ASEAN Ambassadors attend the ASEAN flag hoisting anniversary at the Vietnamese Embassy in Paris, August 8, 2024. (Photo: Anh Tuan/ VOV)

The ceremony was attended by the ambassadors of ASEAN member countries, French officials, and ASEAN athletes participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang, the current chairperson of the ASEAN Committee in Paris, said ASEAN has proved its centrality in the region and the world and has every reason to be proud of itself for maintaining a region of peace, stability, and cooperation. ASEAN pursues friendship and collaboration with all peace-loving nations, including France, he said. The Ambassador expressed his belief that ASEAN will always be a symbol of solidarity and resilience.

“The ASEAN flag has always been an emblem for pride and witness of ASEAN’s significant milestones, and represents common aspiration of hundreds of millions of Southeast Asian people for a region of peace, solidarity, resilience, and prosperity.”

Vietnamese Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang, the current chairperson of the ASEAN Committee in Paris. (Photo: Anh Tuan/ VOV)

Myriam Saint-Pierre, Deputy Director of the Asia and Oceania Department at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, said, “We are keen to develop our links with all the countries in the region and with ASEAN as part of developing our partnership. France knows that we can count on your support to achieve this. We thank you very much for it.”