HAUFO ACTIVITIES
As part of the people-to-people diplomacy program in 2023, the delegation from Hanoi, led by Nguyen Lan Huong, Member of the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee and Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hanoi, visited and worked in the UK and Ireland from October 6 to 14.
The delegation included Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen, leaders of various departments, political and social organizations, and Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations.
During the program, the delegation engaged in meaningful activities related to people-to-people diplomacy and the promotion of trade, investment, and tourism. In Ireland, the delegation visited and worked with the Honorary Consulate of Vietnam in Dublin, met with the Vietnamese community, representatives of the Vietnamese Association in Ireland, the Vietnamese Women's Association, the Vietnamese Intellectuals Association in the UK and Ireland, and representatives of Vietnamese students and researchers studying in Ireland.
The delegation shared information about the economic, cultural, and social development of the capital city, conveying the sentiments of the Party, government, and the people of Hanoi to the Vietnamese community in Ireland. They expressed the hope that the Honorary Consulate of Vietnam in Ireland would play a proactive role in enhancing the promotion of Vietnam, including Hanoi, in Dublin and Ireland as a whole.
During the working session, Head of the delegation Nguyen Lan Huong extended warm regards to the Vietnamese community in Ireland, hoping that they would continue to unite, preserve, and promote the traditional cultural identity of the Vietnamese people to international friends.
Additionally, the delegation visited Trinity University and several cultural and historical landmarks, participating in cultural exchange activities organized by the Vietnamese community in Dublin.
As part of the official visit, the delegation visited the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK and met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in London. They also met with Nguyen Hoang Long, the Vietnamese Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long appreciated and praised the purpose and significance of the visit, especially during the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the UK. The embassy pledged to continue facilitating connections between Vietnamese localities, including Hanoi, and promoting trade with various regions in the UK, particularly in the digital economy and clean energy transition.
On behalf of the delegation, head delegate Nguyen Lan Huong conveyed greetings and encouragement to the Vietnamese expatriates in London, providing information on the socio-economic situation in the capital city and areas where Hanoi seeks investment cooperation.
Acknowledging the collaboration with the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK, Hanoi leaders expressed their desire for continued support in promoting the image of the capital city internationally. They proposed that the embassy intensify the organization of cultural and artistic events, as well as tourism promotion activities in Hanoi, to enhance people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
During the visit, the Hanoi delegation participated in joint activities with the Vietnamese delegation, including a meeting with Chaman Lal, the Mayor of Birmingham, at the city hall.
At the symposium “Connecting Vietnam - West Midlands,” head delegate Nguyen Lan Huong, on behalf of the Hanoi delegation, affirmed that Vietnam continues to be considered as a safe, attractive, and potential destination for foreign businesses and investors. The year 2023 holds special significance as it marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United Kingdom, a relationship constantly reinforced and comprehensively developed. This presents a prime opportunity for Vietnam, especially Hanoi, to strengthen economic, cultural, and people-to-people diplomatic activities, particularly in promoting connections with organizations, businesses, and investors from the UK. Head of the delegation, Nguyen Lan Huong, emphasized that Hanoi's government highly values and is ready to create the best conditions for interested businesses and investors from the UK to operate, invest, and do business in Hanoi—the “City for Peace” and the “Creative City.”
The delegates from Birmingham spoke highly of Hanoi's investment cooperation proposals and pledged to promptly concretize them through working sessions with Hanoi's partners, expressing confidence that the cooperative relationship would be increasingly effective. At the end of the symposium, several memoranda of cooperation were signed between the parties.
After more than a week of work, the Hanoi delegation successfully completed the outlined program, leaving a deep impression of the warmth and the valuable experience gained during the visit to the UK and Ireland. This event holds great significance, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United Kingdom, the 13th year of the Strategic Partnership, and the 69th anniversary of the Liberation of the Capital (October 10, 1954–October 10, 2023).
Hoang Duong