A reception was organized in Vietnam on the occasion of Azerbaijan's Independence Day and the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries
The Hanoi Opera House, considered the most prestigious event venue and historical stage in Vietnam, hosted an official reception dedicated to the national holiday of the Republic of Azerbaijan – May 28, Independence Day – and the establishment of the Azerbaijan-Vietnam Strategic Partnership. The event was followed by a solemn concert program titled “Pearls of Azerbaijani Classical Music.”
Notably, the concert was attended by H.E. Mr. To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and his spouse, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly. This marked the first time in Vietnamese history that the General Secretary participated in a celebration organized for a foreign country’s national day.
Approximately 600 guests attended the event, including representatives of state and government structures of Vietnam, diplomatic missions, cultural and public figures, business leaders, the chairman, honorary chairman and members of the Vietnam-Azerbaijan Friendship Association, Vietnamese alumni who studied in Azerbaijan, media representatives, and Azerbaijani expatriates living in Vietnam.
Following the national anthems of both countries, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Vietnam Shovgi Mehdizada delivered remarks highlighting the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), the first democratic parliamentary republic established in the Muslim East 107 years ago, and its pioneering achievements in democratic state-building.
Shovgi Mehdizada emphasized the historical foundation of Azerbaijan-Vietnam relations, citing the visits of President Ho Chi Minh to Azerbaijan in 1959 and National Leader Heydar Aliyev to Vietnam in 1983. He noted that these longstanding ties have since developed across various fields. He also recalled the recent state visit of General Secretary To Lam to Azerbaijan on May 7–8, 2025, at the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev, during which the Strategic Partnership between the two countries was officially established—a milestone of historic significance.
Further topics included the current Azerbaijan-Vietnam bilateral cooperation agenda, Azerbaijan’s successful presidency of COP29, and the upcoming 13th session of the World Urban Forum in Baku in 2026.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan, stated that May 28 is of special importance for the people and state of Azerbaijan and conveyed his congratulations to the government and people of Azerbaijan on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam on the occasion of 107 years of state-building and achievements in development.
The Vietnamese diplomat emphasized that Vietnam and Azerbaijan have traditionally enjoyed friendly relations, which have been successfully developed by the leaders and peoples of both countries since President Ho Chi Minh’s historic visit to Azerbaijan in 1959. It was noted that thousands of Vietnamese students have studied in Azerbaijan, contributing to Vietnam’s development and strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Highlighting the significant progress made in Vietnam-Azerbaijan relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, Le Anh Tuan also underscored the great potential for cooperation in defense and security, trade, investment, education, and training.
He concluded by highlighting the positive outcomes of General Secretary To Lam’s state visit, noting that Azerbaijan had become Vietnam’s first strategic partner in the Caucasus region.
Then under the baton of conductor, People’s Artist of Azerbaijan and Professor Fakhraddin Kerimov, and accompanied by the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra, the concert program began with the overture from the opera “Koroglu” by the great Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli.
Wonderful examples of Azerbaijani classical music performed by People's Artist of Azerbaijan Fidan Hajiyeva were presented to the audience. The concert program, which included works by such great artists as Uzeyir Hajibeyli, Gara Garayev, Fikret Amirov, Muslim Magomayev and Niyazi, was met with great interest by the General Secretary To Lam, as well as all other guests.
Muslim Magomayev’s famous song “Azerbaijan” was performed as a duet by Fidan Hajiyeva and Vietnamese singer Nguyen Khac Hoa, while the song “Hello, Vietnam” was presented in both Azerbaijani and Vietnamese by Fidan Hajiyeva and Sevinch Orujova, an Azerbaijani compatriot living in Vietnam.
The concert was supported by the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, with Silk Way West Airlines as the main sponsor, along with support from SOCAR.
After the concert, General Secretary To Lam, during a conversation with Ambassador Shovgi Mehdizada, congratulated people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of Independence Day and asked to convey his greetings to the President of Azerbaijan. To Lam also touched upon his visit to Azerbaijan and expressed his confidence that the visit would have positive results in the near future.
A beautiful wreath of flowers was sent to the venue of the event on behalf of the General Secretary.
The event was widely covered in the Vietnamese media.
