PEOPLE TO PEOPLE DIPLOMACY AFFAIRS IN NAM DINH PROVINCIAL ASSOCIATION

The Association's Charter stipulates that: "Expanding international cooperation, taking advantage of sponsor and assistance from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals in the field of operation of the Association in accordance with the law, taking advantage of international support in the fight for justice for Vietnamese AO victims and participation in people-to-people diplomacy for the benefit of the victims in accordance with the law”. Being aware of this task, in recent years, under the guidance of VAVA’s External Affairs Department, the Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Provincial People's Committee, Nam Dinh Provincial Association has done well in the people's diplomacy in light of the policies of the Party and State.

In paticular, the Association received and worked with the delegation of the Japan-Vietnam Peace and Friendship Association led by Mr. Kamata Atsomori, General Secretary of the Association, and Mr. Kawabata Tadasky, Secretary General of Mayazaky Province, deputy head of the delegation. The delegation, including 14 people, visited and gave gifts to some victims’ families with extremely difficult circumstances and learned about the consequences of the US chemical war in Nam Dinh province; received and worked with Japanese cinematographer Masaco Sakata, who donated 2 houses to the AO victims of Nam Dinh province and provided long-term scholarships to 11 children of the victims who overcame difficulties to gain good academic achievements; received and guided Japanese professor Nishimura Yoichi to visit and make a photo album on the consequences of toxic chemicals entitled "Prayer for Vietnam" to be released worldwide denouncing the crimes committed by the US. during the chemical war in Vietnam; received the donation of a retired journalist from the French Republic, Prancoise Bassart supporting a disabled child in My Loc district for many years with an allowance of 100ER per year; received scholarship from Incho city, Korea for the children of the victims with difficulties but good academic achievements. Considering the subsidy of the French Association for protecting Vietnamese children infected with dioxins (VNED); received the livelihood project of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) to help victims' families overcome difficulties to get out of poverty and contribute to social security; received and worked with the representative of UNDP in Vietnam on the project on capacity building for provincial VAVA introduced by VAVA national.

All those meetings and contacts, in addition to propagating the consequences of the US-led war in Vietnam, receiving the support and help of international friends for the victims of the province, the Association also advertised and introduced the achievements of the renewal cause of Nam Dinh province and Vietnam to world friends. The guests were very interested and highly appreciated the hospitality of the Vietnamese AO victims, and shared the pain with them. The association's external activities have made a positive contribution to enhancing the prestige and position of Vietnam and VAVA’s influence in the international arena, making an important contribution to overcoming the consequences of toxic chemicals in Vietnam in line with the foreign policy of our Party and State.

The Association maintains a close relationship with the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Provincial People's Committee and the Provincial Friendship Union to do well the people to people diplomacy. The Association always adheres to the external tasks guided and directed by the VAVA national to implement with suitability with the characteristics of the situation and tasks of the Association. Since 2016 to date, the Association has been invited to the executive committee of the Provincial Friendship Union to conduct people-to-people diplomacy more effectively.

In the next term, to implement Directive No. 43 of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee "On strengthening the leadership of the Party in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals sprayed by the US in the war in Vietnam", Nam Dinh Provincial Association continues to promote the achieved results, implement more effectively people-to-people diplomacy, closely follow the foreign policy of the Party and State, to actively contribute to the work of overcoming the consequences of toxic chemicals and contribute to actively participate in local social security.

Pham Ngoc Kiem

President of the Provincial Association