Promote the role of the people-to-people diplomacy
WVR - The 13th National Party Congress marked an important moment for diplomacy in general and people-to-people diplomacy in particular.
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| Vietnam - China Friendship Association (Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations) organized the 7th National Congress for the 2023 - 2028 tenure on November 25, 2023. |
The 13th National Party Congress marked an important moment for diplomacy in general and people-to-people diplomacy in particular when for the first time our Party clearly defined the pioneering role of diplomacy in “forming and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, mobilizing external resources for national development, and enhancing the country’s position and prestige” and affirmed the “pillar” role of people-to-people diplomacy in “building a comprehensive and modern diplomacy”, along with Party diplomacy and State diplomacy.
At the 31st National Diplomatic Conference for the Implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress on December 14, 2021, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong gave the orientation for foreign affairs in the coming time as “synchronously, creatively and effectively implementing foreign affairs activities, including Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy”.
In addition, Directive No. 12-CT/TW dated January 1, 2022 of the Party Central Committee Secretariat on strengthening the Party’s leadership and improving the effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy in the new situation emphasizes that “people-to-people diplomacy is the task of the entire political system and of each cadre, party member and citizen”.
Changes in the perception of Party and State leaders regarding the role of foreign affairs, including people-to-people diplomacy, are not only an important foundation for the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) and other socio-political organizations and people’s organizations, under the guidance of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, to make more active contributions to the cause of construction, protection and development of the country but also pose increasingly high requirements for people-to-people diplomacy in the new context.
In the spirit of “proactiveness, flexiblity, creativeness and effectiveness”, immediately after the 13th National Party Congress, the VUFO, with a core role in people-to-people diplomacy, has proactively participated in conferences and seminars to disseminate and implement the foreign policy guidelines of the 13th National Party Congress. It has contributed ideas to major foreign relations strategies and orientations developed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, the National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations and other agencies and ministries. The VUFO proactively disseminated the Resolution of the 13th Natonal Party Congress and Directive No. 12-CT/TW in its entire system from central to local levels and popularised the results of the Congress to international friends and partners.
The attention and direction of the Party and State leaders, the coordination and support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, the National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations, other agencies and ministries; and the proactiveness of the VUFO have been clearly demonstrated through the effective participation of the union in high-level foreign affairs activities. Since the 13th National Party Congress, the VUFO has joined 14 high-level Party and State delegations on working visits to foreign countries. Within the framework of the visits, the Union proposed Party and State leaders meet with its partners; organized many activities for peace, friendship and people-to-people cooperation; presented Party and State’s awards to friends and partners; and signed many cooperation agreements, memoranda of understanding and letters of intent with partners.
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| A ceremony, co-organised by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association (VJFA), took place in Hanoi on September 21 evening to celebrate five decades of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan (September 21, 1973 - 2023). (Photo: vufo.org.vn) |
The VUFO efforts have been also shown in the positive outcomes of bilateral and multilateral people-to-people diplomacy activities. The connotation of “comprehensive and modern” mentioned in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress has been thoroughly grasped and effectively implemented by theUnion, especially in organizing foreign affairs activities with diverse forms and contents, from delegation exchange activities, face-to-face and online conferences and seminars, people’s friendship festivals, celebrations and letter/telegram exchanges to cultural and sport exchange activities. Its activities have also covered the fields of tourism, investment and education. The targets of people-to-people diplomacy have continued to expand, including people from all strata of society, people’s and non-governmental organizations to politicians, governmental and parliamentary agencies, scholars, businesspeople, artists, influential people and youth, etc.
On multilateral channels, in addition to traditional multilateral mechanisms such as the World Peace Council (WPC), the World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, the Eurasian People’s Assembly, the ASEAN People’s Forum (APF), and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), since 2021, the VUFO has expanded and deepened its participation in new and important mechanisms, especially those within the framework of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS); important mechanisms of the United Nations such as the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Human Rights Council and the High-level Political Forum; the Progressive International Forum; the International Peace Bureau; and the International Peace & Planet Network conference. Those changes have contributed to strengthening solidarity and friendship between the Vietnamese people and those of other countries, and protecting and promoting Vietnam’s interests, as well as to the common movements of the world’s people for peace, sustainable development, justice and social progress.
As an agency responsible for non-governmental organization (NGO) relations and aid mobilization, the VUFO has changed its approach and proactively promoted NGO aid mobilization at both central and local levels; diversified targets of aid mobilization and renewed aid mobilization forms to suit the new situation; strengthened connections between organizations and localities and implemented a number of major Aid Mobilization Programs.
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| Dr. Phan Anh Son, President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) and US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E.Knapper at the US-Vietnam Friendship Festival was held at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long in Hanoi on December 2. (Photo: vufo.org.vn) |
The union’s external information an communication work has been carried out in a variety of forms and measures, with various modern communication methods such as infographics, e-magazines, and reader access technology. This activity has focused on tapping the unique identity of people-to-people diplomacy, contributing to promotion and advertisement to domestic audiences and international community on images of Vietnam, its history, culture, people and localities; achievements of Doi Moi (renewal) process and international integration; Vietnam’s foreign policy and relations with other countries; the national sovereignty over seas and islands, and Vietnam’s position towards the East Sea issue; as well as the difficulties and challenges which the Vietnamese people are facing, thereby attaining the sympathy and support of international friends.
The quality of the VUFO’s proposals and research work has been significantly improved over the past time, demonstrated by actively contributing ideas to important orientations, strategies and policies related to foreign affairs developed by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as to documents of relevant agencies. It has given advice on the working agenda of high-level delegations on foreign trips, proving the role and position of people-to-people diplomacy in general and of the VUFO in particular.
To obtain the above positive results, in addition to the Party’s attention, direction, and leadership as the decisive factor, and the coordination and guidance of ministries, central agencies and localities as an important factor, the political determination of the VUFO leaders and the entire system from central to local levels and the close coordination within the VUFO system are the key to success.
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| The Hanoi Peace Conference, held on in Hanoi on the occasion of the 22nd Congress of the World Peace Council, November 2023. |
To promote the attained achievements and fix limitations in the quality of some people-to-people diplomacy activities, quantity and quality of partners; lack of uniformity in the activities of member organizations; as well as some shortcomings in coordination work, the VUFO has been focusing on implementing a number of major measures: (i) continuing to thoroughly grasp and actively realise the Party’s policy on foreign relations and people-to-people diplomacy; consistently implementing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification; ensuring the highest national interests on the basis of international law; (ii) building forces and consolidating the organizational apparatus and staff in charge of people-to-people diplomacy toward streamlining, efficiency, and professionalisation from central to local levels; (iii) continuously building and strengthening the partner network of people-to-people diplomacy in the direction of multilateralisation and diversification; (iv) pushing ahead with constant and stronger innovation so as not to fall behind, not to be “left behind”, and to continue to “pioneer and pave the way”, thus fulfilling the “pillar” role of “comprehensive, modern diplomacy”; and (v) further strengthening coordination with foreign affairs agencies, so that people-to-people diplomacy truly becomes an extended arm of Party diplomacy and State diplomacy, thereby creating the combined strength of Vietnam’s diplomacy.
The VUFO hopes to continue receiving the close attention and direction from Party and State leaders; the attention, coordination and guidance of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations; the support and facilitation of departments, ministries, agencies, Party committees and authorities in localities, so that the Union’s people-to-people diplomacy becomes more and more effective, making greater contributions to foreign affairs work, as well as to the cause of nation construction, protection and development.
