Uong Chu Luu, former Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, and Chairman of the Vietnam Peace Committee had a meeting with press agencies prior to the 22nd Assembly of the WPC, which is held in Vietnam on November 21-26.

What is the relationship and role of the WPC to Vietnam's peace movement? How has the Vietnam Peace Committee contributed to the global peace movement?

WPC and Vietnam have a special historical relationship. In 1949, Vietnam sent an 11-member delegation to Congress to establish the WPC. Foreseeing WPC's important role and the need to connect Vietnam with the council, President Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party directed the establishment of Vietnam's Committee for the Protection of World Peace (now the Vietnam Peace Committee).

Over the past 7 decades, the WPC has always given Vietnam good companionship, significant international solidarity, and strong support for the cause of national liberation, reunification and in the present day renovation, construction, protection, and development.

Uong Chu Luu, former Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, Chairman of the Vietnam Peace Committee. (Photo: Truong Hung)

The WPC's support and solidarity for Vietnam can be clearly seen through a number of important milestones.

In 1950, Vietnam sent a delegation to attend its 2nd assembly in Warsaw (Poland). For the first time, the Council issued a call to support the Vietnamese people's resistance against the French colonialists.

After that call, peace activities in support of Vietnam took place in many countries, including France, such as the French anti-war soldier - Raymonde Dien, who lay on the tracks to stop the train carrying weapons to Vietnam.

The pro-Vietnam views and brave actions of the peace fighters upset the French government, leading to their decision to expel the WPC's Executive Committee from France.

2021 World Peace Council Assembly in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

In the 1960s when the US military intervened in Vietnam, the WPC under the leadership of president Romesh Chandra considered uniting to support Vietnam as one of its priorities. With WPC's call, the world peace movement took place in most countries with thousands of rallies, marches, and political and cultural activities, raising funds to unite and support Vietnam. In Vietnam, many documents, leaflets, and posters protesting the American war in Vietnam were circulated.

During Vietnam's Doi Moi (Renewal) process, WPC stood side by side with Vietnam. In 2010, the Council issued a resolution to designate August 10 as "Vietnam Agent Orange Day." It also holds activities to call on the people worldwide to support Vietnam's issues of national interest such as the South China Sea issue, democracy, human rights, and bomb and mine recovery.

The WPC can be said to be the leading organization of peace movements in the world. It gathers progressive and democratic forces to ensure its goals of fighting for peace, not only for Vietnam but also for all countries.

For Vietnam, the Vietnam Peace Committee is a founding member of the World Peace Council. Since then, Vietnam has always demonstrated this founding position and role, and actively and proactively participated in the Council's activities.

WPC Executive Committee Meeting in Vietnam in 2018.

Vietnam has fully participated in WPC's congresses and meetings of the Executive Committee in the region and in WPC's member states.

Besides actively participating in WPC's forum against atomic bombs, Vietnam holds activities to support the peace movement launched by the Council. Nowadays, peace is not only the absence of war but also means development, ensuring human rights, and protecting the environment. Vietnam has organized and participated in conferences, and workshops to respond to the view. For example, Vietnam sends delegates to the Pugwash Conference - which specializes in researching and discussing topics related to global development such as science and technology, and environmental issues.

Why did the World Peace Council and its member organizations choose Vietnam to hold the 22nd Congress? What does this mean for the Vietnam Peace Council in particular and Vietnam in general?

First, it can be said that Vietnam and the WPC have enjoyed a sound relationship since Vietnam joined the group of the council's founding. Vietnam's role in world peace activities is widely recognized by international friends and members of the council.

Second, Vietnam is a country of peace, stability, integration, and development. The Vietnamese people have a rich tradition of patriotism, peace-loving, friendliness, hospitality, loyalty, and gratitude.

Third, during the 35-year of Doi Moi, Vietnam has achieved remarkable and comprehensive accomplishments, being among the few countries that have well controlled the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past two years, although many countries fell into crisis and recession, Vietnam's socio-economic situation has still obtained positive outcomes.

Fourth, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) and the Vietnam Peace Committee (VPC) have the capability and experience in organizing major events of multilateral people-to-people diplomacy, including the WPC’s Executive Committee meeting.

These four reasons above gained international friends' trust to choose Vietnam to host the 22nd Assembly. This is a responsibility and a great honor for the VUFO and the VPC. It also provides us with an opportunity to introduce our history, traditions of struggling for peace and preserving the country's independence and freedom, and the achievements of Vietnam's renewal.

What message does Vietnam hope to convey to international friends through the assembly?

To international friends and members of the World Peace Council, we want to send a message about the image of Vietnam and its people in the past and in the current renovating era.

Through the assembly, Vietnam reaffirms its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, multilateralization, and diversification. Vietnam wants to make friends with all countries and partners on the basis of non-interference in internal affairs, respect for independence and self-reliance as well as showing its role as an active member in the international community.

The assembly also demonstrates VPC's contribution to the world peace movement and the WPC’s activities. International friends, especially WPC's member organizations, are interested in acknowledging Vietnam's achievements and lessons on the road toward socialism.

Another message Vietnam wants to convey is its gratitude to international friends for more than seven decades, including the WPC and its member organizations. Over the past century, international friends have always stood shoulder to shoulder, supporting and united with the Vietnamese people in the cause of national liberation and reunification and in the current process of the country's renovation, construction, protection, and development.

For the Vietnamese people, organizing the 22nd Assembly of the WPC is an opportunity to raise their awareness of all classes of people, especially the young generation, about the role and value of peace in Vietnam's nation building and defense. International solidarity and support are among the important factors for the victory of the Vietnamese revolution, especially in the former resistance wars and in the current renovation era.

We also want to convey a message: “Peace is everyone's business”, as said by scientist Frédéric Joliot-Curie - the first President of the World Peace Council.

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