(VNF) - The Vietnam - Canada Friendship Association on January 17 held a meeting to review its activities in 2017 and set out the tasks for the year 2018.

Overview of the meeting (photo: Phi Yen)

Vice Minister of Health, President of the Vietnam - Canada Friendship Association, Nguyen Viet Tien; former Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada, Vice President of the Association, Nguyen Thi Hoi, attended the meeting.

According to the year-end report of the Vietnam – Canada Friendship Association, in 2017, the cooperative relations between Vietnam and Canada continued to grow greatly. The progress of cooperations have practically benefited both countries in various aspects. Particularly, the official visit of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Vietnam in November 2017, on occasion of his participation in the APEC Summit, has opened the opportunity for two nations to establish comprehensive partnerships.

The development of Vietnam – Canada ties has created favorable conditions for the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association to perform effectively, contributing to the progress of the two countries’ friendship and multi-aspect cooperations.

Specificially, in 2017, the Association has drafted regulation and action plan of the Vietnam - Canada Network, which will be chartered in 2018. The Network is built with the aim to link up people who have relations with Canada (employees, students, residents,etc.), in order to promote the growth of the two peoples’ friendship.

The Association also expressed the affection for Canada through paying attention to special events, including congratulating Canada on the Canada's 150th anniversary, presenting gift to the Canadian Prime Minister during his official visit to Vietnam in November.

In 2017, the Vietnam – Canada Friendship Association at provincial levels members in cities and provinces also worked effectively, especially the Tra Vinh province's branch. The provincial association has successfully organized various meaningful activities, such as cultural exchange marking the National Day of Canada, with the participation of Canadian volunteer educator Andrew Marchand and 150 students of the Tra Vinh province University.

In addition, the provincial association effectively mobilized supports from the Canada-Vietnam Education Network and the Fondation de la Cheneliere in terms of training materials for local universities, colleges, highschools, vocation centers. In the same year, the Association also assisted the University of Tra Vinh to receive Rector of the Vancouver Island University and interns from the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland of Canada.

Delegates in a group photo (photo: Phi Yen)

Since 2018 is the year marking Vietnam – Canada 45^th diplomatic relations establishment, the Vietnam – Canada Friendship Association will focus on promoting people-to-people exchange activities, such as launching the Hanoi Run for Children 2018; organizing various cultural, art exchange; receiving delegations of artists and members of Canadian Parliament; organizing visit to Canada to seek cooperation opportunities.

In addition, the Association will take account of activities on connecting enterprises and support multi-field cooperation between two countries.

Furthermore, the Association is planning to recruit more members, including benefited hospitals of the Hanoi Run for Children and intellectuals, entrepreneurs with the willingness to contribute to the development of Vietnam – Canada ties./.

( Phi Yen )