The colorful village consisted of a central stage and 10 stalls of traditional crafts and food run by 10 member nations.

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Visitors at the Vietnamese stall in the ASEAN village at the 21st National Multicultural Festival in Australia. Photo: Vietnam+

Brunei High Commissioner in Canberra Zakaria Ahmad, and also Head of the ASEAN Committee in the city in 2017, said it is not the first time ASEAN member states have taken part in the festival, but it is the first time they have joined it together.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Luong Thanh Nghi said the village aims to promote ASEAN’s solidarity and diverse cultures to international friends.

Rachel Stephen-Smith, Minister for Multicultural Affairs at the Australian Capital Territory Government, called the ASEAN village an interesting destination, adding that the participation of the bloc members has been an indispensable part of the fair in the past two decades.

This year, Australia’s National Multicultural Festival, first held in 1996, comprised 400 stalls covering 10 km. It was estimated that 40 tons of food were consumed during the three-day event.

ASEAN and Australia have built their partnership over the past 42 years, with bilateral trade doubling to reach AUD 100 billion within the last decade. The figure accounted for 15 percent of Australia’s total trade revenue.

Source: VNA