VietNamNet Bridge - Related to APEC Summit 2017 in Vietnam, one of interests of the public is the costume of APEC leaders this time.

APEC leaders in Vietnamese ao dai at APEC Summit 2006

According to the latest information released by Mr. Huynh Vinh Ai, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Deputy Chief of the Subcommittee on Media and Culture of the National Committee for APEC Year 2017 at a press conference on December 9: the costumes designed for leaders at the APEC Summit 2017 will be made by the materials mainly produced by Vietnam, demonstrating the Vietnamese tradition, and easy to wear.

Ai said the highlight of the cultural activities in the APEC Week 2017 is the Gala Dinner, where the APEC leaders will wear the costume.

The subcommittee on media and culture invited five leading fashion designers of Vietnam to design the outfit. Ai further noted that this is not the national costume of Vietnam but the costume for the APEC Summit held in Vietnam. 

The costume will be made by mainly material produced by Vietnam, and must reflect the tradition of Vietnam, and at the same time it must be easy to wear. This dress will be one of the gifts of Vietnam for the leaders of the APEC economies who participate in the APEC Summit 2017.

At the APEC 2006 held in Vietnam, APEC leaders wore the traditional dress of Vietnam made from silk with lotus patterns.

The special costume for the APEC Summit was initiated at APEC Summit in 1993 in the US. According to SCMP newspaper, since then wearing the costume of the host country for taking photo at the plenary session has become a feature at APEC summits. Former US President Bill Clinton initiated this tradition in 1993, when he gave other APEC leaders with leather jackets, which looked like the jacket of American pilots.

The host countries are responsible to design the costume bearing the stamp of their own and the costume will be wore by APEC leaders for taking photo.

The APEC Year 2017 chaired by Vietnam will have about 200 events, and the most important event is the summit week in the central city of Da Nang in November. About 1,000 leaders of the world's leading corporations will come to Vietnam to attend relevant activities.

Cultural diplomacy is an important pillar of multilateral diplomacy. APEC is a forum on economic integration but in the era of connectivity and the flat world today, the two factors of human and culture play an important role. It is more important and more significant as 2017 is the first year to implement the decision of the APEC leaders about the organization of cultural exchange activities in APEC.

This is an opportunity to promote the image of Vietnam so all tourist sites will be opened for free for attendees of APEC. Besides, in the localities where the APEC activities are organized, programs to promote the beauty and the potential of these places will be also organized.

On this occasion, if having the consensus of the APEC member economies, the APEC 2017 National Committee will hold the APEC art festival, APEC sculpture garden in Da Nang. In addition, many artistic activities and exhibitions will be held in 10 localities where host APEC activities.

The APEC Summit Week 2017 will end with the Gala Dinner, a special event of Vietnamese food, music and art. At the event, the leaders of the APEC member economies will wear the special costume designed by Vietnam.

APEC leaders at the APEC Summit 2016 in Lima, Peru, in a brown shawl. This is the scarf made from the wool of alpacas camel, a traditional garment product of the host country Peru.

This is the second time, after 10 years, Vietnam will host the APEC Summit and this time we must do better, and we have conditions to do it. The new spirit is to actively contribute, initiate and actively participate in shaping. APEC not only have good conditions but also faces many challenges, which require us to well prepare the content, material and logistical preparation and all aspects. Therefore, ministries and agencies are actively preparing, proposing initiatives and ideas so that we can organize a better APEC Summit, meeting new requirements of cooperation and association in APEC.

Vietnam will have to hold about 200 conferences, meetings, including 20 meetings at the level of SOM (Senior Officials’ Meeting) or higher and the Summit Week. Thus, we must prepare infrastructure, security, health care ... very thoughtful, across the country, from north to south, to ensure the success of the event and to advertise Vietnam to international friends.

The preparation for the APEC Year 2017 was kicked off very early, immediately after the APEC Summit 2013 approved Vietnam as the host of APEC 2017. In late 2013, Vietnam established an interdisciplinary working group. In mid-2015, the Government set up the National Committee for APEC 2017.

Bich Thuy