The scene of the meeting

At the meeting, Ms. Tran Thi Phuong, Vice President of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations shared “the peace, solidarity and friendship activities of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations are particularly focused on activities of 25 member associations. Association development affairs is concerned with many initiatives, especially with the policies of close cooperation the city's departments and districts. Heads of districts, directors of departments and sectors are elected Presidents of Friendship Associations and organizations. The advantage of the capital is that it is easy to connect with Embassies of other countries along with the dynamism and efficiency of the leaders of the associations to effectively and successfully implement the activities of the member organizations. However, the personnel of some associations are aging. Therefore, the goal in 2023 of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations is to develop young members and establish the Vietnam - Singapore Friendship Association.

Despite the advantage of the capital, where many foreign non – governmental organizations (NGOs) are headquartered, most NGOs tend to choose other provinces to implement the projects. Along with challenges in the capital's procedures, foreign non – governmental affairs at Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations is not a strength.

However, external information activities are focused on many ways. Websites, fanpages are actively updated, newsletters with a frequency of publishment every month helps provide information regularly and extensively.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tri, President of the Dong Nai Union of Friendship Organizations, head of the delegation also shared the results of people – to –people diplomacy of Dong Nai province in recent years. Dong Nai Union of Friendship Organizations currently has 10 bilateral and multilateral friendship associations and promoting the establishment of the Vietnam - Germany Friendship Association. Every year, the Union of Friendship Organizations and Friendship Associations organize more than 40 events of friendship, external information and non-governmental affairs. Foreign non –governmental affairs in 2022 increased in both the value of aid commitments and the number of projects. On December 16, the Dong Nai Union of Friendship Organizations held the Preliminary Conference on the 3-year implementation of the national program on foreign non-governmental aid mobilization and cooperation promotion in Dong Nai province for the period from 2019 to 2025 with many special contents, thereby, evaluated the results after 3 years of implementing the program and at the same time rewarded the foreign non-governmental organizations and foreign directly-invested enterprises (FDI) that have made positive contributions to the program during the three-year period of implementation.

The positive contributions to people – to - people diplomacy of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations and the Dong Nai Union of Friendship Organizations in 2022 are recognized and highly appreciated. The Emulation Flag for the national leading agency in people – to – people diplomacy presented by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations is a worthy reward for the relentless efforts and creativity of the two Unions.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tri - President of Dong Nai Union of Friendship Organizations presenting a gift to Ms. Tran Thi Phuong - Vice President of Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations

Delegates at the meeting posing group photos