VAVA held 60th anniversary of Agent Orange disaster day in Vietnam and received 3rd-class labor medal

The meeting saw the attendance of Ms. Vo Thi Anh Xuan, member of the Party Central Committee, Vice President of the State; General Ngo Xuan Lich, former Politburo member, former Defense Minister; Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Defense Minister; representatives of central commissions, ministries and branches; the leaders of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) and nearly 200 delegates on behalf of the association\'s staff, caregivers of the victims and the AO typical victims.

The speech made by VAVA’s President Nguyen Van Rinh stated: “The 60^th anniversary of Vietnam Agent Orange disaster day is an opportunity to remind us of the Agent Orange disaster. From 1961 to 1971, the US military sprayed about 80 million liters of toxic chemicals on the South of Vietnam. Agent Orange causes severe and long-term consequences for the environment, ecosystems and human health. More than 4.8 million Vietnamese people have been exposed to, in which more than 3 million have become its victims. Hundreds of thousands of victims have died, hundreds of thousands of others are struggling every day and every hour with dangerous diseases and illnesses; tens of thousands of children were born with deformities, birth defects... The war has receded, but the consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin, the pain of Agent Orange still exists and persists. The sequelae of Agent Orange have been passed on to even the 3rd and 4th generations of people who exposed to it... The pain of Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange/dioxins is the common pain of the Vietnamese people and also the pain of progressive humanity in the world.

Over the years, the work of overcoming the consequences of toxic chemicals, taking care of and helping AO victims have always been deeply concerned by the Party, State, all levels, branches and the social community. Directive 43-CT/TW dated May 14, 2015 of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, 11^th tenure, “On strengthening the leadership of the Party in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the United States during the war in Vietnam” has really come to life. Many regimes and policies have been implemented in order to improve the material and spiritual life of the victims. In particular, the emulation movement \"For Agent Orange victims\" launched by VAVA’s Central Committee in February 2007 and the Movement \"Action for Vietnam AO victims\" launched by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front in June 2011 has spread far and wide, attracting the attention and positive response of the social community, domestic and foreign organizations and individuals, contributing to alleviating the pain of Agent Orange.

VAVA’s President Nguyen Van Rinh

With the spirit of \"Solidarity - Kindness - Responsibility for AO victims\", after its establishment on January 10, 2004, VAVA has overcome many difficulties, built its structure strong, constantly innovated contents and modes of operation, successfully completed the tasks assigned by the Party and State. Up to now, the Association has mobilized more than 3,040 billion VND (including money and material) donated for the Fund for AO Victims, in which, domestic organizations and individuals donated more than 2,900 billion VND, and international organizations donated nearly 140 billion VND. The above donation has been used as accommodation aids, development capital, scholarships, detoxification and rehabilitation centers, and gifts for the victims and their families on holidays, New Year and Agent Orange Day every year. Along with that, the Association has always been acting as the core in the fight for justice for the victims.

Upholding its tradition and achievements, in the coming time, VAVA will continue to deeply grasp the directives and resolutions of the Party, build strong associations at all levels, and promote the emulation movements for victims, meeting the requirements and tasks in the new situation, worthy of the trust of the Party, the State and the people, the solid support of the victim”.

At the meeting, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Binh, an AO victim due to the legacy of her father who was a soldier in the resistance war against the US, and at the same time, the President of Thai Binh Provincial Association of People with Disabilities, spoke on behalf of the victims about her efforts to overcome difficulties. Having a disable leg with difficulty walking, she opened a clothing store. The shop not only covers for her family living expenses but also creates jobs for 3 tailors with average income of 3 to 5 million VND per month. She also holds vocational classes for AO victims and people with disabilities. So far, about 200 people have completed her classes. In the work of the Association, she is an exemplary and responsible cadre who mobilizes hundreds of gifts each year for AO victims and people with disabilities. On behalf of AO victims nationwide, she called on the social community to join hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange and progressive people all over the world to continue supporting the fight for justice for the Vietnamese AO victims.

Vice President of State Vo Thi Anh Xuan awards the 3rd Class Labor Medal to VAVA

On behalf of the leaders of the Party and State, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan awarded the Third Class Labor Medal to VAVA and Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh, VAVA’s President for their outstanding achievements in propagating and mobilizing resources to support the victims, contributing to the cause of national construction and defense.

Speaking at the meeting, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan shared the suffering, losses and hardship of the victims, at the same time praising the victims who surmounted their harsh and difficult circumstances and made great efforts to rise up in life and become shining examples in society; praising Party committees, authorities at all levels, agencies, mass organizations, businesses, benefactors, people of all classes in the country and Vietnamese abroad who have made many contributions in caring, helping and nurturing the victims. She stressed that: for the past years, our Party and State have always paid attention to, led, directed, and had many guidelines and policies to overcome the consequences of toxic chemicals. Every year, the State spends more than 10,000 billion VND to implement regimes and policies, provide subsidies, health care and rehabilitation for the victims. The Vice President of State highly appreciated the VAVA’s achievements in overcoming difficulties to successfully complete its tasks, operate more and more effectively, deserving the noble rewards awarded by the Party and State at the meeting. She also called on domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to continue to their care, help and nurture of the victims; the US government to be more responsible in overcoming the consequences of toxic chemicals sprayed during the war; strengthen support for people with disabilities, and AO victims in the heavily sprayed provinces.

The Vice President also directed that in the coming time, VAVA should continue to promote its tradition and better fulfill its assigned tasks; continue to thoroughly grasp and well implement Directive No. 43-CT/TW dated May 14, 2015 of the Secretariat on \"Strengthening the Party\'s leadership in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US in the war in Vietnam”; renovate and improve the effectiveness of propaganda on the Agent Orange disaster in Vietnam and the work of overcoming the consequences of toxic chemicals of the Party, State and people; accelerate the implementation of the Movement \"Action for the Vietnamese AO victims\" by appropriate forms and measures to improve the effectiveness of care and support for the victims; thoroughly implement the policies and regimes for the victims; build the association strong at all levels and capable of fulfilling the tasks assigned by the Party and State.

VAVA’s leaders sincerely thanked and proposed that the Party and State continue to pay attention to the supplementation and perfection of the regimes and policies for the victims; recommended that all levels, branches, people of all walks of life, overseas Vietnamese and international friends continue to \"Join hands to alleviate the pain of Agent Orange\", support and accompany with the victims in their struggle for justice.