On September 5, Ms. Ngo Phuong Ly - Wife of General Secretary and President To Lam and Ms. Kyu Kyu Hla - Wife of the President of Myanmar visited Van Phuc silk village in Ha Dong ward, Hanoi.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the first stop of the two ladies is the Temple of the ancestor of the craft, a place that preserves memories of the origin of the silk weaving craft that has been around for more than 1,000 years of the craft village. Wife Ngo Phuong Ly and Wife Kyu Kyu Hla, along with students whose families are in the weaving profession, experienced threading silk bracelets.
Next to the ancient weaving frame, a precious artifact of the craft village, Mrs. Kyu Kyu Hla shared that the frame gives her a very close and familiar feeling because the weaving frame has been a part of the life of Myanmar people for thousands of years. From those weaving frames, fabrics and silk have been born, creating traditional htamein and paso of the Myanmar people.
Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly shared that Vietnam and Myanmar are both famous for traditional handicrafts, especially silk weaving. Women of the two countries not only skillfully create sophisticated silk pieces but also preserve and preserve the cultural beauty that has been endured over time.
According to Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly, the two countries not only have similarities in the weaving profession but are also contributing to beautifying and enriching the cultural values of each side through exchange and sharing experiences. The wife cited lotus silk, a creation from Myanmar, which has been imported into Vietnam - where lotus is present throughout the country - to become ao dai that honor the beauty of Vietnamese women.
Leaving the area of the Temple of the Ancestors of the Weaving Industry, the two ladies strolled along the village road and visited a silk weaving facility, a center for preserving and developing silk products. Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly shared that the craft village currently has more than 200 households, not only a production place but also an exhibition and introduction of products and a tourist destination for many people. Through this, Vietnamese silk products have entered modern life, spreading throughout the country and internationally.
Wife Ngo Phuong Ly and Wife Kyu Kyu Hla spend a lot of time in the space of the Vụn Art Cooperative - where more than 40 special workers are breathing life into recycled silk pieces into silk paintings. Despite carrying defects, each needle and piece of theirs contains pride, that even if life is not complete, people can still create beauty.
Listening to the story and seeing the meaningful products created by the special workers of the cooperative, the two First Ladies expressed their emotion, kindly inquired and encouraged those present.
Mrs. Kyu Kyu Hla, who used to be a university lecturer, expressed her desire to come to Vụn Art whenever she has the opportunity to come to Vietnam. Appreciating the labor achievements of the special workers, the Mrs. of the President of Myanmar sent a retributory gift when the cooperative offered to give her favorite products.
The activities of the wife of General Secretary and President To Lam and the wife of the President of Myanmar at Van Phuc silk village are a meaningful highlight in the overall activities of the official visit to Vietnam by the Myanmar leader.
In modern diplomacy, culture is increasingly becoming a sustainable, soft connection channel and bringing nations closer together. The moment international guests touch silk threads and put spindles on the weaving frame is not only a sightseeing activity, but also a way to feel the value of manual labor and show respect for Vietnamese cultural traditions. It is also Vietnam's way of introducing itself to international friends through cultural depth, the beauty of character, elegance and durability of values woven through many generations.
