Celebration of Vietnam’s 81st National Day and 30th anniversary of Vietnam-Ireland diplomatic relations held in Dublin
WVR - On September 21, in Dublin, the Embassy of Vietnam in Ireland solemnly organized the celebration of the 81st anniversary of Vietnam's National Day (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2026) and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Ireland diplomatic relations (1996 - 2026).
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Ireland Pham Toan Thang speaking at the celebration of the 81st anniversary of Vietnam's National Day and the 30th anniversary of Vietnam-Ireland diplomatic relations. (Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Ireland) |
The celebration was attended by Deputy Noel Grealish, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland, as the guest of honor; Deputy Chair of the Irish Senate Maria Byrne; Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport of Ireland Charlie McConalogue; Dublin City Councilor Rory Hogan; members of the Ireland-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group; and representatives from various Irish government ministries and agencies.
The event also saw the participation of leaders from major Irish and international businesses, representatives from the Diplomatic Corps in Dublin, and numerous representatives from the Vietnamese community, associations, and organizations in Ireland.
Vietnam Towards a New Era of Development
Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Ireland Pham Toan Thang expressed his pleasure in welcoming distinguished guests on the occasion of commemorating two significant milestones for Vietnam and Vietnam-Ireland relations.
Recalling the historic moment of September 2, 1945, when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, marking the birth of an independent Vietnam, the Ambassador emphasized that over the past 81 years, Vietnam has overcome numerous difficulties and challenges, achieving significant progress in national construction and development.
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| Guest of honor, Minister of State Noel Grealish speaking. (Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Ireland) |
From a war-torn country facing numerous difficulties over half a century ago, Vietnam has risen to become the world's 32nd largest economy and has entered the group of upper-middle-income developing countries. According to the Ambassador, these achievements reflect Vietnam's resilience, self-reliance, openness, and dynamism in its process of renewal and international integration.
Building on these achievements, Vietnam is moving towards a new phase of development, focusing on innovation, digital transformation, green transition, and sustainable development as key drivers, with the goal of becoming a developed country by 2045.
Ambassador Pham Toan Thang affirmed that Vietnam's development story is not only viewed from the journey it has undertaken but also from the goals it is aiming for and the partners it wishes to accompany on this path, including Ireland. Despite the geographical distance, the two countries share many similarities in their spirit of independence, self-reliance, valuing national identity, and aspirations for development.
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| Ambassador Pham Toan Thang with Deputy Chair of the Senate Maria Byrne, Dublin City Councilor Rory Hogan, and the Ireland-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group. (Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Ireland) |
From Friendship to Increasingly Substantive Cooperation
Reflecting on 30 years of diplomatic relations, Ambassador Pham Toan Thang emphasized that Vietnam and Ireland have built a relationship based on sincerity, trust, and mutual respect. Cooperation between the two countries has not only expanded but also demonstrated increasingly clear complementarities, especially in the economic sector.
The Ambassador expressed his delight that since the official operation of the Vietnamese Embassy in Ireland, the Embassy has had the opportunity to directly witness and contribute to the new momentum in bilateral relations.
Annual cooperation mechanisms between the two countries, including Deputy Ministerial-level Political Consultations, have been implemented; delegation exchanges occur more frequently across various levels and fields. The two countries have also established corresponding Parliamentary Friendship Groups, contributing to strengthening legislative relations and promoting exchanges between the peoples of both nations.
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| Artists posing with Mr. Brian P Farren, Chairman of the Dublin Symphony Association. (Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Ireland) |
Economic and investment cooperation is witnessing the emergence of new meaningful projects. In the aviation sector, Ireland's daa International has become the strategic partner and operator of Gia Binh International Airport, one of Vietnam's important new aviation infrastructure projects. The SilverLake - Biotech Park project in Hanoi has also commenced, opening up further opportunities for cooperation in technology and innovation.
According to the Ambassador, these results indicate that Vietnam-Ireland relations are gradually transitioning from potential to concrete projects and cooperation achievements, laying the foundation for both sides to expand cooperation in the next phase.
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| Ambassador Pham Toan Thang with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Ireland. (Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Ireland) |
Ample Room for Expanding Cooperation
At the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang sent a recorded message congratulating the event. The Deputy Minister emphasized that the 81st anniversary of Vietnam's National Day in 2026 is even more meaningful as it coincides with the 30th anniversary of Vietnam-Ireland diplomatic relations.
Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed that the State visit to Ireland by General Secretary and President To Lam in October 2024, followed by the opening of the Vietnamese Embassy in Dublin, marked significant developments, creating new momentum for bilateral relations and opening up many opportunities for cooperation between the two countries; expressing confidence that Vietnam-Ireland relations will continue to reach new heights, bringing tangible benefits and contributing to the development and prosperity of both countries and peoples.
Representatives from the Irish Government and Parliament expressed their pleasure in attending the dual celebration, while also appreciating the achievements in the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Ireland over the past 30 years, especially in trade, education, and agriculture.
The relationship between the two countries over the past three decades has been strengthened through numerous high-level visits and exchanges, including the visit to Vietnam by Irish President Michael D. Higgins (in 2016) and the visit to Ireland by General Secretary and President To Lam (2024).
Minister of State Noel Grealish congratulated the successful initial activities of the resident Vietnamese Embassy in Dublin; while emphasizing that despite the geographical distance, Vietnam and Ireland share many similarities in history, culture, tradition, and development paths.
The Irish side expressed admiration for Vietnam's socio-economic development achievements in recent years and noted that the two countries share similarities in transitioning from agriculture-based economies to open, dynamic, and deeply integrated economies.
Sharing about the 2025 visit to Vietnam, Minister of State Noel Grealish expressed delight at the developments in bilateral cooperation and suggested that Ireland could continue to partner with Vietnam in various fields, including high-tech agriculture and developing safe, sustainable food systems. Vietnam's recent opening of its market to Irish beef was also seen as a positive step in agricultural trade cooperation between the two countries.
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| Artists performing at the event. (Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Ireland) |
The Irish side believes that bilateral economic relations have much potential for development, especially as the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) continues to be effectively implemented. Pharmaceuticals, food, electronics, and technology are some sectors seen as having ample room for both sides to boost cooperation.
Ireland will continue to contribute to strengthening and deepening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, especially in areas where both sides have strengths, common interests, and complementary potential; while also promoting people-to-people exchanges, contributing to making Vietnam-Ireland relations increasingly substantive and sustainable.
Deputy Chair of the Senate Maria Byrne and members of the Ireland-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group expressed their desire to further promote exchanges between localities of the two countries, as well as enhance cooperation in education.
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| Dr. Dinh Hoai Xuan performing cello. (Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Ireland) |
Strengthening Connections Between the Peoples of Both Countries
In addition to cooperation between governments, parliaments, ministries, and localities, Vietnam-Ireland relations are increasingly reinforced by direct connections between the peoples of both countries, especially through education, culture, trade, and community exchanges.
As part of the celebration, delegates and guests enjoyed a special art program, skillfully blending the essence of European classical music, Irish melodies, and the depth of Vietnam's traditional culture. Through the talented performances of Vietnamese and international artists, the program not only left a deep impression on the art community and Irish friends but also served as a prestigious cultural bridge, contributing to honoring and spreading the unique artistic values of Vietnam to the local audience.
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| Guests attending the photo exhibition commemorating 30 years of Vietnam-Ireland diplomatic relations. (Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Ireland) |
Delegates and guests also had the opportunity to visit a photo exhibition commemorating 30 years of Vietnam-Ireland diplomatic relations. Through 30 photographs, the exhibition depicted significant milestones in bilateral relations over the past three decades, from high-level visits and interactions to cooperation achievements across various fields. The exhibition not only reviewed the journey of Vietnam-Ireland relations but also showcased the increasingly diverse and substantive development of the relationship between the two countries.
The event also provided an opportunity for businesses, intellectuals, students, and the Vietnamese community in Ireland to meet and connect with Irish partners and friends, thereby enhancing mutual understanding and opening up new cooperation opportunities.
(Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Ireland)
