10 NOTABLE EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES OF VAVA IN 2025

1. A working group in Europe (in the Republic of France, the Kingdom of Belgium, and the Republic of Poland), led by Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Chinh, President of VAVA, worked with Vietnamese ambassadors, the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, social activists, organizations, and businesses to make them understand more of the reality of Agent Orange victims in Vietnam, thereby strongly spreading the message of humanity and seeking support for the struggle for justice of Vietnamese Agent Orange victims.

2. Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Chinh, President of VAVA, and Minister-President of the Brussels Capital Region Rudi Vervoort signed a Memorandum of Understanding on “Agreement in Principle between the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin and the Aquitara Impact Fund 1, Kingdom of Belgium” in the presence of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Luong Cuong, and the King of Belgium, Philippe.

3. On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the country Reunification, April 30, 2025, the International Peace Ship docked at Ha Long port (Vietnam), carrying war veterans and peace activists, including a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Activities included exchanges and sharing of peace stories under the theme “Continuing the Story of Peace.” The story of healing the wounds of war, “closing the past, looking towards the future” by the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin left a deep impression on the international friends in attendance.

4. The Vietnamese delegation attending the 2025 World Conference Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the atomic bomb disaster in Japan, led by Dr. Pham Xuan Hung, Vice President and Director of the Vietnam Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims Fund, contributed to affirming the Association's positive role in the international movement for peace and disarmament. The message from President Luong Cuong and Vietnamese people's organizations to the Conference expressed deep solidarity with the victims of the atomic bombs and promoted international support for Vietnamese Agent Orange victims.

5. In the “Thankful Meeting for international friends on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” held on the sideline of Event A80, 3 international organizations and 5 individuals of the Association were honored for their positive contributions in supporting and spreading the peace movement and the struggle for justice for Vietnamese Agent Orange victims.

6. Event A50: The Central Committee of VAVA welcomed and worked with 8 international delegations from the United States, Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom, including representatives from the Veterans for Peace (VFP), VFP#160, the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign (VAORRC), the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), the Japanese "Seeds of Hope" Fund, Australian veterans, NHK Television, and the BBC, who attended the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification; held dialogues with American and Vietnamese veterans; and interacted with Agent Orange victims of all generations… These activities contributed to spreading the message of peace, healing the wounds of war, and strengthening international solidarity.

7. Successfully holing the live television program "Following the Dawn" commemorating the 64th anniversary of the Agent Orange disaster and the Day for Victims of Agent Orange (August 10th), with the participation of international delegations, including the Ambassadors of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Poland, Japan, South Korea, and representatives from agencies and non-governmental organizations, such as the Veterans for Peace of America, the Communist Party of America… The program strongly spread the call for people nationwide and international friends to “join hands to alleviate the pain of Agent Orange.”

8. The third plenum of the Central Executive Committee of the 5th term, 2023–2028, was successfully held with the participation of several international delegations, especially the delegation from the US Embassy led by Deputy Ambassador Courtney Beale.

9. Successfully holding two training courses on "Enhancing Mobilization and Resource Management Capacity" for leaders and staff of the Association from 34 provinces and cities nationwide in Hung Yen and Can Tho. The program is within the framework of Objective 4, "Strengthening the capacity for management, implementation, and support for people with disabilities at all levels," funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the 2024 Memorandum of Understanding with the CRS Organization.

10. Holding bilateral and multilateral meetings with 60 international delegations from countries including the USA, France, Belgium, Poland, the UK, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, New Zealand, Azerbaijan, and Thailand…; thereby sharing and providing both mental and material support to Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.

The Association's foreign relations achievements have been recognized and awarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Two VAVA’s individuals, namely Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Chinh and Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan were honored for their outstanding contributions to people-to-people diplomacy in 2025.

Que Luong

International and Science Department, VAVA’s Central Committee