"Various types of costumes, besides the national costume – Ao dai (traditional long dress) - worn by members of the Vietnamese Students’ Association in Hawaii (VSAH) today represent cultural diversity of Vietnam."

So announced the speaker of the Grand Parade held on March 13 in the framework of the Honolulu Festival when the 60- graduate student delegation of Vietnam was passing the podium on Kalakaua Avenue in the Waikiki Beach Walk. The Honolulu Festival, the annual biggest one of Hawaii state in the US, was organised from March 11-13.

“This is the third year the VSAH, based at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, has participated in the Honolulu Festival, but is the first time it joins the Festival Parade,” said the speaker.

"Besides, you should know about Vietnam\'s Pho (rice noodle soup) which I have been enjoying at least once a week,” he added.

Goro Nakamura from Japan, who was among tens of thousands of witnesses of the parade, told Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent that his wife, two daughters and himself waited for the parade quite a long time and enjoyed it much.

Right after the parade, the VSAH was invited to attend cultural activities to be held in Honolulu during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, slated for Nov. 7-13 this year.

Also at the Convention Center in Honolulu on March 13, Vietnamese graduate students also performed a fashion show and the "Beauty of Central Highlands" dance.

Vietnam\'s diversified culture will also be introduced by Vietnamese post graduates and PhDs in Hawaii to friends of the US and other countries next month at the East - West Fest to be held by the East - West Center and the International Day by the Hawaii Pacific University.