Strengthening and expanding people-to-people diplomacy

On November 19, 1950, in the Viet Bac resistance base, the Vietnam World Peace Protection Committee - the first multilateral people's foreign affairs organization of Vietnam, the predecessor of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, was established, with President Ho Chi Minh being honored as the Honorary President. This was the first multilateral people's foreign affairs organization established by our Party to operate exclusively in the field of peace, a milestone linking our people's struggle to protect peace and national independence with the cause of protecting peace of people around the world. Previously, on November 17, 1950, President Ho Chi Minh sent a letter to the Congress to establish the Vietnam World Peace Protection Committee and November 17 every year was officially taken as the Traditional Day of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations.

After the 7th National Party Congress, on January 10, 1992, the Central Secretariat issued Decision No. 22/QD-TW separating the Vietnam Union of Peace, Solidarity and Friendship Organizations from the Central External Relations Commission into an independent socio-political organization, marking a new development period of people's foreign affairs work in the fields of peace, solidarity, friendship and relations with foreign non-governmental organizations.

In 1994, the Government decided to change the name of the Union of Peace, Solidarity and Friendship Organizations with the peoples of other countries to the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations.

The Hai Duong Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations was established under Decision No. 427/2002/QD-UB dated February 19, 2002 of the Provincial People's Committee. This is an organization specializing in the field of people's foreign affairs and mobilizing foreign non-governmental aid. Its mission is to contribute to preserving, connecting, expanding and strengthening existing foreign relations between the people of Hai Duong and the people of other countries, contributing to implementing the open foreign policy of the Party and the State. From a few initial core organizations, the union now has a broad organization with 14 focal points, including: Office, Friendship Cooperation Center and 12 member friendship associations and branches. These are the Friendship Associations: Vietnam - Laos, Vietnam - Russia, Vietnam - France, Vietnam - Germany, Vietnam - North Korea, Vietnam - Korea, Vietnam - Japan, Vietnam - Australia, Vietnam - China, Vietnam - Cambodia, Vietnam - Cuba, Vietnam - Italy Branch with a total of more than 4,100 members.

Through the process of formation and development, the union has gradually consolidated its organization, trained a team of people's foreign affairs and foreign non-governmental organizations with qualifications and strong political will, meeting the requirements of work in the new situation. As an organization specializing in people's foreign affairs, a member of the Fatherland Front of Hai Duong province, the union is responsible for coordinating departments, branches, localities in the province, member friendship associations in people's foreign affairs activities and is the focal agency for mobilizing foreign non-governmental aid to Hai Duong province.

During its operation, the Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations has always received attention, support, and facilitation in all aspects from the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee, and the support of departments, branches, and localities to strive to successfully complete all assigned tasks, contributing to the strengthening of peace, solidarity, and friendship, and solving social security issues, reducing poverty, improving people's lives, and bringing many benefits to the community.

The activities are organized according to specific themes and contents with a deep propaganda and education on people-to-people diplomacy. Through friendly exchange activities, it has created conditions for international friends to understand more about the history, culture and people of Hai Duong, contributing to strengthening solidarity and mutual understanding between the Vietnamese people, Hai Duong people and international friends.

In addition to people-to-people diplomacy, the union has always focused on mobilizing foreign non-governmental aid. Since the beginning of the year, the union has directly worked with many foreign non-governmental organizations with an aid value of 1.3 million USD (equivalent to 31.5 billion VND). The aid is non-refundable for the purpose of socio-economic development, humanitarian support, not for profit or commercial purposes, focusing on the fields of construction and renovation of schools, medical stations, improving the living environment, granting scholarships to encourage learning, assisting disadvantaged families, giving gifts to women and children, etc.

In the coming time, the Union of Friendship Organizations of Hai Duong province will continue the glorious tradition of previous generations, improve the quality and effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy and mobilize non-governmental aid in the new situation, act as a good connection, promote, expand and strengthen existing foreign relations between the people of Hai Duong and people of countries around the world, contributing to implementing the open foreign policy of our Party and State for the goal of peace, cooperation and development.