During her visit to Russia, which began on July 22, Madame Ly met with Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova and attended the opening ceremony for a Vietnamese lacquer painting exhibition at the museum on Thursday afternoon.

The exhibition, which runs from July 30 to September 14, features nearly the entire collection of Vietnamese lacquer works held by the museum.

It showcases pieces by celebrated artists such as Le Quoc Loc, Pham Hau, Nguyen Tu Nghiem, Duong Bich Lien, and others.

Speaking at the opening, Madame Ly described Vietnamese lacquer painting as a traditional art form that reflects artistic patience, precision, and soul.

"This is not just a cultural event. It is an artistic bridge between the Vietnamese and Russian peoples," she said.

Madame Ly presented the museum with a hand-designed ao dai inspired by the bamboo hedges of Vietnam and the birch forests of Russia, two cultural symbols deeply embedded in their respective national identities.

She also gifted the painting Nhung doi co (Palm Hills) by Phan Ke An, one of Vietnam's most distinguished painters of the 20th century.

The gifts were warmly received and have been added to the museum's collection.

The museum's director called it the largest exhibition of Vietnamese lacquer paintings ever held at the institution.

Legostaeva Albina, the exhibition curator, explained that the lacquer paintings on display are rooted in a century of tradition nurtured by the Indochina College of Fine Arts.

The collection reflects a fusion of Eastern and Western styles that emerged from Vietnam's early art education.

She described Palm Hills as a treasured piece within the museum's holdings.

Following the ceremony, Madame Ly toured the exhibition and offered additional gifts to Minister Lyubimova, the museum director, and the curator.

Earlier in her meeting with Minister Lyubimova, Madame Ly expressed her appreciation to the Russian Ministry of Culture for supporting events marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Russia.

She emphasized the power of culture to unite people and nations, noting the enthusiastic participation of the Russian public in the ongoing Vietnamese Culture Festival at Moscow's Red Square, which runs from July 25 to August 3.

Minister Lyubimova praised Vietnam's cultural diplomacy efforts and underscored the importance of cultural cooperation within the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership.

She called the Red Square festival a major success and voiced hope for similar events in other Russian cities throughout the year.

The minister also extended an invitation for Madame Ly to participate in future cultural diplomacy initiatives and reaffirmed Russia's ongoing support for such exchanges.

In response, Madame Ly welcomed the proposals and expressed hope that the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism would continue collaborating with Russia to deepen the partnership through joint artist training, exhibitions, film weeks, and cultural performances in both nations.