07/12/2024
Standing Vice Chairman of Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, Mr. Nguyen Van Thi, on behalf of the provincial leadership, presented the decision to establish the association and offered flowers to congratulate the Congress.
Attending the Congress were Mr. Marc Knapper, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam; Mr. Le Thuy Duong, Director for Vietnam at the Regional English Language Office of the U.S. Embassy; Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh, Chairman of the Central Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association; and Mr. Nguyen Hai Giang, Vice Chairman of the Central Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association.
On behalf of Thanh Hoa Province, attendees included Mr. Nguyen Van Thi, Standing Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Hoang Van Hoang, Former Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Former Chairman of the Union of Friendship Organizations of Thanh Hoa Province; Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuy, Deputy Head of the Provincial Party Committee’s Propaganda Department and Chairman of the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association; Mr. Vu Ngoc Duong, Deputy Director of Thanh Hoa Department of Foreign Affairs; as well as representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Internal Affairs, Provincial Police Department, Office of the Provincial People's Committee, Nghi Son Economic Zone and Industrial Parks Management Board, and other relevant departments and agencies.
The scene of the Congress.
Representing the Union of Friendship Organizations and provincial-level associations in Thanh Hoa were Mr. Pham Ba Oai, Vice Chairman of the Union of Friendship Organizations in Thanh Hoa; Mr. Nguyen Song Hoan, former Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, former Chairman of the Union of Friendship Organizations in Thanh Hoa, and former Vice Rector of Hong Duc University; Mr. Cao Tien Doan, Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Delegate to the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Council, and Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Business Association; Mr. Trinh Xuan Lam, Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Business Association, Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Textile and Garment Association, and General Director of Tien Son Thanh Hoa Group; and Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Chairman of the Thanh Hoa City Business Association, alongside representatives of delegations from the Union of Friendship Organizations, associations, and business organizations in the province and city.
Representing the leadership of affiliated friendship associations under the Union of Friendship Organizations in Nghe An and Thanh Hoa were Mr. Hoang Nhat An, Member of the Executive Committee of the Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations, Deputy Director of the Friendship and Community Development Center of Nghe An, and Vice Chairman of the Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association of Nghe An, as well as chairpersons and vice chairpersons of various associations, including the Vietnam-Japan, Vietnam-Czech, Vietnam-Germany, Vietnam-Russia, Vietnam-Laos, Vietnam-Korea, Vietnam-Thailand, Vietnam-Cambodia, and Vietnam-Hungary Friendship Associations.
From Hong Duc University, participants included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Van Dung, Party Secretary and Rector, along with members of the Standing Committee, University Council, Board of Management, and representatives of various organizations and unions within the university.
The delegates attending the Congress.
The Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association of Thanh Hoa Province was established under Decision No. 3783/QĐ-UBND dated September 19, 2024, issued by the Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee. The association currently has 75 members and operates on the principles of voluntarism, self-governance, democracy, equality, transparency, and public accountability. It ensures self-financing, is non-profit, and complies with the Constitution, laws, and the association's charter. The association is under the state management of the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Foreign Affairs of Thanh Hoa Province, and other relevant agencies as stipulated by law.
The association's key responsibilities include: gathering and uniting members; organizing and coordinating activities among members for the common interests of the association; adhering to its principles and purposes to contribute to the development of its related fields, thereby supporting the socio-economic development of the province and the country. It organizes activities to promote cooperation in areas such as economics, trade, investment, tourism, culture, education, scientific research and technology transfer, healthcare, and sports, as well as cultural and friendly exchanges between the people of Thanh Hoa Province and the people of the United States.
The Presidium of the Congress.
The Congress approved the directions and tasks for the activities of the Association for the 2024-2029 term. These include promoting people-to-people diplomacy in a practical and effective manner, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of members, contributing to the successful implementation of the Provincial Party Committee's Resolutions, and strengthening the friendly relations between Vietnam and the United States.
The association will focus on consolidating and developing its organization, innovating the content, methods, and forms of its activities, and actively disseminating the Party's guidelines, as well as the policies of the State and the province, on socio-economic development, national defense, security, and foreign affairs. It will also highlight the tradition of solidarity and cooperation between the governments and peoples of Vietnam and the United States.
Mr. Marc Knapper, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, delivered a speech at the Congress.
In his speech at the Congress, Mr. Marc Knapper, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, expressed his delight at attending the First Congress of the Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association of Thanh Hoa Province, Term 2024–2029. He highlighted the significance of the establishment of the Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association in Thanh Hoa as an important initiative aligned with the celebration of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States.
Ambassador Marc Knapper expressed confidence that the establishment of the association would help strengthen cooperative and developmental ties between Vietnam and the United States, as well as foster closer relationships between Thanh Hoa Province and U.S. political organizations and businesses. He also expressed hope that the association's establishment would bring significant benefits to the people and further promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Mr. Nguyen Van Thi, delivered a congratulatory speech at the Congress.
In his congratulatory speech at the Congress, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Mr. Nguyen Van Thi, emphasized that the establishment of the Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association of Thanh Hoa Province is highly timely and appropriate, especially as Vietnam and the United States have officially elevated their bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development.
He expressed his hope that, in the future, the association would deeply grasp the guidelines and policies of the Party and the State on people-to-people diplomacy, closely follow the directions of the Central Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, the Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations, and the province’s foreign affairs programs. He urged the association to maintain strong coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam to devise effective and practical programs and activities.
Additionally, Mr. Nguyen Van Thi highlighted the importance of regularly promoting and raising public awareness of the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and the United States, thereby building a foundation of mutual understanding and trust between the two peoples and their localities.
He encouraged the association to effectively serve as a bridge to promote cooperation in investment, trade, tourism, culture, education and training, healthcare, science and technology, non-governmental aid, and other critical fields between provincial agencies, organizations, businesses, and individuals with U.S. partners. Special attention should be paid to identifying and introducing reliable and reputable partners to the province.
Regarding the development of the association, he emphasized the need to explore specific solutions to expand its membership network significantly, particularly by connecting with individuals who have studied or worked in the United States and possess extensive knowledge and experience regarding U.S. culture and people.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Viet Bau, Deputy Party Secretary and Chairman of the University Council of Hong Duc University, and Head of the Organizing Committee for the establishment of the Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association, delivered a speech at the Congress.
Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh, Chairman of the Central Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association, delivered a speech at the Congress.
At the Congress, the delegates also discussed and contributed ideas on key aspects of the Association's charter, including its abbreviation/name, and the rights and obligations of members, to ensure the continuous development of the Association.
Regarding the Association's program of activities, the Congress provided input on key tasks, particularly in external information dissemination, resource mobilization, and membership development. They also proposed focused solutions for the 2024-2029 term.
Mr. Tran Van Tan, Director of Phong Cach Moi Joint Stock Company, shared his insights at the Congress.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Giang, Head of the Department of Science and Technology Management and International Cooperation, delivered her remarks at the Congress.
The Executive Committee of the Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association of Thanh Hoa Province for the 2024–2029 term was introduced at the Congress.
Cultural performances to celebrate the Congress.
The Central Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association presented flowers to congratulate the Congress.
The Executive Committee of the Association presented flowers in gratitude to the organizations, units, and businesses that sponsored the Congress.
The delegates attending the Congress took commemorative photos