The NEAR Secretariat participated in the Opening Ceremony of the HCMC-Gyeongju World Culture EXPO 2017. The Expo was co-hosted/OR/co-organized by Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, the first NEAR chair and home to the NEAR Secretariat, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the first associate member of NEAR, following the decision made at the NEAR Working Committee which was held in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, China in September.

The Opening Ceremony was attended by 12 guests from NEAR member regions including governors and vice-governors from Khenti Province, Mongolia, Hovd Province, Uvs Province, Dornod Province in Mongolia, and a representative from the Office of the Sakha Republic in Beijing, China. Furthermore, 15 traditional dance performers from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China performed  celebratory performances.

The guests from the NEAR member regions also participated in the Welcoming Reception co-hosted by the Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong of Ho chi Minh City, and Governor Kim Kwan-yong of Gyeongsagnbuk-do Province. The guests were granted an opportunity to meet with VIPs such as the Vice-Prime Minister Men Sam An of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

The NEAR Secretariat held an official dinner, hosted by the NEAR Secretary-General, which was followed by an opportunity for the guests to meet with the performance team from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and express their support.