Exploring the Impact of People-to-People Diplomacy on a Country’s Development – Part 1

Nguyen Phuong Nga, president of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations spoke at the 22nd World Peace Council Assembly, 2022.

Creating an Optimal Environment for Collaboration

is an impressive and accomplished individual. She has served as an Ambassador for Vietnam and has made significant contributions in her role. Ambassador Nga is known for her diplomatic skills, her ability to navigate complex international issues, and her commitment to promoting peace and cooperation. She has been instrumental in strengthening the relationship between Vietnam and other countries, and has been a strong advocate for Vietnam’s interests on the global stage. Ambassador Nga is a true leader and a respected figure in international diplomacy.

Over the past two years, together with Party and State diplomacy, people-to-people diplomacy has played a significant role in implementing the foreign policy set out by the 13th Party Congress.

As the core force in people-to-people diplomacy, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations grasped the spirit of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the First National Conference on Foreign Affairs on December 14, 2021.

The Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations launched a donation to prevent and control the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2021.

The Union collaborated with partners from Russia, China, India, Cuba, Brazil, Algeria, Italy, Belarus, and Azerbaijan to organize activities to commemorate and promote the ideological values, morality, and style of President Ho Chi Minh.

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.

Photo 1: Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations meets Chairman of the United Russia Party (URP) and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, 2023. Photo 2: Leaders of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association have a meeting with Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, 2022. Photo 3: Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the RoK, 2022. Photo 4: Signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding between Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and partners in Uzbekistan, 2021.

The Union and its member organizations organized hundreds of peace, solidarity, and friendship activities with profound contents and forms, on people’s channels at both national and local levels.

They collaborated with embassies and partners from various countries to arrange events honoring the establishment of diplomatic relations, national days, and significant holidays of Vietnam and other nations like India, Russia, the Republic of Korea, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland, Chile, and more. These activities took various forms including meetings, discussions, cultural exchanges, exhibitions, film screenings, and artistic performances.

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Vietnam also signed agreements with Chinese and Singaporean partners, organized many activities to support the Cuban people, strengthen relations with partners in China, Russia, USA, UK, Germany, Argentina, and many other countries.

Meeting with historical witnesses to the 1973 Paris Peace Accords, January 2023.

The Union funded the training of methods and skills to prevent the pandemic with a total value of over US$6.5 million.

They rallied members and donors to contribute and swiftly dispatched millions of masks, thousands of medical supplies, and monetary assistance, amounting to over VND10 billion (US$424 thousand), to aid countries combatting the pandemic.

Second, people-to-people diplomacy played a crucial role in mobilizing external resources for national construction and development.

The Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations excelled in its role as the standing agency for the Committee for Foreign Non-governmental Organization Affairs.

The Union participated in the development and implementation of new regulations on the registration and operation management of foreign non-governmental organizations in Vietnam.

Photo 1: Workshop to assess the situation of the world and the region in 2021. Photo 2: Conference to study and implement the Resolution of the XIII Party Congress, 2021. Photo 3: Webinar between Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, 2021. Photo 4: Friendship exchange in spring 2023 in Lao Cai.

To further promote the achievement of sustainable development goals, the Union actively engaged in initiatives to strengthen collaboration with African nations and partnered with the People’s Committee of Da Nang City to host international seminars on smart cities and innovative start-ups. These events witnessed the participation of delegates from around the world.

Third, the Union actively engaged in regional and international multilateral people’s forums, such as the ASEAN People’s Forum (APF), the Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF), the World Peace Council, and the mechanisms of the United Nations and ASEAN (United Nations Economic and Social Council – UN ECOSOC and ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights – AICHR), with the aim of promoting and safeguarding national interests.

Fourth, the Union revitalized its efforts in foreign affairs information, research, and consultation.

The Union enhanced its communication with international friends by providing more information about Vietnam. This was done through sending a weekly E-Newsletter, publishing content on the Vietnam Times in 5 different languages, posting on the Union’s website, the Vietnam Peace and Development Fund’s website, and various magazines such as Bach Duong and Viet-My.

Visiting Museum of Victory of Road 9-Khe Sanh within the framework of the 5th Vietnam-Laos People’s Friendship Festival, 2022.

The 5th Vietnam-Cambodia people’s friendship and cooperation meeting in 2022.

Fifth, the Union bolstered and forged a robust organization, enhancing the link between the central government and the locality.

With outstanding and remarkable results over the past two years, the Friendship Union has proven itself to be a central force.