Continuing to Innovate Thinking and Approaches, Effectively Implementing People-to-People Diplomacy
	VUFO and WLP Continue to Cooperate to Support Agent Orange Victims

On June 30, 2024, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations in coordination with Korean partners and friends organized a meeting between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Korean friends who have made significant contributions to Vietnam - Republic of Korea relations.

Forging a Strong Foundation for Success

On October 25, 2017, the 12th Central Committee issued Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW on certain issues regarding the continued reform and reorganization of the political system's organizational structure toward streamlined, efficient, and effective operations, of which the key guideline is “Ensuring comprehensiveness, synchronization, and connectivity” and “The model and scale of the organizational structure must be consistent with the nature, characteristics, functions, and tasks of each agency, unit, and locality”. Regarding people-to-people foreign affairs, on January 5, 2022, the Central Secretariat of the Party issued Directive No. 12-CT/TW on strengthening the Party's leadership, improving the effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy in the new situation. The directive emphasizes one of the important tasks: “Pay attention to innovating, reorganizing, and refining the organization, apparatus, and staffing for people-to-people foreign affairs from the Central to local levels in a streamlined and effective manner”.

Thoroughly grasping the Party's guiding documents and understanding the importance of the entire system's strength, in recent years, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations has paid attention to the construction of the organizational system of the Standing Agency, member organizations at the Central level and the proUnions and city-level Unions of Friendship Organizations. In particular, in 2024, the Resolution of the 9th Presidium Conference of the 6th term set out key focuses, one of which is "Consolidate the organizational system from the Central to local levels; continuing to arrange and refine the organizational apparatus of the Standing Agency".

To implement the Presidium's Resolution, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations has focused on implementing several new directions. One significant long-term goal is to standardize terms, names, identity sets, and document templates across the system. Consequently, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations's Party Union has proposed rescheduling the 7th National Congress to 2025 to be aligned with the Party Congresses at all levels. The adjustment aims to unify the timing of congresses for all provincial and municipal friendship organizations nationwide, facilitating the development of term-specific orientations and goals that align with the Party's policies and directions. Additionally, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations has created a unified identity set and document templates for system-wide use.

Regarding member organizations at the Central level, for the first time, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations proactively reviewed and evaluated the current status of operations of all member organizations. According to the review result, the majority of member organizations effectively operate, positively contributing to the joint successes of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations. Some organizations, though have rich traditions and have fulfilled their historical missions, have either ceased operations or have not contributed for a long period. On that basis, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations proactively discussed with relevant departments, ministries and branches (Central Committee's Commission for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs) and proposed to the Central Secretariat of the Party to allow the termination of operations of 07 member organizations at the Central level.

Regarding the Standing Agency, right from the beginning of the year, especially after the Central Committee's instructions on the Summary of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW on certain issues regarding the continued reform and reorganization of the political system's organizational structure toward streamlined, efficient, and effective operations, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations has proactively reviewed and evaluated the organization and apparatus, thereby deciding to merge and terminate the operations of several committees and units to increase effectiveness and efficiency and improve the quality of operations.

Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations receives and works with international religious organizations.

Innovation in Mindset, Approach, Content, and Methods of Operations

"Innovation" is likely the most frequently mentioned word in the directives of the President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations in 2024. The spirit of innovation is incorporated in every activity and field of work within the Union. This includes innovation in thinking, in the orientation of the entire system's activities, in building a network of partners, and in approaching new issues.

In 2024, for the first time, the Party Union and the Leadership of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations organized work across the entire system. This included meetings with the collective leadership of member organizations at the Central level in four regions, online meetings with all cadres, civil servants, public employees, and workers of the 52 Unions of Friendship Organizations in provinces and cities, and working with all departments and units under the Standing Agency. The aim was to inform and orient the key tasks for 2024, listen, discuss, and resolve difficulties. This approach not only helps to spread the orientations and major focuses of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations to all member organizations and each individual civil servant and staff in the system, but also serves as an effective and direct two-way communication channel. Additionally, it strengthens the trust of member organizations in the mission and role of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations system.

In consolidating and expanding its network of partners, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations has reviewed and evaluated its partner systems, built a comprehensive database, and promoted connections. It has established relationships with new partners in various fields, such as research, education, culture, technology, investment, and business, to share information and introduce Vietnam's situation, policies, and guidelines. Numerous effective coordination activities have also been implemented.

Another significant innovation is the approach to new issues. Closely following the major policies and orientations of the Party and State, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations has proactively diversified and expanded its operational fields. The Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations has increased the participation of all social classes in people-to-people diplomacy and promoted connections with domestic and foreign partners, including government agencies, parliaments of other countries, research institutes, and enterprises. These efforts have resulted in more practical contributions to national construction and defense.

One of the typical examples of innovation in approach is that for the first time, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations proactively advised and proposed to send a delegation led by the President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations to visit the United States to attend the International Conference on Religion and Rule of Law as well as work with agencies in charge of drafting human rights reports of the United States; chaired and coordinated the reception of a delegation of international Protestant pastors and a delegation of international volunteers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to visit Vietnam to provide authentic information on the implementation of the promotion and protection of human rights and freedom of religion in Vietnam, as well as "sowing new seeds of friendship and cooperation" in Vietnam-US relations.

Leaders of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations held an online conference with 52 local Unions of Friendship Organizations, April 2024.

New Guidelines to Accompany the Country into the Era of Nation's Rise

The global and regional landscape is experiencing rapid, complex, and unpredictable changes, marked by increasingly tense competition between major countries, and the swift advancement of science and technology, particularly in big data, artificial intelligence, and semiconductor technology. Additionally, non-traditional security issues, such as natural disasters and epidemics, present both challenges and opportunities for Vietnam to actively engage in addressing global problems. To meet the demands of this evolving context, the expectations of Party and State leaders, and its own need for innovation and development, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations will focus on the following priorities in 2025, alongside its existing orientations and key focus:

First, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and its member organizations will continue to thoroughly grasp and effectively implement the foreign policy set by the 13th National Congress; closely coordinate with the Party's foreign affairs and State diplomacy, making practical and effective contributions to the successful implementation of the country's strategic goals, especially the two 100-year goals identified in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. "By 2030, the immediate goal is to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Party's founding and achieve the status of a modern industrialized country with a high average income. By 2045, marking the 100th anniversary of the country's founding, the aim is to become a developed socialist country with high income".

Second, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and its member organizations will enhance the quality of situation monitoring, research, and consultation, with a particular focus on complex, sensitive areas, partners, and issues in people-to-people foreign affairs. In a volatile, complex, and unpredictable world, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations' personnel specializing in people-to-people foreign affairs must closely monitor the global and regional situation. They need to identify major trends and movements in the world, particularly among the world's people, to provide appropriate policy recommendations and countermeasures that align with the Party's guidelines and policies, as well as Vietnam’s goals.

Third, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and its member organizations will further strengthen the work of building forces, consolidating the organizational structure, standardizing regulations and procedures, enhancing coordination within and outside the system, and training a team of cadres specialized in people-to-people foreign affairs. Embracing President Ho Chi Minh's teaching on "pay more attention to the training of diplomatic and foreign affairs cadres in terms of qualifications, capacity, and political will, especially political will," the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations needs to develop a team specializing in people-to-people foreign affairs with strong political will, professional expertise, and proficient foreign affairs skills to effectively contribute to foreign affairs, particularly people-to-people foreign affairs.

Fourth, the entire system of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations will continue to innovate in mindset, approach, content, and methods regarding the organization of foreign affairs activities, with a special focus on the effectiveness of people-to-people foreign affairs activities.

Given that "the world is in a period of epochal change, our country is standing at a new historical starting point, a new era, an era of the Vietnamese people's rise," as assessed by General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations will continue to strive, unite, and collaborate to achieve significant results, thereby making positive contributions to the cause of national construction and development.

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