An annual concert to raise funds for Vietnamese students was organized by the Companion Fund on May 21st in Paris, France with the participation of Vietnamese and French pianists.

Sponsored by the Vietnamese Embassy in France, the event was held on the initiative and confidential participation of Mr. Can Van Kiet and his son Can Vu Ngoc. They are both members of the Executive Board of the Overseas Vietnamese Association in France (UGVF).

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Counselor Nguyen Thi Bich Hue appreciated overseas Vietnamese students’ movements of the Companion Fund in France.

On this occasion, Prof. Odon Vallet from University of Paris-Sorbonne stressed the importance of the educational investment in Vietnam and praised the contributions of the Companion Fund in this field.

At the concert, Mr. Pham Thanh Trung, head of the Companion Fund, said that the purpose of the fund is to support scholarships for students in difficult circumstance in 15 universities in Vietnam, such as Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city Universities of Sciences and four Universities in Da Nang, Vinh, Da Lat and Can Tho.

All proceeds will be funded as scholarships for Vietnamese students with VND3 million per scholarship.

In the academic year of 2013-2014, 284 scholarships were awarded to students in difficult circumstance but willing to work and study hard to improve their life.

The Companion Fund was established in 2001 by six Vietnamese students in France. After 14 years of operation, more than 2,600 scholarships with worth of over VND5.7 billion in total have been awarded to students in 15 universities across the country./.

( VNF )