The Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association of
Dong Nai province (the Association) was officially established on March 13th,
2015. During six years of operation, despite many difficulties, the Association
has achieved certain results in the people-to-people diplomacy which helps nurture
the ties of Vietnam and Cambodia peoples.
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Tirelessly consolidating and building the organization
Dong Nai
used to be the site of the Cambodia’s Armed Forces for country salvation (Ruins
of Corps 125), also the shelter of many voluntary veterans, former Vietnamese
experts (about 5,000) as well as thousands of Vietnamese people living in Cambodian
and Khmer ethnic group (4,000 people).
Therefore,
right after the first Congress when the Association only gathered 296 members,
the Executive Board put forth solutions to bring together former experts,
voluntary soldiers and people having affections towards Cambodia.
By
implementing such policy, the branch in Cam My district, inter-branches in Long
Khanh city together with Expert branch were established in two years 2016 - 2017.
In the next subsequent years 2018 - 2020, other inter-branches of the
Association were respectively founded in Thong Nhat, Nhon Trach, Tan Phu and
Xuan Loc districts.
Up to
now, the Association has 4,431 members, making it the bilateral friendship owning
the crowdest members in Dong Nai Union of Friendship Organizations. Members are
now extended to not only voluntary soldiers, former experts but also Buddhist
monks, businessmen and especially Vietnamese people living in Cambodia and
Khmer ethnic group.
Vibrant
activities held by the Association in recent years have gradually become a
friendship bridge and formed the external front of the Dong Nai people with the
Cambodian people.
Promote
the role of friendship connectivity
The close-knit
relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia has been cultivated over generations.
To keep such sentiment "to be everlasting and sustainable", the
Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association in Dong Nai since its establishment always
identifies that building a friendship connectivity is among the main tasks of
the Association.
On the
annual anniversary of the victory January 7th, 1979, the Cambodian
National Day, the Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic relations and the Chol Chhnam
Thmay new year, the Association will organize meetings, exchanges and
traditional talks with the attendance of Cambodian students in Dong Nai,
Vietnamese people who used to fight and work in Cambodia, and especially the
Consulate of the Kingdom of Cambodia in Ho Chi Minh City.
The
contents and forms of each event will be established appropriately depending on
its meaningfulness, but all to ensure the goals of education, gratitude for the
wholehearted support and mutual gratitude between the two peoples and the armies,
and reminiscene about the vital rules of bilateral ties.
In recent
years, the members have many chances to attend a visit back to the old
battlefields, partake gatherings welcoming the Cambodia’s traditional new year,
join the camp "Capturing friendship, sharing the Mekong river", participate
in contests for food, knowledge, traditional costumes, cultural exchanges,
sports and offer scholarships. These events have helped connect between generations,
also aroused and motivated an everlasting special solidarity from the young generation
of the two countries.
Besides, the Association members also actively visit
and encourage each other struggling in hardship and on New Year holiday. So far
3,000 gifts have been handed over to martyrs, soldiers and veterans. Despite the
humble material value, these gifts mean the sharing hearts given in difficult
times.
The second term of the Association is about to take
place in the coming time. With a steady development of the Association in many localities,
the provincial Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association is full of confidence
that it will be a solid bilateral friendship that will stand alongside the
other associations to successfully implement the people-to-people diplomatic
affairs.