Ambassadors and Chargé d'affaires to Vietnam of the G4 countries, namely New Zealand, Canada, Norway and Switzerland, recently spent a day with great members of Maison Chance, joining their daily activities, discovering their great talent and sharing their stories, and hopes for the New Year.

They visit Village Chance - a complex of schools and apartments for the disabled, poor and orphaned children, in Ho Chi Minh City ahead of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, VNA reported.

Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Steil passes the ball during a special match between the representatives of the four G4 countries. Photo taken from the video clip

They played sports with disabled children and conveyed New Year wishes which were recorded in a video clip lasting over three minutes.

Founded in 1993, Village Chance is part of Maison Chance project invested by Maison Chance whose founder is Tim Aline Rebeaud, a Swiss woman dedicated to the disabled and the poor in Vietnam, and the HCM City Sponsoring Association for Poor Patients. It has supported hundreds of the less fortunate in Vietnam since its establishment.

New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Trendene Dobson called for mitigating barriers to the handicapped in their daily lives, adding that an inclusive society is the one that recognises and respects all individuals, including those with disabilities, as equal partners.

Undertaking his mission in Vietnam in May 2022, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Steil expressed his support for an inclusive education in Vietnam which enables everyone to make the most of their potential.

In the video clip, Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Hilde Solbakken was seen to draw cat and décor paintings for Tet. She said sustainable employment is key to ending poverty and ensuring social integration. She wished that everyone would have a chance to integrate into and proudly join labour force this year, toward achieving a prosperous and inclusive society.

Stressing that solidarity brings about a stronger and richer society, Swiss Chargé d'affaires to Vietnam thanked Maison Chance for creating a shelter for those in need and inviting all to act in unity together.

Last year, the G4 ambassadors had spent a day making cookies with the women of Vietnam’s Hope Box, a shelter for victims of gender-based violence and sharing their stories of hope for the New Year. Through the activity, the diplomats hoped to contribute to raising public awareness about gender equality in Vietnam.

Homeland Spring Warms Hearts of Overseas Vietnamese Vietnamese communities abroad always turn their hearts to the homeland.

[Photos] Foreign Ambassadors Experience Vietnamese Tet The traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, imbued with Vietnamese identity, has left an indelible mark on the hearts of foreign diplomats in Vietnam.

Vietnamese in Australia Disappointed by the Absence of Cats During Tet Popular tourist attractions of the Sydney Lunar New Year celebration only mention the rabbit and not the cat. This makes the people of Vietnamese origin ...