Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – On December 2nd, the Lao-Vietnamese Friendship Park, located in Dongmakai Village, Xaithany District, Vientiane, Laos, was officially inaugurated. This important moment coincided with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, adding a strong atmosphere of friendship to the celebrations and serving as a vivid testament to the friendship between the two countries.
As a precious gift from the Party Central Committee, Government, and people of Vietnam to Laos, the park's construction embodies the shared vision of deepening bilateral cooperation. Initially approved in 2022, the project is an important component of the Lao-Vietnamese Cooperation Plan 2025 and a concrete achievement of the resolutions of the 47th meeting of the Lao-Vietnamese Intergovernmental Committee, further demonstrating Vietnam's firm commitment to strengthening the traditional friendship and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.
The inauguration ceremony was jointly hosted by the Lao Party Central Committee Office and the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and was of a high caliber. Thongloun Sisoulith, General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos, and To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, along with senior officials from both countries, attended the ceremony, fully demonstrating the high importance both sides attach to this symbol of friendship.
The park project has a total investment of 340.4715 billion Vietnamese dong (approximately 279 billion Lao kip), with the Vietnamese government contributing 330 billion dong as grant and the Lao government matching the investment with 10 billion dong (approximately 9 billion Lao kip). On March 31, 2025, the two countries officially signed a commencement agreement in Vientiane. Thanks to the efficient efforts of all parties, the project is currently 99% complete, marking the final stage of this transnational cooperation project.
It is worth mentioning that earlier this year, the park's groundbreaking ceremony was held at the same location, co-chaired by Lao Prime Minister Somsay Siphandone and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, with high-ranking officials from both countries witnessing the start of the cooperation. Thongsali Mangnomek, then Director of the Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and now Lao Minister of Education and Sports, clearly stated that the project has received high recognition from both governments and Politburo, symbolizing the special solidarity and close cooperation between the two countries, and will serve as a powerful testament to the political ties, deep friendship, and long-term relations between the two parties, countries, and peoples.
In its planning and design, this three-hectare park combines ecological value with cultural significance. It adopts a modern ecological and cultural landscape design concept, cleverly integrating cultural elements from both Laos and Vietnam. Located in the heart of Vientiane's key urban development area, its prime location not only provides a high-quality space for public recreation but also serves as an important base for revolutionary history education—using vivid scenes to help the younger generation deeply understand the long-standing traditional friendship between the two peoples.
The park's core landscape is highly commemorative: statues of Lao Presidents Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong, and Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh stand majestically, their backgrounds featuring intricate bas-reliefs depicting the arduous struggles of the two peoples to achieve national sovereignty and escape foreign rule. In addition, the park is fully equipped with visitor reception and management offices, a scenic waterfall, recreational areas, a children's playground, comprehensive lighting facilities, and large green spaces, ensuring that the park both carries memories of friendship and is closely integrated into people's lives.
