Actively contributing to local socio-economic development

Grasping President Ho Chi Minh's ideology and under the leadership of the Party, the people-to-people diplomacy has accompanied the country for over 70 years, actively contributing to the resistance wars for national protection and reunification, renovation, national construction and international integration. The VUFO now has 116 member organizations (including 64 at the central level and 52 at the local level) and hundreds of friendship associations and chapters in provinces, cities, central agencies and organizations. The VUFO has established diplomatic relations with more than 1,000 international partners.

A delegation of Lao trainees during a field trip to Yen Dung district.

In Bac Giang, the provincial Union of Friendship Organisations was established under Decision No. 121/QD - UBND dated October 12, 1998 of the Chairperson of the provincial People's Committee. After more than 20 years of development, the union have continuously expanded in scale. Currently, it has eight member associations with more than 6,000 members operating in 10 districts and city, step by step affirming its role and position.

The union has stepped up the people-to-people diplomacy work in the fields of peace, solidarity, friendship and cooperation. Economic diplomacy, investment and trade promotion, and mobilization of foreign non-governmental aid have been implemented effectively by the union in close coordination with the provincial Department of Foreign Affairs and socio-political organizations.

From 2016 to 2020, the province received 39 new foreign non-governmental aid projects, with a total committed capital of more than 2.3 million USD; 57 non-project grants in cash and in kind worth over 1.45 million USD and more than 10 non-project grants in the form of foreign experts and volunteers.

Only the first 9 months of this year, the province received 12 foreign non-governmental aid worth 1.6 million USD. The projects focus on the priority areas in line with the needs of the province, thereby contributing to solving social problems, implementing goals of poverty reduction, economic development, and improving the quality of people’s life.

Continuing to perform well people-to-people diplomacy task in the new situation

In order to continue improving the quality and efficiency of people-to-people diplomacy in the new situation, and effectively implementing directives and resolutions of the Government and the province, the provincial Union of Friendship Organizations and bilateral friendship organizations need to do well the popularization and mobilization work, as well as combine peace, solidarity and friendship activities and campaigns for non-government aid. They should focus on attracting projects and programmes in accordance with socio-economic development orientations of the province and its localities.

A representative of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations presents the emulation flag to the Bac Giang provincial Union of Friendship Organizations.

It is necessary to increase the content of politics in peace, solidarity and friendship, and bilateral and multilateral cooperation activities in order to expand, consolidate and develop the network of international friends; while maintaining and developing relations with associations of Bac Giang people abroad to promote the image of the province to international friends.

They should regularly organize events to meet and honour overseas Vietnamese, including Bac Giang people, for their great contributions to building the homeland, as well as cultural, literature and art exchange activities, exhibitions, seminars, and tourism promotion activities.

Vietnam presents friendship order to former Mozambican Ambassador

A ceremony was held recently in Brazil to present a Friendship Order to Mozambican Ambassador to Brazil Gamiliel Sepulveda Joao Munguambe, who previously served as Ambassador to Vietnam, for his contributions to bilateral relations.

Spanish Ambassador awarded ‘For Peace and Friendship among Nations’ insignia

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) held a ceremony in Hanoi on July 23 to present the ‘For Peace and Friendship among Nations’ insignia to outgoing Spanish ambassador to Vietnam Maria Jesus Figa Lopez-Palop.

Vietnam-Indonesia Friendship Parliamentary Group visits Bac Giang province

(BGO) - On June 14, the Vietnam-Indonesia Friendship Parliamentary Group headed by Tran Ngoc Khanh, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA)’s National Defence and Security Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam-Indonesia Friendship Parliamentary Group, and Ibnu Hadi, Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam, paid a working visit to Bac Giang province.

Vietnam - DPRK traditional friendship

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the third country that Vietnam has established diplomatic ties with. Since then, Vietnam has always treasured the traditional friendship with the DPRK.

People-to-people diplomacy helps strengthen Vietnam-Czech friendship

People-to-people diplomacy is one of the channels to help strengthen the long-standing friendship between Vietnam and the Czech Republic.

Nguyen Duc Trong, Permanent Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the provincial Union of Friendship Organisations