The State Museum of Oriental Arts of Russia on October 5 held a seminar focusing on traditional and modern features in Vietnamese urban culture on the occasion of the 1,000 anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi. 

At the seminar, Le Thanh Van, political counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy, delivered a speech on several aspects of cultural cooperation between Vietnam and Russia, underlining the significance of the cooperation between the two countries and their museums.

The seminar was well oriented, matching benefits of the two nations’ people in expanding and boosting traditional friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries, Van said.

He pointed out three measures to strengthen bilateral ties in culture: increasing the exchange of delegations and cultural experts; organising art, cultural exhibitions and seminars; and encouraging students to research culture in each country.

Ten speeches were presented by Russian experts from the State Museum of Oriental Arts, the Institute of Oriental Studies, and the Institute of Asian-African Studies , focused on the development of Vietnamese contemporary culture, Dong Son civilisation, Vietnam ’s city architecture and Southeast Asian culture.

Notably, first proofs on the construction of the One-Pillar Pagoda, languages in advertising boards in Hanoi and the capital city’s culture during 1964-1965 were discussed at the seminar.

Advertising is a strong element of culture, said Irina Samarina, a lecturer of the Russian State University for the Humanities and an expert of the Language Institute under the Russian Academy of Science, who showed images and advertising language she collected in Hanoi to express her love for the city.