Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass. (Photo: Xuan Son)

The 70th Anniversary of the Signing of the Geneva Accord on the Cessation of Hostilities in Vietnam (July 21, 1954 - July 21, 2024) organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi on April 25 attracted a large participation of ambassadors, representatives of embassies, international organizations, experts, and historical researchers in Hanoi.

On the sidelines of the event, the Ambassadors talked with The World & Vietnam Report about their thoughts on the meaning and value of the Geneva Agreement to the current global context.

The power of Vietnamese diplomacy

Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass expressed his honor, happiness, and pride that his country hosted the Geneva Conference, during which intense negotiations were carried out to achieve the historical moment: the signing of the 1954 Geneva Accord to end hostilities in Indochina.

According to Ambassador Thomas Gass, the Geneva Conference and the signing of the Geneva Accord were a significant event at that time and to this day.

"In the current context of a world that is both polarized and connected, the Geneva Conference 70 years ago reminds us of the importance of solidarity, the spirit of peace, and the use of negotiations," said the Swiss Ambassador.

Regarding Vietnam's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son statement that the Geneva Accord and the Geneva Conference laid the foundation for Vietnam's bamboo diplomacy, Ambassador Thomas Gass said that Vietnamese diplomacy has incredible strength. Vietnam knows how to exploit that advantage to connect countries with different perspectives and strategies. This is similar to Switzerland. Two countries always strive to bring international friends closer together and create a forum for the parties to dialogue for peace.

Referring to Vietnam's "illustrious in five continents, shaking the earth," Dien Bien Phu victory, Ambassador Thomas Gass hopes to visit this historic city soon.

South African Ambassador to Vietnam Vuyiswa Tulelo. (Photo: Xuan Son)

An example of independent spirit and strong will

In his speech at the 70th Anniversary of the Signing of the Geneva Accord held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said: "The Geneva Accord is a victory of epochal significance. It is not only a victory for the people of Vietnam and the Indochina countries but also a joint victory for oppressed peoples. The agreement, along with the Dien Bien Phu victory, strongly encouraged colonized peoples and peace-loving people around the world to firmly believe in righteousness, morality, and justice, and stand up and fight to overthrow colonialism worldwide."

Agreeing with the viewpoint, diplomats from African and Latin American countries expressed admiration for Vietnam's victory with the Geneva Agreement.

South African Ambassador to Vietnam Vuyiswa Tulelo said that the Geneva Agreement showed the world that where there is a will, there is a way. According to Ambassador Vuyiswa Tulelo, while Vietnamese people stood up to fight for national independence, they showed the world that as long as we have solidarity and determination, everything is possible. That lesson remains valuable to this day.

Admiring the exhibition space with valuable historical documents about the Geneva Conference and the Geneva Accord, Ambassador Vuyiswa Tulelo recalled her country's history. According to the diplomat, the anniversary reminds us of the importance of documenting history so that the younger generations better understand and love their homeland and the present peace, which was fought for by our ancestors' immense sacrifice and dedication.

Mexican Ambassador to Vietnam Alejandro Negrin Munoz. (Photo: Xuan Son)

Mexican Ambassador to Vietnam Alejandro Negrin Munoz expressed his love for the country and Vietnam's heroic history. He said that the Geneva Accord is a symbol of the spirit of national independence, a historical moment to which Latin American people and peace-loving people in the world, in general, were looking forward.

"As Mexican Ambassador to Vietnam, I see today's event as the reservation for a special historical moment. I learned many admirable stories about the negotiation at the Geneva Conference, which has a lot of meaning to a diplomat," said Ambassador Alejandro Negrin Munoz.

According to the Ambassador, it is the similarities in the spirit of solidarity and the fight against oppression to win national independence that connects Vietnam and Mexico. They are also a solid basis for the bilateral relations between the two countries to increasingly develop in all aspects.

Peace, cooperation, and development are said to be the common aspirations and interests of progressive countries, peoples, and humanity worldwide. Therefore, the meanings and valuable lessons left by the Geneva Accord on promoting the pioneering role of foreign affairs, using dialogue and peaceful negotiations to resolve disagreements and conflicts in international relations still retain their value in the present context.

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