Many ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of other countries in Vietnam cycled around Hanoi on Saturday as part of the ASEAN Family Day 2022, which was held on the occasion of the bloc’s 55th anniversary.

The ASEAN Family Day 2022 was co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ASEAN Women's Circle of Hanoi (AWCH) on the accassion of the 55th founding anniversary of ASEAN and 27 years of Vietnam's membership in the bloc.

ASEAN, short for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic organization whose members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

This is the first time this event has been held offline after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs, ambassadors, heads of missions, embassy staff, delegations from all ASEAN member countries and ASEAN dialogue partners in Hanoi, AWCH team members, and foreign ministry officials and their families.

Honorary President of AWCH Vu Thi Bich Ngoc affirmed that the event offered a chance for families and friends from ASEAN member countries and partners to meet, thus cultivating their friendship, solidarity, and cooperation.

Following the opening ceremony, more than 200 delegates including ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of other countries in Vietnam participated in a friendly bike ride from the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Ton That Dam Street to the ministry’s office on Le Quang Dao Street.

New Zealand’s Ambassador to Vietnam Tredene Dobson said she was a bit nervous as it was her first time on a bike in more than 10 years, according to the embassy’s Facebook page.

However, the ambassador still had a lot of fun and thanked the foreign ministry for the event.

New Zealand is one of 11 dialogue partners of ASEAN, and one of the countries that have formed a strategic partnership with Vietnam.

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