Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam & others unite to bring ASEAN flavors, art, and diplomacy to Rabat in landmark 3-day cultural showcase
Rabat, the capital city of Morocco hosted a historic celebration of cultural diplomacy, six Southeast Asian embassies in Morocco jointly hosted the country’s first ASEAN Bazaar and Cultural Festival in Rabat from August 9 to 11.
Organized by the Royal Thai Embassy along with embassies from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam, the event marked ASEAN’s 58th anniversary and highlighted Morocco’s growing ties with the regional bloc.
Held at the Thai Embassy, the three-day festival featured cultural performances, traditional products, and authentic Southeast Asian cuisine at affordable prices, offering Moroccan audiences a vivid taste of ASEAN’s rich heritage.
The #ASEAN Committee in #Rabat celebrated ASEAN’s 58th anniversary with a bazaar & cultural festival. @DFAPHL @ASEAN @Marocdiplo_EN @MAP_Information @MoroccoWNews @Le360fr pic.twitter.com/2YY1WJWPPD
— Philippine Embassy in Morocco (@PHLinMorocco) August 9, 2025
“This marks the symbol of friendship between Thailand and Morocco,” said Thailand’s Ambassador to Morocco, Fabio Chinda, during the inauguration. “We celebrated ASEAN’s 58th anniversary with a flag-raising ceremony, which we do every year”, reported Morocco World News.
His wife, Maneevarong Chinda, shared her excitement, calling the event “the first ASEAN Cultural Food Festival in Rabat” and expressing hope it could become an annual tradition.
Malaysia’s Ambassador, Dato’ Shahabudeen Adam Shah, emphasized the growing Morocco-ASEAN partnership, stating, “We are proud to be here… and we are looking forward to further enhancing our cooperation.”
Vietnam’s Ambassador, Le Kim Quy, marked the 30th anniversary of Vietnam’s ASEAN membership, calling the event a meaningful bridge between regions.
With Morocco having gained ASEAN sectoral dialogue partner status in 2023, the festival underlines a new chapter of cross-regional cultural and diplomatic engagement.
