In the end of Oct 2005, on the occasion of 15 years to resume the Vietnam – Australia air bridge and to promote the country, people and culture of Vietnam, concurrently to contribute to the solidarity with the Vietnamese youth who is residing in Australia. The Vietnamese Embassy in Australia, the Vietnamese Consulate General in Sydney, Thanh Nien Newspaper, Vietnam Airlines and Service of Culture and Information of HCMC have co-organized the activity of the Vietnamese Culture and Tourism Week and the music, fashion show named Charming Vietnam Gala of Thanh Nien Newspaper (free of charge) from 29/10/2005 to 04/11/2005 in the 2 cities of Canberra and Sydney (Australia).

This activity has been appraised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Australia as the Vietnamese largest scale cultural and tourist one to be held in Australia. This program has received the great assistance from a lot of local agencies as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs of Australia,…If the imposing large scale of the show had been an attraction but the informations on the local websites and even the Australian newspapers have also created the enthousiastic and awaiting atmosphere. The Vietnamese language section of BBC, the Canberra Times, many Australian Televisions have registered to quote, broadcast and to introduce this program such as Channel 9 and ABC.

More than 4,000 Vietnamese and Australian audiences, many distinguished guests from the Australian Government have attended this show (most of high ranking officials of the New South Wales State, the biggest state of Australia, and Sydney City have been present). Among them are the Chairman of the Vietnam-Australia Friendship Artist Group, Mr.Peter Slitter, Mdm.Marie Bashir, Governor of New South Wales State, Mdm.Meredith Birmann, State Legislative Chairwoman, Sir.Jeff Hunter, Chairman of the Asia Pacific Senator Group of the State Parliament and especially the Former Deputy Prime Minister Tom Uren and many mayors of surrounding cities have also participated this program.

To state about the Charming Vietnam Gala to be performed overseas, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, Mr.Le Van Bang has said: “This is a very meaningful development of the cultural exchanges. I thought that we need to develop stronger and further, not only to Australia, Europe but also to the US. The delegates must demonstrate that Vietnam is developing not only the politics, economics but also the culture”.

At the Canberra Theater, Sir.Peter Slipper, Chairman of Vietnam Australia Friendship Senator Group has stated that this was a special cultural and large scale from Vietnam to Australia not only to introduce the Vietnamese Culture and People but also to tighten more the close relationship between the 2 nations in the time ahead. For a long time after this trip, Thanh Nien Newspaper still received a hundred of emails to express the special emotions from many people overseas not only Australia to support this show.