Young people of ASEAN and Japan of the Ship for Southeast Asian YouthProgramme (SSEAYP) 2013 held a festival in Ho Chi Minh City on November14 following the arrival of their ship.

At theship welcome ceremony, Permanent Deputy Chairman of the NationalCommittee on Youth of Vietnam Duong Van An thanked the governments ofASEAN members and Japan for jointly organising the programme.

He extended condolences to the Philippine delegation over the lossesin human and property caused by super typhoon Haiyan and called on ASEANyouth to join hands with the Philippine people in their recoveryefforts.

All 329 delegates from 10 ASEAN countriesand Japan aboard the ship brought their special art performances to theopening ceremony.

According to leader of SSEAYP 2013 ItoMakoto, this year’s programme coincides with the 40th anniversary ofVietnam-Japan diplomatic ties and also the 40th year of the SSEAYPjourney.

The programme’s activities have strengthened exchanges and mutual understanding between ASEAN and Japanese youth, he said.

Ho Chi Minh City being selected for the ship’s first stop during its2013 trip allows delegates to get insightful into Vietnamese culture andland, he noted.

The ship left Japan on November 7for a 51-day journey to go to ASEAN countries of Vietnam, Thailand,Singapore and the Philippines. It will stay in Ho Chi Minh City untilNovember 17.

The Vietnamese delegation on board includes 29 members.-VNA