(VOVworld) – A seminar to discuss the building of an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community and EU experiences opened in Hanoi on Wednesday. Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung said ASEAN is a politically and economically connected community that shares social responsibilities. He said that ASEAN countries are moving toward establishing an ASEAN Community by the end of the year on the 3 pillars of politics-security, economics, and socio-culture. He said that the seminar provided an opportunity for Vietnam to learn from the EU’s experiences in cultural and social development and management: “The EU has been a successful model in building economic, social and political communities. Its experiences will help ASEAN build its own Community and a socio-cultural community in particular. The seminar was also an opportunity for the EU and ASEAN to foster bilateral cooperation.”

A photo exhibition about the cultural and social identities of ASEAN countries and the EU was held as part of the seminar.