(VNF) - An information sharing meeting on ASEAN and Vietnamese NGOs’ participation in the ASEAN People’s Forum (APF) was held on April 20^th 2016 in Ho Chi Minh City, organized by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), member of the Vietnamese National Coordinating Committee for APF-2016.

Present were representatives of Vietnamese people organizations, NGOs, community-based organizations (CBOs) and social networks from Vietnam’s Southern provinces and cities working in such fields as women’s rights, children’s rights, climate change, natural resources, the environment, immigrants, and water resources.

The session provided participants with general information about the ASEAN Community, and the role of Vietnamese people organizations and NGOs in building a people-oriented community of solidarity, cooperation and development.

The event is part of Vietnamese NGOs’ preparation for the APF2016, scheduled for August 2^nd – 5^th 2016 in Dili, Timor Leste. A similar meeting reserved for organizations from Northern provinces and cities was held by VUFO on March 28^th 2016 in Hanoi./.

VNF