SOCHI, May 20. /TASS/. An ethnic fair embracing participants from Southeastern nations is in full swing in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi within the framework of Russia-ASEAN summit and reciprocal Russia-ASEAN Year of Culture.

The Ethnic Fair features folk art of Russia, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. The visitors can enjoy traditional costumes and jewelry, learn secrets of blacksmiths and gunsmiths and watch work of masters making folk Russian toys. Sochi masters of arts and crafts and the De Arte theatre from Moscow are represented at the fair.

Delegates of the Russia-ASEAN summit have taken part in creation of the carpet of friendship as each foreign visitor of the Russian exposition of the festival of cultures was offered to make a stich in the carpet woven in front of the spectators’ eyes.

Besides, first guests of the fair, with Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky among them, were treated with Southeastern artists’ dancing and musical performances.

The summit of Russia and the member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is held in Sochi on May 19-20 and has become the biggest international event in Russia in 2016.

ASEAN comprises Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar with a total population of over 600 million people. The Association aims to develop cooperation in the economic, social, cultural and other spheres, and also strengthen peace and stability in Southeast Asia.

Russia has been a dialog partner of ASEAN since July 1996. In December 2005, the first Russia-ASEAN summit was held in Kuala Lumpur. The summit participants signed a declaration on cooperation and approved an action plan - in effect a roadmap of Russia-ASEAN interaction. Similar partnership summits are normally held on the territory of member-states and the choice of Sochi as venue for the Russia-ASEAN summit on the partnership’s 20th anniversary is symbolic.

The summit is held under the slogan "Towards Strategic Partnership for the Sake of the Common Good.".