The Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City will team up with the Vietnam Yoga Federation to roll out the 2023 International Yoga Day in 22 provinces and cities in Vietnam’s southern region at the end of June.

This edition will be the biggest ever since the yoga fest was first launched in the Southeast Asian nation in 2015, Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City Madan Mohan Sethi told a press briefing on Tuesday.

The yoga event is part of a wide range of cultural exchange, tourism, trade, and investment promotion events to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and India, said the consul general.

Speaking at the press conference, Sethi affirmed that Vietnam plays an important role in India’s Act East Policy, an effort by the Indian government to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations with Southeast Asia.

India strongly believes in Vietnam’s support, he added.

“Both India and Vietnam see mutual respect and trust as the pivot of long-lasting relations between the two nations. We can make this partnership even stronger amid ongoing global uncertainties,” Sethi underlined.

Culture exchange acts as a boost for Vietnam – India ties

The exchange of culture traits, especially related to Buddhism and yoga, plays a significant role in the two nations’ relations, Sethi said.

Over the past few months, the Consulate General of India has initiated a host of cultural exchange events in 11 cities and provinces in southern Vietnam.

Apart from the upcoming yoga festival, a delegation of cultural experts from Can Tho City in the Mekong Delta region will travel to India to deepen cultural cooperation in July.

Besides, the consulate general is planning to join hands with the Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts and the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association to promote traditional cultural exchange.

Stronger partnership in various fields 

The Indian diplomat expressed his high expectations for tourism growth between the two countries.

With the popularity of e-visas, Sethi predicted that 500,000 Indian tourists would travel to Vietnam in 2023, a three-fold surge year on year.

The representative of India also eyes deeper cooperation in education and manpower training for the technology-information, international trade, and pharmacy sectors, which are India’s strengths. 

The two nations will accelerate student exchanges to widen their skills and knowledge, Sethi said. 

He also called on technology students and startups in Vietnam to connect with India partners in this field to enhance tech cooperation between the two countries.

The Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City will host a conference to beef up collaboration with the Mekong Delta region on June 28, with the participation of nearly 100 Indian enterprises.

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Lonely Planet, the world-renowned travel guide, recently named Vietnam’s North-South Railway, also known as the Reunification Express line, as the most incredible train journey in the world.

The railway was described as one of Southeast Asia’s best-loved railways and the world’s most epic overnight train journey.

It stretches for 1,730 kilometers between the country’s two biggest cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City over the course of two days.

Some railways rattle through historic cities; others swoosh beside spectacular coastlines. A few have an epic history, and one or two are remarkable for the colorful characters onboard. The Reunification Express line fulfills all these criteria, said Lonely Planet.

“There is no more atmospheric way to haul into Vietnam’s twin metropolises. And there’s no better way of exploring all the glories in between,” the site added.

Besides Vietnam’s North-South Railway, Lonely Planet’s list of the most incredible train journeys includes the California Zephyr in the U.S., Lake Titicaca Railway in Peru, Beijing to Lhasa Express in China, Caledonian Sleeper in the UK, Bergensbanen in Norway, TranzAlpine in New Zealand, and Tazara Railway in Tanzania and Zambia. 

Vietnam’s North-South Railway was also listed in the 10 best train journeys in the world by Lonely Planet in 2018.

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At this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Vietnamese floral designer Cao Thi Huyen, also known as Rose Cao, won the silver medal in the floral arrangement category with her work ‘Dance of light.’

Huyen, living in Serbia, is the first Vietnamese woman to win the prize at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023, according to the Vietnam News Agency. 

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, officially known as the Great Spring Show, is a prestigious annual flower show organized by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

The event has been held in Chelsea since 1912.

Efforts, dream of Vietnamese florist

Creating the ‘Dance of Light,’ 37-year-old Huyen wanted to show the image of fire by using different kinds of flowers with purple and yellow hues.

She also incorporated natural light into a lamppost adorned with flowers. 

It is worth noting that her design adhered to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show’s green standards by not using any plastic items, aligning with the focus on sustainability and environment-friendly gardening.

To be eligible for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which is considered the final world competition of flower arrangements for florists, Huyen spent six months preparing and submitting her floral designs for review by the organizers. 

Her design had to impress 50 judges at the show to win the award, highlighting the fruit of her relentless efforts.

She was happy to have the opportunity to bring the artistry of a Vietnamese florist to people in the UK who have a passion for flowers.

Huyen hopes that her achievement will inspire other Vietnamese floral designers to participate in world-class events like the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. 

Huyen worked as an employee for Schlumberger Ltd., a company specializing in the oil and gas sector in Singapore, before becoming a professional floral designer.

She initially became interested in flower arrangements when she received weekly flower gifts from her current husband.

To express her appreciation and seek relief from her stressful job, she decided to learn floral design and eventually turned her passion into a professional career.

Her love for flowers gradually developed into a passion after her attending a professional floral arrangement course at Nobleman School of Floral Design in Singapore, where Huyen was able to put her artistic talent into design.

Later, she decided to take on the challenge of participating in the Singapore Garden Festival 2016, where she had to survive four qualifying tournaments before winning one of the two silver prizes (there was no gold prize) at the competition.

This success motivated her to continue her pursuit of a professional florist career.

Now, with the silver prize from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, she is eligible for training to become an international judge for floral arrangement competitions, which is her long-term goal.

Annual flower show of the British royal family

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 took place at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London from May 23 to 27. 

The event featured around 100 flower and garden arrangements, along with 270 booths showcasing gardening items and tools. 

With nearly 300 companies, nurseries, floral and garden designers participating, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show attracted approximately 200,000 visitors. 

It is considered the United Kingdom’s most prestigious flower exhibition, often referred to as a ‘fashion show’ and ‘World Cup’ for international gardeners.

The show has been a popular destination for members of the British Royal Family, celebrities, professional gardeners, and amateurs alike. 

Queen Elizabeth II was a frequent visitor to the show, having attended it more than 50 times during her lifetime.

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