New milestone in international media cooperation: The World & Vietnam Report partners with The Colombo Times
WVR - A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between The World & Vietnam Report and The Colombo Times in a virtual ceremony on June 27, 2025.
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| Delegates attending the signing ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Attending the signing ceremony at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for National Defense, Security and Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Tien, and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Press and Information Doan Khac Viet.
Joining virtually from Colombo were Dr. Rizvie Salih, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, and Ambassador of Vietnam to Sri Lanka Trinh Thi Tam.
Representing The World & Vietnam Report were Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Truong Son, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Hoang Diem Hanh, and Assistant Deputy Editor-in-Chief Ho Thi Van. The Colombo Times delegation included Editor-in-Chief Mohammed Rasoodeen, Executive Director Raees Rezwie, News Editor Rizaik Farook, and Tamil Editor Silmiya Yousuf.
Held in the proud and celebratory spirit of the 100th anniversary of Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press (June 21, 1925 – June 21, 2025), the MoU signing ceremony represented a meaningful milestone ahead of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Sri Lanka (July 21, 1970 – July 21, 2025). It also marked the first time The World & Vietnam Report signed a cooperation agreement with a media agency in South Asia, underscoring the newspaper’s continued efforts to broaden its international media partnerships.
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| Delegates attending the signing ceremony at the Vietnamese Embassy in Sri Lanka. (Photo: Saleem) |
Speaking at the ceremony, Editor-in-Chief of The World & Vietnam Report Nguyen Truong Son expressed his sincere appreciation to the leaders of the Foreign Ministries and National Assemblies of both countries for their presence - an affirmation of strong support for cooperation in the fields of information and communication.
He emphasized that the signing carried “dual significance”: marking 55 years of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Sri Lanka, and celebrating the centennial of Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press. According to the Editor-in-Chief, the ceremony opens a new chapter in the long-term partnership between the two media agencies.
Recognizing the active role of Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Trinh Thi Tam in connecting the two sides, Mr. Nguyen Truong Son affirmed that the MoU will pave the way for news exchange, professional collaboration, and co-hosted events in the future, thereby contributing to greater mutual understanding and stronger people-to-people ties between the two nations.
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| The MoU signing ceremony between The World & Vietnam Report and The Colombo Times takes place virtually. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Editor-in-Chief of The Colombo Times Mohammed Rasoodeen expressed his pleasure at this important milestone in establishing a cooperative relationship with one of Vietnam’s leading foreign affairs newspapers. He reaffirmed his commitment to effectively implementing the MoU, including expanding coverage of Vietnam and the Vietnam–Sri Lanka partnership in The Colombo Times.
He also underscored the importance of the collaboration in raising public awareness and promoting greater exchanges between the peoples of the two nations.
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| The signing marks The World & Vietnam Report’s first media partnership in South Asia. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
The signing of the MoU came shortly after the state visit to Vietnam by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (May 4–6) and the working visit to Sri Lanka by a delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (June 2–3), underscoring the determination of The World & Vietnam Report and The Colombo Times to elevate media cooperation between the two countries. This milestone sets the stage for future collaboration in areas such as news exchange, professional training, and the joint organization of thematic workshops and seminars.
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| Dr. Rizvie Salih, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lankan (center), emphasized that the MoU would enhance cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchange between the two countries. (Photo: Saleem) |
Congratulating both media outlets on the successful signing, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang described the event as a concrete step toward realizing the commitments made by high-level leaders of Vietnam and Sri Lanka. She noted that the MoU comes at a timely moment, as media agencies worldwide are seeking to expand international cooperation to deliver accurate and diverse information to the public.
The agreement is expected to yield mutual benefits and establish a strong foundation for sustained information exchange. The Deputy Minister expressed confidence in the potential of the two agencies to contribute to strengthening bilateral ties and promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond.
Joining from Colombo, Deputy Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament Rizvie Salih highly valued the comprehensive and longstanding friendship between Vietnam and Sri Lanka since the establishment of diplomatic relations 55 years ago. He also commended the Vietnamese Embassy in Colombo for its dynamic and effective role in fostering bilateral cooperation. The MoU, he noted, would contribute to deeper engagement in journalism, cultural exchange, and people-to-people diplomacy, in keeping with the tradition of mutual support and solidarity between the two nations.
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| Vice Chairman Nguyen Manh Tien affirmes that partnerships with foreign media outlets should be further expanded in the future. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
In an interview with The World & Vietnam Report, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for National Defense, Security and Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Tien emphasized that the cooperation between the two media outlets serves as an important communication channel to strengthen Vietnam-Sri Lanka relations and promote shared messages of peace and sustainable development. He expressed hope that the MoU would soon be translated into concrete and practical initiatives, describing it as a meaningful step that should be expanded through similar partnerships with other international media organizations.
The signing of the MoU between The World & Vietnam Report and The Colombo Times not only reflects a forward-looking commitment to strengthening Vietnam–Sri Lanka relations, but also underscores the proactive engagement of the official press agency under the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs with international partners, particularly in the fields of journalism and communication.
In recent years, The World & Vietnam Report has made international media cooperation a strategic priority. In 2023, it signed a MoU with The Korea Times, a leading English-language daily in The Republic of Korea, followed by an agreement with Greece’s Zougla newspaper. The editorial board has also engaged in discussions on potential collaboration with various international media outlets, including Prensa Latina (Cuba), Guangxi Daily (China), PTI (India), Nikkei Asia (Japan), The Washington Times (USA), and CNA (Taiwan, China), among others.
The Colombo Times is an English-language online newspaper based in Sri Lanka, providing comprehensive coverage of domestic and international politics, economy, culture, and sports. With a network of reporters and contributors operating both inside and outside Sri Lanka, the outlet is known for its fast, objective, and multi-platform news delivery, attracting a wide readership at home and among the global Sri Lankan diaspora. |
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