On the morning of
January 29, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations organized the IX
Presidium Conference (for the 2019 – 2024 term), to evaluate the results of its
operation in 2023 and deploy tasks in 2024.

President of Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations speaking at the
Conference
Last year, along with the two pillars of foreign affairs
- Party diplomacy and State diplomacy, the people-to-people diplomacy had a
flourishing and breakthrough, making a substantial contribution to the
country's overall achievements with many exciting activities. Recently, more
than 800 peace, solidarity and friendship activities have been organized on
people's channels at both central and local levels in diverse forms such as
international conferences, seminars, and friendship meetings, cultural
exchange, exhibitions, screenings movies, performing arts... Notably, important foreign affairs activities left a bold
mark such as the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Paris Agreement and the
restoration of peace in Vietnam with the participation of historical witnesses
and international friends who participated in supporting Vietnam; Vietnam -
United States Friendship Exchange; The 11th Vietnam - India People's Friendship
Festival in India; Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan; The delegation of the Vietnam
Union of Friendship Organizations and the Vietnam
Committee for Palestinian People's Solidarity visited Palestine... ... In addition, the Vietnam Union of Friendship
Organizations has also actively implemented multilateral diplomatic activities,
with appropriate and effective forms of participation, contributing responsibly
to the regional and international people's mechanism/forum while ensuring
national and ethnic interests.
Regarding foreign non-governmental aid mobilization,
according to incomplete statistics, as of October 31, 2023, 160 new projects
for Vietnam were approved with a committed value of $36,097,666.
The year 2023 is also a bright spot in external
information work of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations. Times
Magazine with 5 foreign languages, the Union's electronic information page, the
International E-Newsletter, Facebook... have made many efforts to innovate
content, form, and apply modern technology to update information, vividly reflecting
about Vietnam to international friends...
In 2024, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations
will continue to focus on Party building work; deploy foreign policy and
related documents, resolutions and directives; strengthen the organizational system
of the Central and local levels; improve the quality of staff; innovate
thinking, approaches, methods of organization and content of people-to-people
diplomacy activities.
President of Vietnam
Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son awarded Emulation Flags to
collectives with outstanding achievements in emulation work in 2023
It is suggested to focus on research on world people's
movements and build a map of world people's movements; maintain and strengthen
relationships with traditional partners; expand and build a strong, reputable
and widespread network of partners in the regions; develop and participate
effectively in multilateral mechanisms; enhance cooperation in the fields of
economics, trade, tourism, culture, science, technology, health, sports...; strengthen
relationships with foreign non-governmental organizations with diverse
audiences; innovate forms of advocacy, promote administrative procedures, and
strengthen political mobilization; organize the 5th International Conference on
international cooperation with Vietnam and foreign non-governmental
organizations; prepare to summarize the National Program on foreign
non-governmental aid mobilization and cooperation promotion for the 2019-2025 period;
Improve the quality and efficiency of foreign information work; strengthen the
application of information technology; improve the quality of research and
consultation; deploy a state-level project on "people-to-people diplomacy activities
around the world in the new context and propose solutions for Vietnam"; develop
theoretical and practical documents on people-to-people foreign affairs; reprint
of the book History of formation and development of the Vietnam Union of
Friendship Organizations; organize the National Conference on People-to-people
diplomacy in 2024; organize the 7th National Congress of the Vietnam Union of
Friendship Organizations.
A cross-cutting activity that will be carried out from
2024 is to implement the Development Strategy of the Vietnam Union of
Friendship Organizations until 2030. The Vietnam Union of Friendship
Organizations will develop plans and programs, specific actions in each field
of work, guiding the entire system for implementation.
Speaking at the conclusion of the Conference, President
of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son said: In 2023,
the system of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations has basically fulfilled
its goals and tasks well. Besides the achievements, there are still some
limitations in the organizational system of the Vietnam Union of Friendship
Organizations; network of friends and traditional partners.
To resolve
internal difficulties, obstacles and limitations, Mr. Phan Anh Son said: In
2024, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations will organize a National
Conference on people-to-people diplomacy with the participation of and
direction of senior leaders of the Party, State and representatives of the Standing
Provincial/City Party Committee/People's Committees of 63 provinces and cities.
At this Conference, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations will
concretize proposals related to Decision 118-QĐ/TW in 2023 on Regulations on
organization and operation of mass associations assigned tasks by the Party and
State from the Central level to Provincial Party Committees and City Party
Committees to create conditions for the operation of the local Unions.
In addition, he
recommends to strengthen the organizational structure and train specialized
officials for people-to-people diplomacy. After the Presidium Conference, the
Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations will issue instructions related to
the organizational structure to implement uniformity throughout the system.
In 2024, the
Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations will also complete the review,
identification and evaluation of people's movements and social movements in the
world. On that basis, to continue to expand partner networks, the Vietnam Union
of Friendship Organizations will thoughtfully organize the 5th International Conference
on international cooperation with Vietnam and foreign non-governmental
organizations; National Congress of the Vietnam Union of Friendship
Organizations.
At the Conference, the Presidium of the Vietnam
Union of Friendship Organizations awarded Emulation Flags and Certificates of
Merit to outstanding collectives and individuals, successfully completing their
work tasks in 2023. The Union of Friendship Organizations of Dong Nai province was
awarded the Emulation Flag. This is the fourth consecutive year that the Union
of Friendship Organizations of Dong Nai province has received this title.