields of economics, trade, investment, oil and gas exploration, agriculture, tourism, culture, education, and sports.