AsemconnectVietnam -  The Vietnam-ASEAN Singing Festival 2017 officially closed in Vientiane, Laos, on March 14 with stellar performances staged by five Vietnamese contestants and 11 Vietnamese expats from Laos and Thailand.

Songs extolling the love for the homeland left great impression on the audience.

The song “Dat nuoc loi ru” earned Nguyen Thi Kim Lien, a Vietnamese expat in Thailand, the first prize. 

According to the organisers, the 16 contestants and two others winning auxiliary prizes will have a chance to compete at the Global Vietnam Singing Festival scheduled to take place at the end of this year in the Czech Republic.

The final night also saw performances by Vietnamese professional singers and an ao dai (traditional long dress) show given by students from the National University of Laos.

The singing festival was launched in July, 2016 in the lead up to the 50th founding anniversary of ASEAN (August 8, 1967), aiming to promote cultural exchange and solidarity among Vietnamese expats.

Source: VNA