(VNF)- Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday conducted a ceremony to hoist the ASEAN flag in the heart of the city to mark 20 years of Vietnam’s admission to the bloc and the 48th founding anniversary of the group.

The flag-raising ceremony was organized at a park at Bach Dang Quay, District 1, and was attended by many of the city’s leaders, including Le Hoang Quan, chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, and representatives from ministries, state agencies, and embassies as well as consuls general of the ASEAN member states.

“The event is of great significance to the city administration and its residents as this is the first time that the municipal authorities have inaugurated the ASEAN flag pole, along with those of the bloc’s country members, in the downtown city,” said Nguyen Vu Tu, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Affairs.

The display of the ASEAN flag and those of its 10 members is indicatitve the city’s determination to promote the images of the regional countries and the ASEAN community to local people, Tu added.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman Quan underscored Vietnam’s active contribution to the development of the grouping over the past 20 years.

The flag-hoisting ceremony was followed by another that was held at the Municipal Theater of Ho Chi Minh City in commemoration of 20 years of Vietnam entering ASEAN (July 28, 1995) and 48 years of the establishment of the group (August 8, 1967).

ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic organization with 10 members, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Below are some photos capturing the ceremony:

Photo: VNA

by VNF