Continuing the "mission" of promoting Vietnamese

VIM - The fifth Congress of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association (2021-2026) was successfully held recently. The congress acknowledged and assessed the current state of operations in the previous term, while also drawing lessons from experience and continuing the "mission" of nurturing friendship, solidarity, and proximity between the two countries in the future terms...

The Congress elected 140 members of the Central Committee of the Association, more than 40 members of the Central Committee of the Association, and honored to elect Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh - Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Head of the Working Committee of the National Assembly, Deputy Head of the Central Organization Committee - as the Chairman of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association for the fifth term (2021 -2026) and elected 10 Vice-Chairmen of the Central Association.

Delegates attending the congress at the southern (Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Hall).

The Congress met its objectives in terms of content and program, adhering to the motto "Safety, intelligence, democracy, solidarity, friendship, and discipline," which was highly appreciated by all delegates and guests, complementing and expanding the Association's position and status.

The "imprint" of the Association in the past term

According to the permanent leader of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association's Southern Central Committee, the Association has implemented many activities in the last term to help foster friendship and solidarity between the two countries, such as foreign propaganda with various content and forms, in accordance with the Resolution of the Association's 4th Congress (2015-2020).

Mr. Vu Mao - Chairman of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association and Ms. Men Sam An - Deputy Prime Minister of the Royal Cambodian Government, President of the Chairman of the Cambodia -Vietnam Friendship Association : Signing a "joint" between the two associations in 2019 in Cambodia.

Since 2012, a movement called "Incubating the seeds of friendship" has been spreading throughout the country to sponsor Cambodian students studying in Vietnam. So far, 300 Cambodian students have been sponsored by families and localities in the north, and 150 in the south.

In addition, the Association's Central Committee has organized a number of trips for Cambodian foreign students to visit and exchange with former experts, volunteers, godparents, and businesspeople in order to learn about the socio-economic situation in some Vietnamese provinces and places, such as Vinh Phuc, Ninh Binh, Bac Giang, Thanh Hoa, Binh Phuoc, Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Ethnic Culture Village ethnic Vietnamese, and so on.

Venerable Thich Truyen Tu and the Delegation of Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association gave gifts to poor Cambodia people in Svay Rieng province, Cambodia (2019).

Especially in visits, works, thankfulness, conferences, seminars, humanitarian charities, and other activities. In particular, the Association highly appreciates the support of members of the Vietnam - Cambodia Business Club and members of the Association who have made positive contributions to social security activities such as Venerable Thich Truyen Tu - Abbot of Huyen Trang Pagoda (Nha Be), Director of Tu Tam Humanitarian Center; Mr. Dang Hoang Phuc - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ngoc Vien Dong International Joint Stock Company, businessman Truong Thu Dung - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saigon-Can Tho Water Joint Stock Company; businessman Do Cao Bang - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dong An Industrial Park (Binh Duong) who annually sponsors more than 60 million VND for the Khmer Language Center to operate, etc.

The delegation of Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association visited Angkor Wat temple (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

Continuing the mission of cultivating friendship

The Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association has laid forth eight major priorities for the next term, the most important of which is to boost propaganda and in-depth education for members and citizens of the two nations about their longstanding friendship and solidarity. In particular, the Vietnam - Cambodia Business Club (VNCBC) is developing and increasing its operating efficiency in exchange and cooperation with Cambodian businesspeople investing in Vietnam.

Dr. Le Hong Liem – Vice President of the Southern Center Vietnam – Cambodia Friendship Association (right), presented the association's logo to Dr. Sok Dareth - Consul General of the Kingdom of Cambodia in Ho Chi Minh City at the Congress (November 26, 2021).

In order for the Association's Resolution of the 5th Congress of Deputies (2021-2026) to be implemented as soon as possible, and to assign tasks and responsibilities to each member of the Standing Committee and Standing Committee of the Central Association as soon as possible, the Central Association's Executive Committee will focus on the following contents and solutions in the near future:

- Directing a preliminary review of "Incubating the seeds of friendship" activity in organizations and affiliated units toward a summary of the Friendship Incubation program's ten years in 2022;

- Developing a plan titled "Celebrating the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Cambodia (June 24, 1967 - June 24, 2022)" and the 5th meeting of friendship and cooperation between the peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia.

- Directing the Vietnam - Cambodia Business Club to work with the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association's Business Club in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as the Commercial Counselor of the Cambodian Embassy in Vietnam and the Cambodian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, to organize exchanges, cooperation, and friendship between businesses belonging to the Vietnam - Cambodia Business Club, Saigon Entrepreneurs Club, and Cambodian businesses with investments in Vietnam.

- Instructing Provincial/City Associations, particularly those in bordering provinces, to work together with Khmer-Vietnam Associations in Cambodia to do good social and charity work, such as medical examinations, drug distribution, and children's educational activities, in order to help poor overseas Vietnamese integrate into Cambodian society and stabilize their lives.

- When the Covid-19 pandemic crisis cools off and conditions permit, developing a strategy to send a delegation led by the Association's President to visit and work with the Cambodia-Vietnam Association to review and implement a preliminary evaluation of three years to continue executing the two associations' cooperation agreement (agreement in 2025).

- Maintaining and improving the quality of activities of the Khmer Language Center in both face-to-face and online formats. And some other key tasks, etc.

Noble rewards

Comrade Bui Thi Minh Hoai - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Committee for Mass Mobilization - presented the Association with the Second-class Labor Medal - a magnificent award of the Party and State - at the fifth Congress on behalf of the Party and State authorities.

Comrade Bui Thi Minh Hoai - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Committee for Mass Mobilization (left), awarded the Second-class Labor Medal to Comrade Nguyen Thi Thanh - New President of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association. (red ao dai).

Accepting the new task, the new female President of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association expressed her great honor and responsibility, thanking the leaders of the Party, the State, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, the delegates, and others for their trust in assigning tasks; at the same time, she promised to work closely with the Central Executive Committee of the fifth Association to effectively carry out the tasks and operational directions approved by the congress.

Ms. Kiti Songha Bondith Men Sam An, Deputy Prime Minister of the Royal Cambodian Government and Chairman of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association, expressed her confidence in Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh, who was chosen President of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association by the General Assembly, saying, "The Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association will achieve even greater victories under the leadership of the new Board of Directors, continue to carry out the contents of the work on which the two associations have agreed to collaborate, and promote the friendship between the peoples of the two countries to be more effective and successful."

Ms. Kiti Songha Bondith Men Sam An, Deputy Prime Minister of the Royal Cambodian Government and Chairman of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association, delivered an online congratulatory speech to the congress from Phnom Penh Capital, Cambodia (Photo taken at the City Hall of the City Party Committee Ho Chi Minh City).

On this occasion, Mr. Chay NaVuth, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia in Vietnam, presented 18 leaders and members of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association with the "Friendship Order," a noble award from the Royal Government of Cambodia, for their many achievements in fostering friendship between the peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia.

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations also presented Medals to 06 individuals and Certificates of Merit to a total of 09 people. The Association's Central Committee handed exemplary emulation flags to 21 collectives, donated thankfulness banners to Phoenix International Co., Ltd. (Bac Ninh) and Pho Minh Pagoda (GoVap District, Ho Chi Minh City), and paid tribute to a number of individuals, among other things.

The success of the fifth National Congress of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association opens a new stage of development with bright prospects.

*Some pictures at the congress:

Dr. Most Venerable Thich Thien Tam: Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Master Institute, Abbot of Pho Minh Pagoda, Vice President of the Southern Center Vietnam – Cambodia Friendship Association, online speech from Hồ Chí Minh City.

The delegation of Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association in Quang Ninh province participated online from Quang Ninh (November 26, 2021). Photo: Thu Phuong.