Belarus Friendship Association, WWF-Vietnam Congratulate Vietnam on the 80th National Day
	Affection of International Friends

Kathleen S. Magee - President and CEO of Operation Smile (USA):

35 Years Bringing Smiles to Vietnamese Children

This visit to Vietnam has allowed me to feel the special significance of the 80th National Day - a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We attended the parade on the morning of September 2 and saw happiness and pride shining on people’s faces.

Kathleen S. Magee, President and CEO of Operation Smile, at the “Meeting and Tribute to International Friends on the Occasion of the 80th National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.” (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

When I first visited Vietnam, the country was almost desolate, but over the past 35 years, it has undergone significant growth and transformation. I see a dynamic nation with hardworking and industrious people who have turned their efforts into extraordinary accomplishments. I believe this is all thanks to the proactiveness, work ethic, and determination of the Vietnamese people.

From its very first medical mission, Operation Smile has stood side by side with Vietnamese partners to bring new hope to children born with cleft lips and palates. We have performed more than 70,000 free, safe, and life-changing surgeries. But our work goes beyond surgeries. We have invested in strengthening the healthcare system by training surgeons, nurses, and biomedical technicians, so that this gift of healing can continue to grow within Vietnam itself.

We have also worked with partners on policy advocacy to ensure that every child has access to safe surgery and that sustainable healthcare systems are strengthened nationwide. Operation Smile is proud to contribute not only to public health but also to the friendship and trust between Vietnam and the United States. Our work here has become one of the first humanitarian bridges, helping pave the way for the normalization of relations between the two countries."

None of this would have been possible without the steadfast support of the Government of Vietnam and its ministries and agencies, particularly the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, the Ministry of Health, the Vietnam Children’s Fund, partner hospitals, and local authorities across the country.

Chuck Searcy - President of Chapter 160, Veterans For Peace (USA):

Cooperation to Turn the Legacy of War into Memory

I am proud to be an American veteran who once fought in the war, but who later opposed it. Together with many comrades, we launched efforts to bring the war to an end - a long process, but one that ultimately succeeded thanks to the support of many people around the world.

Chuck Searcy, President of Chapter 160 of Veterans For Peace, speaking at the “Meeting and Tribute to International Friends on the Occasion of the 80th National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.” (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

During that process, colleagues such as Paul Cox, Susan Schnall, and many other veterans initiated cooperative efforts with our Vietnamese friends, including the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign (VAORRC). This campaign mobilized the strength of many people in the United States, both to deepen understanding of the tragic issue of Agent Orange and to find ways to mitigate its impacts and support our Vietnamese friends.

VAORRC has raised funds, educated American students about the issue of Agent Orange, and provided financial assistance through the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) and other Vietnamese organizations, helping to ease the pain of this grave problem for which the United States bears responsibility. We will continue these efforts in the name of our friends and colleagues - Paul Cox, a former US Marine who organized VAORRC, and Susan Schnall, National President of Veterans For Peace, a former US Navy nurse who opposed the war while still in the service. She even dropped leaflets from an airplane over San Francisco Bay to call for an end to the war. For that act, she was court-martialed and faced possible imprisonment, but thanks to the urgent need for her medical services in veterans’ hospitals, she was spared prison.

These friends, colleagues, and comrades have done much to help reduce the consequences of war. Yet, there is still much more to be done in addressing Agent Orange, unexploded ordnance, and other lingering issues. Together with Susan, Paul, and other veterans, I pledge to continue working with our Vietnamese friends until the legacies of war remain only as memories of the past.

Jurg Andreas Montani - Head of Regional Delegation in Thailand, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC):

Vietnam - Trusted Partner in Humanitarian and International Cooperation

Over the past 80 years of nation-building and development, Vietnam has risen and strengthened its national standing through economic growth, advances in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and digital economy development. Vietnam has affirmed itself as a reliable and responsible partner in the international community, contributing to peacekeeping missions, serving as an active member of ASEAN, and playing a constructive role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Jurg Andreas Montani, Head of the Regional Delegation in Thailand of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), speaking at the “Meeting and Tribute to International Friends on the Occasion of the 80th National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.” (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC) has worked tirelessly to address the humanitarian consequences of conflict, supporting prevention, mitigation, and the protection of victims. Since 1946, we have actively cooperated with Vietnam through activities such as visiting prisoners of war, providing prosthetics and rehabilitation, reuniting families separated by war, and working with the Vietnam People’s Army to enhance knowledge and apply International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in training and education.

We are living in a time when international humanitarian law is facing significant challenges. With the support of many countries, the ICRC President has launched a campaign calling for political commitment to IHL. Vietnam can contribute a credible voice in mobilizing international support to ensure effective protection for people, communities, essential infrastructure, and the environment in times of war, thereby helping nations achieve peace and ease the burden of recovery and reconstruction.

Today, as a peaceful nation, Vietnam may not require the assistance of the ICRC. But the ICRC, and indeed the world, needs Vietnam to share its experience and knowledge.

International Friends Extend Hopes for Strong and Prosperous Vietnam On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day (September 2), international friends have extended their congratulations to Vietnam.

Tribute to International Friends: 80 Years of Companionship with Vietnam On September 2 in Hanoi, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies, hosted ...