Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Comvik International Vietnam is organising “Vietnam day in Sweden” in Stockholm on August 11 to fulfil the commitment made by the Kinnevik group and Comvik during last year’s visit to Sweden by the Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Vu Khoan and the Swedish King and Queen’s visit to Vietnam early this year.
The organisations aim to support the Vietnamese government in raising investment awareness among the Swedish business community. With its motto “Welcome to the culture, tradition, cuisine and investment opportunities in Vietnam”, the event is set to feature a wide range of special cultural activities, bringing a unique taste of Vietnam to the Swedish people and business community.
“The government of Vietnam highly appreciates this initiative by the Kinnevik-Comvik group and regards it as an important contribution to improving the bilateral relations between the two countries,” said Mr. Nguyen Trung Thanh, assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the recent launching ceremony of the “Vietnam day in Sweden”.
Daytime activities will include a seminar and exhibition on Vietnamese handicrafts, a Vietnamese traditional food festival, traditional music performances and a documentary film show at the Stockholm Hilton.
Some 300 Swedish potential investors and high-ranking Vietnamese officials and business delegations are expected to participate in the investment seminar aimed at showcasing opportunities in investment, trade, export and tourism in Vietnam
Furthermore, an exhibition on Vietnamese handicrafts will feature famous products, including silk clothes, scarves and handbags, embroideries, stone-carving works, traditional palm-leaf conical hats, traditional and modern decorative multi-coloured lanterns made from bamboo, paper and silk, post cards, Vietnamese cook books, and CD-Roms and other publications introducing Vietnam’s culture, tourism and people to Sweden.
Attendants will also have a chance to enjoy a Vietnamese traditional food festival with many specialties, including ‘cha gio’ (pork pies), ‘cha ca’ (grilled fish), ‘banh chung’(rice cakes), ‘bun rieu’ (noodles with crab), ‘pho’ (noodle soup), and various kinds of delicious dessert.
The Vietnamese traditional music performance from top Vietnamese artists and documentary films on Vietnam’s landscapes and cultural activities will create a friendly and joyful atmosphere in Stockholm on the day.
In the evening, a night music banquet will be arranged in the Stockholm City Hall, where the prestigious Nobel Prize is awarded annually by His Majesty the King of Sweden.
The city hall has been decorated with Vietnamese lotus, bamboo, coconut-leaves, fruits and plants. The banquet with live music and special food will feature many of Vietnam’s interesting cultural characteristics.
Attendants will also be able to take part in the auction of Vietnamese and Swedish paintings for charity and enjoy a fashion show featuring clothes from fifty-four Vietnamese ethnic groups, imperial dresses and modern collections sported by top Vietnamese and Swedish models.
With the strong support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swedish Embassy in Hanoi, Kinnevik and Comvik International Vietnam AB are doing their utmost to make the event a success.
Comvik International Vietnam is predominantly owned by Millicom International Cellular SA – the leading developer and operator of cellular telephone services worldwide with operations in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Arriving in Vietnam in 1995, Comvik has signed a Business Co-operation Contract with the Vietnam Mobile telecom Services Company to develop the MobiFone network – the first cellular network in Vietnam.
Currently, Comvik is the largest Swedish investor in the fast growing and dynamic Vietnamese telecommunications sector. In 2002, the senior management of Comvik was awarded with medals for their contributions to the sector, the first such award to be given to a foreign company.
Comvik was also awarded the Golden Dragon Award by the Vietnam Economic Times, recognising it as the best company in the telecommunications field.
