Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly donated ao dai and lacquer paintings to the Russian museum.

phu nhân Ngô Phương Ly - Ảnh 1. — Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly and Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Olga Lyubimova (left cover) with the ao dai donated to the National Museum of the Orient - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

On the afternoon of July 30 (local time), within the framework of a working trip to Russia, the wife of General Secretary To Lam , Ms. Ngo Phuong Ly, met with the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Olga Lyubimova and attended the opening ceremony of the Vietnamese lacquer painting exhibition at the National Museum of the Orient.

Russia wants to have more cultural activities with Vietnam

At the meeting, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly expressed her joy at meeting the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Olga Lyubimova and thanked the minister personally and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation for supporting the organization of activities in Russia, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Affirming that culture always plays an important role in connecting people and nations, the First Lady expressed her emotion at the Russian people's love for Vietnamese culture when a large number of people lined up to enter the area holding the Vietnamese Cultural Festival on Red Square after the opening ceremony on July 25.

For her part, Minister Olga Lyubimova welcomed Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly to lead the Vietnamese delegation to attend cultural diplomacy activities in Russia on this occasion, affirming that cultural cooperation plays an important role in the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Appreciating the significance of the Vietnamese Cultural Festival at Red Square this time, the minister expressed hope that more similar activities will be held in other localities of Russia, at other times of the year.

Respectfully inviting Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly to visit and attend cultural diplomatic activities, Minister Olga Lyubimova affirmed that the Russian side always welcomes the wife of General Secretary To Lam and Vietnamese partners.

Welcoming the ideas and proposals from the Russian side, Madam Ngo Phuong Ly hoped that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation would continue to contribute to strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries through practical cooperation such as training and exchanging artists; organizing exhibitions and film weeks in the two countries, art performances, etc.

Traditional Vietnamese Ao Dai in Russian Museum

phu nhân Ngô Phương Ly - Ảnh 2. — Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly presents the painting "Palm Hills" by the late painter Phan Ke An to the National Museum of Oriental Medicine - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

Also on the afternoon of July 30, at the National Museum of the Orient, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly and Minister Olga Lyubimova attended the opening ceremony of the Vietnamese lacquer painting exhibition with the theme "Beauty behind the halo: Vietnamese lacquer paintings".

The exhibition takes place from July 30 to September 14, 2025, bringing together almost the entire museum collection of Vietnamese lacquer paintings, with names such as Le Quoc Loc, Pham Hau, Nguyen Tu Nghiem, Pham Van Don, Nguyen Trong Kiem, Tran Dinh Tho, Linh Chi, Duong Bich Lien, Hoang Tich Tru,...

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Madam Ngo Phuong Ly affirmed that the event has many meanings, not only culturally but also as a vivid symbol of friendship between the people of Vietnam and the Russian Federation.

The lady affirmed that lacquer painting is a typical traditional art form of Vietnam; it is the result of a meticulous and elaborate artistic process, requiring patience, master skills and the soul of the artist.

"Today's exhibition is not only a cultural event but also a bridge of artistic exchange between the Vietnamese and Russian peoples," Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly emphasized.

With sincere thanks to Madam Ngo Phuong Ly for attending the opening ceremony, the director of the National Museum of Oriental Medicine affirmed that this is the largest exhibition of Vietnamese lacquer paintings ever at the museum, thereby reflecting the richness and uniqueness of Vietnamese culture.

The exhibition's curator, Ms. Legostaeva Albina, emphasized the efforts and creativity of the artists at the Indochina College of Fine Arts established 100 years ago in Vietnam, along with the cultural exchange between East and West, which led to the birth of unique and aesthetically pleasing works of art.

The museum director and exhibition curator hope that this event will bring unforgettable impressions to visitors through exploring and understanding more deeply about aspects of Vietnamese culture, contributing to promoting further understanding between Vietnam and the Russian Federation.

phu nhân Ngô Phương Ly - Ảnh 3. — Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly and delegates at the lacquer painting exhibition, introducing works from Vietnam - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

With precious feelings for heritage and the desire to spread the beauty of Vietnamese culture to international friends, on this special occasion, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly respectfully presented the National Museum of the Orient with a number of cultural items, including the lacquer painting "Palm Hills" by the late painter Phan Ke An - one of the typical painters of 20th century Vietnamese painting.

The museum director expressed his emotion and sincere thanks for the gift from the Lady, affirming that this is truly a precious gem in the museum's lacquer painting collection.

The wife of General Secretary To Lam also respectfully presented the museum with a traditional Vietnamese ao dai, inspired by Vietnamese bamboo groves and Russian birch forests. When birch trees are depicted on the ao dai, the two cultures seem to merge into one: the gentle Vietnamese soul and the pure, unshakable Russian beauty.

"This is a small gift, but I hope that the traditional Vietnamese ao dai will become part of the Vietnamese cultural collection at the National Museum of Oriental Medicine and, above all, will be a delicate symbol of the sincere, close and lasting friendship between our two peoples," said Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly.

After the exhibition, the wife of General Secretary To Lam and the delegates visited all the spaces displaying the introduced lacquer paintings. On this occasion, the wife also presented and introduced to the Russian Minister of Culture, the director of the National Museum of the Orient and the curator of the lacquer painting exhibition the items she personally designed.