Vietnam and Laos signed a cooperative agreement on culture and art in the 2009-2012 period in Hanoi on March 5.

Signatories to the document were the Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hoang Tuan Anh and the Laos Minister of Information and Culture, Mun Keo O La Bun.

Under the agreement, both sides will co-organise cultural weeks in Laos and Vietnam every two years to mark the National Day of each country. Art performances, exhibitions and film screenings will be held during the events.

The first Vietnam Cultural Week in Laos is expected to take place in late August 2009 to celebrate Vietnam’s National Day (September 2) and the Year of Cultural Diplomacy 2009.

The two ministries will continue to create favourable conditions for their agencies to share experience and improve professional skills as well as organising cultural exchanges between their border provinces.

In the 2007-2008 period, Vietnam sent lighting and sound technicians to help Laos organise its National Sports Festival effectively. In addition, it helped the Laos National Library compile documents on library management and provided it with library equipment.

Both ministries got involved in a project funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), to build public libraries in the two countries. (Source: VOV - www.vietnamtourism.com - March 1, 2009)