During its operation, the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province has effectively carried out three key tasks: building a relationship of peace, solidarity, and friendship between the people of Dong Nai and the United States. ; Promote people’s foreign information information work; Build a strong association.
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| Chairman of the Vietnam – US Friendship Association of Dong Nai province Nguyen Duy Anh Tuan awarded awards to the winners of the 2023 Vietnam – US Singing Contest. Photo: S.Thao |
This has contributed to demonstrating the role of the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province in the process of building a people’s diplomatic bridge between the people of Dong Nai and American friends.
Diverse people-to-people exchange programs
Among the 10 member friendship associations of the Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations, the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province is the organization that carries out people-to-people exchange programs that are numerous in number and diverse in content. content.
Accordingly, in the period 2018-2024, the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province actively organized 20 people-to-people exchange activities.
Vice President of the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province Bui Thi Lieu said that these activities promote formality, demonstrate friendship and attract the participation of the US Consulate General. In Ho Chi Minh City, US-invested businesses, foreign non-governmental organizations and a large number of people in the province participated.
Specifically, the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province coordinated with the US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City to organize 4 exchange programs on study opportunities in the United States. Here, over 1,000 students and parents heard introductions and directly asked questions to US representatives about issues related to the process of finding study opportunities in the US.
In the 2018-2024 term, the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province developed 100 new members and 3 branches. Thereby, increasing the total number of members to 300 people and 3 grassroots organizations. On April 26, in Bien Hoa city, the Congress of Delegates of the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province will take place for the term. 2024-2029. In the program, 146 official delegates representing 300 members of the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province will focus on evaluating the association’s performance during the past term; contribute ideas to the association’s operating direction for the next 5 years; carry out consultations to elect the Executive Committee and leadership positions for the new term; Gratitude and reward to individuals and groups who have made positive contributions to the work of the association…
Or in a series of activities celebrating the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province coordinated to organize the “Hamilton” Film Week at Dong Nai University. The film screenings attracted a lot of attention from students and members of the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province. Through this event, the Organizing Committee introduced the history and culture of the United States to people of all walks of life in the province.
Every year, on the occasion of people-to-people exchange events, the association organizes talks about the Vietnam-US relationship for officials and members. A notable point is that depending on the current news, the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province has flexibility in organizing activities. Immediately after the event of Vietnam – the United States upgrading the comprehensive strategic partnership at the US President’s state visit to Vietnam in September 2023, the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province together with the Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations organized a symposium on the role of people-to-people diplomacy in the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the United States. In addition to members, the event also had the participation of nearly 300 delegates who are leaders of agencies, units, officers, and members of member friendship associations under the Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations.
Chairman of the Vietnam – America Association (Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations) Pham Quang Vinh, rapporteur of the conference, said that organizing the program right after the meeting between the leaders of the two countries shows the sensitivity of the two countries. Sharp in the propaganda orientation of the leaders of Dong Nai province, the Union of Provincial Friendship Organizations, and the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai Province in deploying foreign information to all walks of life.
Focus on building on-site bridges
Along with organizing people-to-people exchange activities, building on-the-spot bridges right at the local level aims to consolidate and promote the friendship between the people of Vietnam and the United States, and between Dong Nai and American localities. Also focused on implementation by the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province.
Specifically, depending on the level, schools in Dong Nai teach English, especially at the post-secondary level, there are also departments specializing in English. This is considered a land to develop members and organize associations at the grassroots level in association with pupils, students, teachers and parents. Recently, the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province has established 3 branches in schools at Dong Nai University, Lac Hong University and Dong Nai University of Technology.
Another potential environment to build an association is US businesses and workers here. Accordingly, US businesses currently have 33 projects with a capital investment of nearly 330 million USD in Dong Nai. The number of foreign experts and workers, as well as Vietnamese workers, is very large.
In addition, Dong Nai province and US localities, including the states of Arkansas, Virginia, and Oklahoma, have signed a memorandum of understanding and a provincial-level international cooperation agreement. Signed cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding are being implemented effectively. The province’s businesses also have good, enthusiastic and experienced partners in the United States.
According to Ms. Bui Thi Lieu, members and grassroots associations are the nucleus in organizing people-to-people exchange programs. However, compared to the number of educational establishments in Dong Nai, the number of branches in schools is still very modest. Particularly, US businesses have not yet established branches. Therefore, in the coming time, the development of membership and association organizations in US schools, businesses, and workers here will be focused.
Along with building bridges, mobilizing social resources to organize welfare activities has also been regularly organized by the Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province. In particular, the annual scholarship program for outstanding students of foreign language departments at universities is maintained stably. The Vietnam – United States Friendship Association of Dong Nai province also gives gifts to victims of Agent Orange/dioxin on the occasion of holidays and Tet… However, the number of activities as well as the value of helping the community of these programs is limited. This is not much.
Therefore, attracting domestic resources as well as US businesses and foreign US non-governmental organizations to participate in social security programs is one of the key tasks of the Vietnam Friendship Association. South – United States Dong Nai province in the near future.
Song Thao
