Vietnam, Russia Boost People-to-People Diplomacy

Vietnam and Russia should also increase the organisation of cultural and people-to-people exchange activities to reinforce the solidarity between the two nations, thus fostering their all-round partnership, agreed the two Friendship Associations.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi shakes hands with Chairman of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association Vladimir Buyanov. Photo: VNA

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi recently highlighted the importance of people-to-people diplomacy at a meeting with a visiting delegation of the Hanoi-based research institute for environmental protection and community health in Moscow.

Trinh Quoc Khanh, head of the institute’s science council and Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association, informed the ambassador about the delegation’s agenda in Russia, especially activities to promote cooperation in climate change response, along with activities by the friendship association to boost relations between the two countries.

Chairman of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association Vladimir Buyanov voiced his support for enhancing bilateral ties in environmental issues, adding that he hopes partnerships in other spheres will also continue to be stepped up.

Stressing the role of people-to-people diplomacy, Khoi noted Vietnam and Russia have special relations, expressing his hope that the two friendship associations will help enhance the two countries’ relations.

He underlined the need to increase delegation exchanges between the two countries, encourage Russian experts in Vietnamese studies, and popularise the Vietnamese language in Russia.

Ambassador Dang Minh Khoi (centre) and the visiting delegation pose for a photo at the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia. Photo: VNA

The diplomat also presented some of the embassy’s activities in the time ahead to help bolster bilateral ties and affirmed the goal of win-win cooperation.

Appreciating the ambassador’s recommendations, Khanh said he will report these ideas to the executive board of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association to translate them into action.

Also during the meeting, Chairman of the Overseas Vietnamese Association in Russia, Chairman of the Traditions and Friendship Foundation, Do Xuan Hoang said that with the goal of strengthening the traditional relationship between Vietnam and the Russian Federation, the foundation supports language contest for Vietnamese learners and researchers contributing to strengthening mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries.

In addition to establishing the Study Promotion Fund and organizing a Vietnamese language contest in Russia, the foundation will also plan to organise a competition for research works on Vietnam for Vietnamese scientists who study Russia in the near future.

In a meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi on October 20, Evgheni Kobelev, Vice Director of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAN)’s Institute of China and Modern Asia, called for the embassy’s support to set up a Vietnamese library at the institute.

Kobelev, who is a leading expert on Vietnamese studies and Vice President of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association, revealed his intention to publish his memoir titled “65 years with Vietnam”, and recalled memories with Vietnamese leaders he had met such as General Vo Nguyen Giap, President Nguyen Minh Triet, and Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh.

Ambassador Khoi expressed his hope that Russian scholars will continue to contribute to promoting the relationship between the two countries.

The two sides agreed to strengthen people-to-people diplomatic relation between the two countries.