Many Effective Activities Boost Provincial People-to-People Diplomacy

Coordinating with agencies and units receiving programs, projects, and non-project aid reaching over USD 10 million; organizing a Korean speaking contest; welcoming working groups and overseas Vietnamese to offer incense at Hung Temple; and launching a website on people-to-people diplomacy; those are outstanding and practical activities of the Union of Friendship Organizations of Phu Tho province in the 2018 - 2023 term.

According to the report of Phu Tho Friendship Union, during the past term, people-to-people diplomatic work was focused on by the province, shown through impressive operational results.

From 2018 to 2023, Phu Tho Friendship Union has commented on the extension, amendment, supplementation of operation registration certificates, and new issuance of operation registration certificates of 46 foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs); and coordinated with the Department of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies and units to receive programs, projects, and non-project aid reaching over USD 10 million.

The Provincial Friendship Union also strengthens connections and maintains relationships with NGOs that have been operating in the province; and participates in providing foreign non-governmental information in the province for the period 2021-2025.

About 300 delegates, who are government officials and representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations in Vietnam, a friendship spring tour in the locality in 2019.

Regarding foreign non-governmental aid mobilization activities, Phu Tho Friendship Union has directly mobilized and signed an agreement to implement the project "Supporting the educational environment" for 5 years with a total value of USD 450,000 organized by the Korea Food for the Hungry International (KFHI) organization of the Republic of Korea (RoK) in Thanh Thuy and Thanh Son districts.

Medical supplies aid including 1,000 protective suits and 20,000 N95 medical masks worth USD 16,400 were presented to the province by Latter-day Saint Charities (LDSC) to support local hospitals field camps, and medical facilities.

The Friendship Union also supported the volunteer medical team of Children of Peace International - COPI (USA) to carry out general medical examinations, dental and free medicine program for 470 students of Dai Nghia Primary School and Cao Xa Primary School; along with Center for orphan and disabled children in Viet Tri and Phu Ninh districts; and presented the local Health Department with 1,150 bottles of supplements to support improving physical condition and resistance for children under 16 years old infected with Covid-19 with a total value of nearly VND 42 million (USD 1.710).

According to the representative of Phu Tho Friendship Union, these projects focus on supporting people in rural and mountainous areas, especially women and children in difficult circumstances; capacity building for community livelihood development and community integration for people with disabilities; building infrastructure for education, health care, and child care; developing sustainable agriculture and livelihoods; as well as preschool education.

The projects have provided financial support, gradually improving the quality of life for people in remote and disadvantaged areas, and contributing to the overall socio-economic development of Phu Tho province.

KFHI presents learning equipment to student beneficiaries of the children's development project in Thanh Thuy district. Photo: Phu Tho newspaper

During the 2018 - 2023 term, Phu Tho Union also actively participates and proactively coordinates with the Department of Foreign Affairs and a number of related agencies to organize the reception of many international delegations to visit, work, and have friendly exchanges. conference in the province. Which, more than 300 delegates from diplomatic missions, international organizations, and foreign NGOs attended the 2019 Friendship Spring Program; and a representative group of overseas Vietnamese returned on the annual Hung King death anniversary organized by the Provincial People's Committee.

For foreign information work, in addition to the four issues of People's Friendship Bulletin each year, since 2019, Phu Tho Friendship Union has launched the information page to promptly post news regarding activities inside and outside the province, contributing to promoting information and foreign affairs activities in general and people-to-people diplomatic activities in particular.

In a series of activities celebrating the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the RoK, Phu Tho Friendship Union successfully organized the two editions of the 2021 and 2022 Korean Speaking Contests; opened a Korean communication skills training class for local officials; organized exchanges to share experiences in people-to-people diplomatic activities.

With outstanding achievements in people-to-people diplomacy activities, Phu Tho Friendship Union was awarded the Emulation Flag in 2021 by the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) as well as a Certificate of Merit in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022.

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