On March 15, 2023, at the French Palace, the French Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City and the French Institute in Vietnam held a press conference to introduce and officially launch the "Cultural Activities Program 2023" to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and 10 years of strategic partnership between France and Vietnam.
The press conference was attended by: Ms. Emmanuelle Pavillon-Grosser - Consul General of France, Ms. Sophie Maysonnave - Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural Activities at the French Embassy and Director of the French Institute in Vietnam, Ms. Frédérique Horn - Director of the French Institute in Ho Chi Minh City and Designer Hoang Hai.
The press conference was also attended by representatives of sponsors Air France, Mega Market, Sofitel Saigon Plaza, BNP PARIBAS.
Cultural activities series
In the cultural field, this year, the French Embassy in Vietnam, the French Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, the French Institute in Vietnam and many French and Vietnamese partners will organize across the country many extremely rich and attractive events of many genres: exhibitions, performances, concerts, culinary and cultural festivals... to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Some typical events of the 2023 Cultural Program:
- In Hanoi, The first Biennale (periodically organized exhibition activity) on photography "Photo Hanoi 23" will take place from April 21, 2023 to the end of May. The capital Hanoi will be the venue for about 20 exhibitions and events revolving around photography.
- In Da Nang, from March to June, will take place the French song contest. This contest is for contestants from all over Vietnam who wish to show their singing, dancing or musical talents through a work in French.
- In Hue, in December, a large-scale light, music and video mapping show will be held in front of Ngo Mon Gate, Hue Imperial City. This project is carried out thanks to close cooperation with the People's Committee of Thua Thien Hue Province. A team of experts from France will accompany the Vietnamese team to co-create the show, creating an opportunity for the Vietnamese side to take over the light performance technology - which is France's strength.
- In Ho Chi Minh City, The French Institute in Vietnam will honor the French art of living with its profound imprints in Vietnamese culture, through the program "French Lifestyle".
Posters about French culture, cuisine, fashion and lifestyle activities were hung outside the French Palace.
Program of the French Institutein Ho Chi Minh CityDivided into 2 seasons: Food season and Fashion - Design season.
Food season
From March to June 2023, the French Institute in Ho Chi Minh City will organize a series of events revolving around French cuisine.
The opening is a series of discussions about the intersection and influence between French and Vietnamese cuisine, about wine, the history of bread, diplomatic cuisine, coffee, cocoa... Attending the event, the audience will have the opportunity to learn more about the quintessence of French cuisine, meet famous chefs as well as experts to discuss and share the common passion of both countries.
Next, there will be a culinary week with cooking classes for young Vietnamese chefs. This week is organized in cooperation with the famous Ferrandi School Paris - the training place of famous French chefs.
In addition, many other unique culinary events will also be held with the participation of Chef Guillaume Gomez, former chef of the French President at the Elysée Palace and Ambassador of French Cuisine. Currently, Mr. Guillaume Gomez is the special envoy in charge of French cuisine.
Finally, at schools that teach the French-Vietnamese bilingual program and French schools, there will be a traveling exhibition about cacao - known as the "black gold" of Vietnam.
In addition, in May, Business France will also organize a French-style bread making competition for Vietnamese bakers.
The opening of this special Culinary Season will be the discussion "Intersectional perspectives in French - Vietnamese cuisine" taking place at 6pm on Thursday, March 23, at the Sofitel Saigon Hotel. This is a completely free event, open to everyone. Attending the discussion, the audience will have the opportunity to experience French specialties and listen to the sharing of French culinary experts.
Fashion and Design Season
From June to December this year, the French Institute in Ho Chi Minh City will organize a series of "Fashion and Design" events with prestigious French partners: major French fashion and perfume brands, the French Fashion Institute, the French Federation of Fashion and Haute Couture... All the big names in the French fashion industry, in the training sector as well as the creative industry, will be present in Vietnam.
Throughout the Fashion and Design Season is a series of discussions on high fashion, sustainable fashion, eco-friendly design, slow fashion, perfume... This is an opportunity for the public to meet the leading names in each field.
Miss Vietnam 2020 runner-up Pham Ngoc Phuong Anh was also present at the press conference.
In particular, from June to October, the "Fashion in Paris" competition will take place for young talents in the Vietnamese fashion design industry. The jury of the competition, including big names in the French-Vietnamese fashion industry, will select the 8 best contestants for the final round. The final night will be a fashion show at the French Palace, where each contestant will present their ideas to the judges. The prize for the winning contestant will be a high-end fashion training trip in Paris in 2024.
In October, there will be Fashion Night, a special event for fashionistas and experts to immerse themselves in the French haute couture industry. Throughout the night, there will be fashion shows interspersed with expert presentations on various fashion topics: the French haute couture industry, the development of the Vietnamese market for French luxury goods, fashion training in France, digital transformation in the fashion industry in France and Vietnam...
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Vietnam, the film industry is also an indispensable factor. The representative said that by the end of 2023, France will create conditions for young Vietnamese directors to have the opportunity to participate in film festivals such as Cannes and meet film producers around the world.
Here is some more information about the program.
CULTURAL ACTIVITY PROGRAM 2023
of the French Institute in Ho Chi Minh City
Time Event Type Event name 23/03/2023 Discussion A cross-cultural perspective in French-Vietnamese cuisine Early April 2023 French Cuisine Week Seminar "French Cuisine" Seminar "French Wine" Workshop for young people specializing in pastry making, instructed by chefs from FERRANDI Paris culinary school April 2023 Exhibition Vietnamese Cacao Early May 2023 Competition Launching the "Fashion in Paris" Fashion Design Competition Mid-May 2023 Discussion History of bread Discussion Diplomatic cuisine End of May 2023 Discussion Coffee: a shared passion Discussion Vietnamese Cacao June 2023 Discussion Perfume & Inventor September 2023 Discussion French imprint in Vietnamese fashion October 2023 Competition Final of the Fashion Design Competition "Fashion in Paris" October 2923 Fashion Night Fashion show combined with Talk on different topics about fashion: French luxury fashion industry, the development of the Vietnamese market with French luxury goods, fashion training in France, digital transformation in the fashion industry in France and in Vietnam... November 2023 Discussion Slow Fashion November 2023 Discussion Eco-friendly fashion design December 2023 Discussion Artistic professions
