Mekong-Ganga Food Festival held in Yangon

Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism U Kyaw Soe Win de­livered a speech at the Me­kong-Ganga Food Festival, or­ganized by the Embassy of India in Yangon in collaboration with the Indian Women’s Association in Yangon and the Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs Network, at the Secretariat Yangon, located on Theinbyu Road, Yangon, yesterday.

 

The event was organized to enhance the bilateral friendship between Myanmar and India through cultural interaction and the exchange of experiences.

 

The event was attended by Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein, Mayor U Bo Htay, officials from the Ministry of Ho­tels and Tourism and related departments, Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Abhay Thakur, ambassadors and diplomats from foreign embassies, the chairpersons of the Indian Women’s Association in Yangon and the Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs Net­work, and guests.

 

The Union minister, the Yangon Region chief minister, the Indian ambassador, and the festival attendees first toured the Myanmar and Indian food stalls, as well as souvenir, handicraft, and clothing stalls. They inaugurated the festival by lighting a lamp, followed by per­formances of Indian and Myan­mar songs and dances.

 

The Indian ambassador and the chairpersons of the Indian Women’s Association in Yangon and the Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs Net­work then delivered opening remarks.

 

The Union minister stat­ed in his speech that today’s event would provide an oppor­tunity to enhance the friendship between the two countries by sharing the rich cultural her­itage and positive experiences between Myanmar and India. The Mekong-Ganga Coopera­tion (MGC) was formed by In­dia and five ASEAN countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. One of the key activities of the MGC is promoting tourism through cul­tural exchanges. Today’s food festival is an excellent initiative for the development of tourism between Myanmar and India. The ministry is implementing tourism promotion programs, such as the ASEAN Food Fes­tival in Myanmar, through pub­lic-private partnerships to pro­mote tourism. He expressed his belief that today’s festival would further strengthen bilateral re­lations and create new opportu­nities for cultural exchange and tourism development.

 

The Union minister also presented the performers with unique gifts and took a photo. Afterwards, the Union minis­ter, the Yangon Region chief minister, and the ambassador cut the ribbon to officially open the festival. — MNA/TH