Left photo: President Nguyen Phuong Nga speaks at the 22nd World Peace Council Assembly, 2022. Right photo: Opening of the 22nd World Peace Council Assembly, 2022.

Stick to the resolution, go beyond the old thinking, the familiar fields

What lessons have you learned from your work experience in people-to-people diplomacy in the past half term?

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga: From the experiences, we draw some lessons as follows:

First, all strategies, plans, and implementation of people-to-people diplomacy activities need to be thoroughly grasped, and closely adhered to the foreign policy, and guidelines in the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress, guiding documents of the Party and State.

On that basis, Vietnam needs to be proactive, flexible, and creative to "go beyond old thinking, familiar fields to think and act beyond the national level, reaching the regional, and international level".

Second, it is important to have close coordination between people-to-people diplomacy, Party, and State diplomacy in information sharing, and policy formulation, implementation of foreign affairs, and building force, between forces engaged in people-to-people diplomacy, and cohesion between central, and local governments.

Third, it is necessary to strengthen and expand the network of partners, mobilize, and build resources both domestically and internationally.

While strengthening the network of partners who are people's organizations, and partners, it is necessary to expand partnerships with agencies and organizations, from non-governmental organizations, social organizations, research institutes, parties, scholars, politicians, businesses, and individuals wishing to build friendly relations with Vietnam.

Fourth, it is necessary to build a standing agency with a strict and professional organization, a team of staff with expertise and foreign languages. They need to be dynamic, creative, enthusiastic, can take on many tasks, and actively apply information technology.

Activities serving the cause of development

In order to overcome challenges and seize opportunities, which key contents and solutions will the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations focus on to promote the successful implementation of the goals and tasks of the entire term?

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga:

In the coming time, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations will continue to thoroughly grasp the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress, Directive No. 12, the policies, and guidelines of the Party and the State on foreign affairs, and people-to-people diplomacy.

The Union creates profound awareness about the role, position, importance, and tasks of people-to-people diplomacy in the new situation.

We will develop and implement substantive, in-depth programs, and action plans, suitable to the characteristics of each organization, and each locality, to improve the effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy, and realize the country's socio-cultural-economic development goals.

It is expected that the second National Conference on People's Foreign Affairs of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations will be organized. The conference aims to update information, thoroughly grasp the Party's guidelines, and develop plans and orientations for the Union's activities in the coming time.

Secondly, it is necessary to continue to improve the quality, and efficiency of peace, solidarity, friendship, and development cooperation, consolidate and expand the network of international friends, and strengthen friendly relations with countries, especially neighboring countries like Laos, Cambodia, China, ASEAN countries and strategic partners, comprehensive, and traditional friends.

The Union focuses on linking the activities of the Union, and its member organizations at the central level, with local member organizations, creating unity, and increasing efficiency.

We need to focus on applying information technology, connecting with international friends, and mobilizing the participation of people, intellectuals, and businesses, especially young people, to increase attractiveness, diversify, enrich activities, and strengthen forces for people-to-people diplomacy.

The Queen of Belgium visits students in Sa Pa. Photo: UNICEF Viet Nam

It is necessary to strengthen the role of Vietnamese people's organizations in regional, and international multilateral people's forums.

The Union researches and proposes to build cooperation initiatives on issues of common interest and concern, such as peace and security, response to traditional and non-traditional security threats, development sustainability, the role of international law.

Third, we actively implement Directive 15-CT/TW dated August 10, 2022, of the Secretariat on economic diplomacy for the development of the country until 2030.

While strengthening the management, and improving the quality and practical effectiveness of programs and projects, it is necessary to continue to innovate the approach in advocacy, diversify partners, and expand relationships with foreign NGOs and potential partners.

The Union strives to solve problems to support foreign and local NGOs to successfully implement projects. The project aims at mobilizing financial resources, technology, and management experience for hunger eradication, and poverty reduction, solving social and humanitarian issues, thereby conveying objective information about Vietnam to the world, and enlisting support for Vietnam.

People-to-people diplomacy is identified as one of the three pillars of comprehensive and modern diplomacy.

Video: People's Army Newspaper

Fourthly, the Union implements Directive No. 25/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister on Vietnam's foreign cultural strategy in the whole system.

It is necessary to diversify and renew forms of foreign information publications, increase the use of information technology and social networks, to have rich, vivid, and attractive information about the country, people, culture, and development potential of Vietnam.

The Union enlists the support of international friends, refuting false, and hostile claims against Vietnam, especially issues related to ethnicity, religion, and human rights, and sovereignty over sea and islands.

The Union also strengthens basic research work, especially on trends, bringing together the world's people, promoting its role as a channel with multi-dimensional and objective information, contributing to forecasting the situation, and proposing bilateral, multilateral foreign policy and measures.

VUFO implements Conclusion No. 12-KL/TW of the Politburo on overseas Vietnamese work in the new situation, coordinates with functional agencies to create favorable conditions, and supports overseas Vietnamese to stabilize their lives and integrate with life in the host country.

We mobilize overseas Vietnamese toward their homeland through people-to-people diplomacy activities.

The Indonesian Embassy in Vietnam and the Vietnam-Indonesia Friendship Association organized the program "Experience and introduce traditional Indonesian Batik" on May 31, 2023, in Hanoi. Photo: Mai Anh, Hanh Tran

Fifth, the Union promotes and coordinates with agencies to perfect the system of mechanisms, and policies to create favorable conditions for consolidating and developing a strong, sustainable, and effective friendship union system.

It is necessary to promote the initiative and flexibility to improve the quality of activities of member organizations, and the capacity of the staff.

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