Vietnamese culture was on display at an annual international cultural festival in Ottawa, Canada on February 20.

The festival displayed cultural artifacts and introduced the traditional dishes of foreign countries, with the aim of helping Canadian people gain a better understanding of the unique culture of each country.

This year’s event drew the participation of the embassies of about 40 countries, including Vietnam.

During the festival, typical features of Vietnamese culture were showcased such as the non la (conical hat), ao dai (traditional long dress), trong dong (kettledrum), cong chieng (gongs) and various types of handicrafts.

The display highlighted the beauty of the Vietnamese land and people, describing the country as an attractive destination for international friends.

The same day, Vietnamese students at the University of Birmingham in the UK held a gala to introduce the culture of their homeland to their foreign friends. They showed a documentary featuring the Vietnamese people’s past struggle for national independence, as well as their achievements in the current national development.

The event, the fourth of its kind in the UK, treated foreign friends to Vietnam’s special cuisine, folk songs, folk games, traditional music and a fashion show of ao dai.