On April 19, the leader of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations chaired a conference at the central bridge point to connect with 52 bridge points at localities. More than 500 delegates attended and dozens of presentations were delivered on 6 key issues in many areas of work, mechanisms, and policies.

Online meeting of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and 52 Unions of Friendship Organizations in provinces/cities (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

At the conference, local Unions were informed about the results and plans to implement key work in 2024; solutions to strengthen the organizational structure, and improve the staff quality and operational efficiency of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations system.

Representatives of local Union leaders highly appreciated the organization of the online conference. They consider this a timely information channel on orientations for implementing people-to-people diplomacy tasks to localities, creating unity in the system. The conference is also a forum for local unions to inform the leaders of the central Union about the practical situation in their localities. Delegates exchanged opinions on 6 topics: the name of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations system; charter, work orientation, coordination throughout the system and between the system and its partners; training of officials; emulation and reward work; coordination between the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and other Vietnamese ministries, departments, and agencies; institutionalization of the Party's documents and regulations.

Vibrant, comprehensive, and diverse opinions from localities

Luong Ngoc Binh, Chairman of the Union of Friendship Organizations of Quang Binh province, spoke at the Quang Binh bridge. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Nguyen Ngoc Binh, President of the Da Nang City Union of Friendship Organizations, proposed that VUFO leaders recommend to the Prime Minister and discuss with ministries, departments, and localities to soon institutionalize Decision No. 118- Decision/TW dated August 22, 2023, of the Secretariat promulgating the Regulations on organization and operation of mass associations assigned tasks by the Party and State at the Central level.

Tran Thi Kim Van, President of the Binh Duong Province Union of Friendship Organizations, said that it is necessary to unify and synchronize the organizational model, apparatus, name, and identity of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations. She said is necessary to soon come up with a unified reporting form and regulations on the emulation and reward work.

Do Viet Ha, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organizations, raised the need for consistency between the Charter (amended) of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and the charters of the Unions of Friendship Organizations at the local level. He emphasized the need to ensure benefits for full-time officials of the local Unions. He suggested considering establishing emulation groups and working groups according to the nature, scale, and model of the local Unions; and bringing events and activities to the localities.

Nguyen Thanh Tri, President of the Dong Nai Province Union of Friendship Organizations proposed that VUFO sign cooperation agreements with relevant ministries and departments to facilitate local Unions to operate more smoothly. Central Friendship Associations should provide guidance, direction, and support for local Friendship Associations, he suggested.

Le Xuan Hai, President of the Dong Thap Province Union of Friendship Organizations, spoke from the Dong Thap bridge point. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Le Xuan Hai, President of the Dong Thap Province Union of Friendship Organizations, said that to ensure the success of the policy of unifying the operating apparatus of the Central and Local Unions, it is necessary to unify the number of staff and organizational structures in the local Unions. The Central Union needs to work with relevant ministries and central departments to propose staff allocation to provinces and cities. In addition, he proposed the Central Union coordinate with schools and academies to provide long-term training for local Union officials; and research to establish foreign non-governmental working groups/ committees in the localities.

Close, unified, organized coordination

At the conference, Phan Anh Son, President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, responded to the opinions of local unions' leaders.

Phan Anh Son, President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations delivered a speech. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Regarding Charter amendment, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations will collect opinions from 52 local Unions and submit them to the 7th National Congress of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations.

In terms of training, it is expected that in 2024, VUFO will organize two training sessions targeting leaders of local unions and officials in charge of/ specialized in people-to-people diplomacy in localities. The training programs will clearly reflect professional activities in the Union system.

For emulation and reward work, the Standing Agency has currently completed a draft of emulation and reward regulations (amended), which covers content of emulation clusters division in working and emulation in many topics.

Additionally, they discussed a proposal to sign working coordination agreements. Phan Anh Son said that VUFO will promote signing agreements with foreign partners. With Vietnamese ministries, departments, and agencies, VUFO will increase holding meetings, information exchange, and information provision, and invite them to participate in meeting mechanisms. VUFO encourages localities to actively coordinate with departments and sectors, thereby increasing their prestige.

In regards to institutionalizing Party's documents and regulations, Decision 118-QD/TW dated August 22, 2023, of the Secretariat has come into effect. According to the direction of the Permanent Member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee's Secretariat at the meeting on January 10, 2024, from now to June 30, the Ministry of Home Affairs will submit for promulgation of a decree to amend Decree 45/2010/ND-CP. The Central Commission for Mass Mobilization will announce specific instructions on that basis.

When discussing information about work orientation, from 2024, the Central Union will adjust and send work orientation in early July to serve the local unions' work. In addition to the general orientation, some detailed orientations for specific areas, regions, and countries will be stated. The Central Union will also continue to bring the activities of member organizations at the Central level down to the localities.

According to Phan Anh Son, it is expected that in July 2024, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations will organize a National Conference on People-to-people Diploamcy in Hanoi. This conference is expected to create favorable conditions for mechanisms and policies for provinces/ cities to provide better support and conditions for the 52 local Unions.

In addition, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations' Party Committee will continue to work with the Standing Committees of the provinces/ cities, the Party's Designated Representation of the People's Committees of the provinces/ cities in different forms to increase the effectiveness of proposals from local Unions.

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