The Congress was attended by Pham Tat Thang, Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Central Mass Mobilization Commission, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front and mass organizations; Nguyen Thi Thu Giang, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations; Uladzimir Baravikou, Belarusian Ambassador to Viet Nam; representatives of Party commissions, ministries, agencies and friendship organizations; and nearly 100 official delegates.

Consolidating the leadership and improving the quality of activities

The Congress elected the fifth Executive Committee of the Viet Nam-Belarus Friendship Association (the Association), comprising 22 members, and an eight-member Standing Committee. It unanimously elected Ho An Phong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, as President of the Association for the 2026-2031 term.

The Congress also elected Nguyen Quoc Hung and Do Van Son as Vice Presidents of the Association; Nguyen Xuan Dung, Director of the National Library of Viet Nam, as Secretary-General; and Vu Dang Dong as Head of the Association’s fifth-term Inspection Committee.

Ho An Phong serves as President of the Viet Nam-Belarus Friendship Association for the 2026-2031 term. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

In his acceptance remarks, newly elected President Ho An Phong thanked the Congress for its trust and confidence. He affirmed that the fifth Executive Committee would build on the achievements of previous generations of leaders and members, uphold solidarity, responsibility, initiative and creativity, and renew the content and methods of the Association’s activities.

According to Ho An Phong, the elevation of Viet Nam-Belarus relations to a Strategic Partnership places greater responsibility on the Association to promote people-to-people exchanges and strengthen understanding, trust and bonds between the two peoples, thereby helping create a favorable social foundation for broader and deeper bilateral relations.

Nguyen Thi Thu Giang, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, addresses the Congress. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

In her address providing guidance to the Congress, Nguyen Thi Thu Giang, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, acknowledged the Association’s efforts during the previous term. She called on the new Executive Committee to promptly develop work programs for the full term and each year, assign specific responsibilities, and improve organizational and operational effectiveness.

Nguyen Thi Thu Giang emphasized the need for a fresh approach, shifting the focus from the number of activities to their quality, with greater attention to the depth and wider impact of friendship exchange programs. The Association should strengthen its role in connecting partners, helping translate cooperation frameworks between the two countries into practical cooperation programs involving localities, schools, businesses and citizens.

For the 2026-2031 term, the Association was encouraged to continue strengthening relations with its Belarusian partner friendship organizations and jointly develop cooperation programs and annual action plans. It should also expand connections with universities, research institutes, innovation centers, businesses and local authorities in Belarus. Priority areas include science, technology, digital transformation, culture, the arts, education and training. In addition, the Association should draw on the bridging role of the Vietnamese community in Belarus, particularly intellectuals and entrepreneurs, in promoting cooperation and contributing to Viet Nam’s development.

Nguyen Thi Thu Giang said that the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations would continue to support the Association in expanding its partner network and improving the quality of people-to-people diplomacy activities during the new term.

Promoting Viet Nam-Belarus people-to-people exchanges

In his congratulatory remarks to the Congress, Belarusian Ambassador to Viet Nam Uladzimir Baravikou commended the Association’s contributions to promoting cultural and educational exchanges, delegation exchanges and mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries. He expressed confidence that the new Executive Committee would continue to make positive contributions to Belarus-Viet Nam cooperation.

Regarding bilateral relations, Ambassador Uladzimir Baravikou emphasized that the establishment of a Strategic Partnership during General Secretary To Lam’s visit to Belarus in May 2025 had opened a new phase of development built on traditional friendship, trust and mutual respect.

Belarusian Ambassador to Viet Nam Uladzimir Baravikou delivers congratulatory remarks at the Congress. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

The year 2027 will mark two important milestones in bilateral relations: the 35th anniversary of the establishment of Viet Nam-Belarus diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s first visit to Minsk in 1957.

According to the Ambassador, cooperation between the two countries continues to expand across numerous fields. In science and technology, the two sides have resumed the work of the Belarus-Viet Nam Joint Committee on Scientific and Technical Cooperation, facilitating joint research in materials science, biotechnology, mechanical engineering and ecology. Educational cooperation has been strengthened through student exchanges and joint training programs. In culture, the two countries have organized numerous exchanges, including performances by the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus in Ha Noi, performances by artists from the Ho Guom Opera in Minsk, and Belarusian Film Days in Viet Nam.

Ambassador Uladzimir Baravikou affirmed the important role of people-to-people diplomacy in strengthening bonds between the two peoples. He also expressed his hope that the Association would continue to serve as an active bridge, promoting increasingly practical cooperation and exchanges.

Nguyen Thi Thu Giang, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, presents a commemorative flag to the Viet Nam-Belarus Friendship Association. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

On this occasion, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations presented the Association with a commemorative flag. It also awarded the “For peace and friendship among nations” medal to four individuals and certificates of merit to one collective and six individuals for their significant contributions to people-to-people diplomacy.

The Congress adopted a resolution for the 2026-2031 term. The fifth Executive Committee committed to promptly translating the resolution into an action program, focusing on priority activities and strengthening coordination with agencies, organizations and partners in both countries, thereby contributing to deeper, more practical and effective friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam and Belarus.

Delegates pose for a commemorative photograph. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Vietnam, Belarus Promote More Substantive and Effective Strategic Partnership The Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in Vietnam hosted a reception in Hanoi on the evening of June 25 to celebrate Belarus's 35th National Day (July 3, 1991 – July 3, 2026). The event reaffirmed both countries' commitment to building on their long-standing friendship and to advancing the Vietnam-Belarus Strategic Partnership in a more substantive, sustainable, and effective manner.

People-to-People Diplomacy Strengthens Friendship and Expands Vietnam-Belarus Cooperation On August 8, in Hanoi, the Vietnam-Belarus Friendship Association, in coordination with the Embassy of Belarus in Vietnam, held a friendship gathering to mark the 35th anniversary of the National Day of the Republic of Belarus. Representatives of both sides underscored the role of people-to-people diplomacy in strengthening friendship, expanding practical cooperation, and deepening the Vietnam-Belarus Strategic Partnership.