On Friday morning of January 10th, 2020, H.E. Mr. Efeduma Francis Young, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Vietnam welcomed and exchanged with a Vietnamese art troupe from Viet Bac Folk Song, Dance and Music Theater led by Mr. Nong Xuan Ai, Standing Deputy Director, Head of the Art delegation at the Embassy’s headquarters.
At the meeting, the Ambassador thanked the Vietnamese delegation for attending the “Calabar Carnival International Festival 2019” and performed successfully in Calabar City, capital of Cross River state, Nigeria. This is the largest annual event for many years, taken place in one month, tagged “Africa’s Biggest Street Party” honoring the cultural diversity of Nigeria – a country with 252 different ethnic minorities in particular, and a meeting place for exchanging music and culture of different countries across five continents attended the event. Mr. Donald Duke, Governor of Cross River organized the first Calabar Carnival in 2004 as part of a vision to make the state to be the number one tourism destination for Nigerians and tourists the world over, as part of plans to boost the state’s economy.
The 16th Calabar Carnival International Festival took place from December 1st, 2019 to January 1st, 2020 with the theme “Humanity” with variety activities such as the Miss Africa competition, performing arts, African cuisine, street parades, cultural and craft village cultural exhibitions, antique car and convertible exhibitions … The festival has attracted 30 countries around the world such as France, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Egypt … and 20 different states of Nigeria attended the event. For the first time, Viet Nam sent an art troupe including 12 officials, artists and reporters to this International Festival with the purpose of promoting Vietnamese culture and arts to African and international countries and friends. In the framework of the festival, Vietnamese artists not only attended the parade and performing arts on the central streets but also performed the Pa-then ethnic dance “The red flowers of the forest” at main performance night. The performances of the artists received warmly cheering, applause and love, keeping an unforgettable impression in the hearts of African, Nigerians audiences and international friends.
In response to the Ambassador, Mr. Nong Xuan Ai, Standing Deputy Director of the Viet Bac Folk Song, Music and Dance Theater thanked the Ambassador for inviting the Vietnamese art troupe to attend the Calabar Carnival International Festival. Up to now, due to geographical distance, Viet Nam and other African countries in general, Nigeria in particular have very few conditions for cultural exchange. Mr. Nong Xuan Ai expressed his thanks for the affection, enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, warmth, sincerity of the Ambassador and audiences, the Nigerian people for the Vietnamese art troupe and did hope that through this event, Nigerian friends could have better understanding about Vietnamese culture, the land and the people, contributing to promote the friendship between the two countries and nations. He also shared that the Vietnamese art delegation was particularly touched when the Ambassador himself arrived at the airport to welcome the delegation when the group just landed on Noi Bai Airport, Viet Nam on January 2nd, 2020 to congratulate the success of Vietnamese art troupe in Nigeria.
At the end of the meeting, the dancers and musician of the Viet Bac Folk Song, Music and Dance Theater had some performances and exchanges with the Ambassador, officials and staffs of the Embassy.