The gathering was attended by Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations; Uladzimir Baravikou, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Vietnam; Nguyen Tuan Phong, President of the Vietnam-Belarus Friendship Association; Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Thanh, former Deputy Minister of Public Security; Nguyen Thai Lai, former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment and former President of the Vietnam-Belarus Friendship Association; as well as delegates and members of the Vietnam-Belarus Friendship Association.

Artistic performances at the friendship gathering. (Photo: Bao Ngoc)

Shared memories nurture friendship

In his opening remarks, President of the Vietnam-Belarus Friendship Association Nguyen Tuan Phong said the gathering provided an opportunity for Vietnamese people who cherish Belarus to reunite with their close Belarusian friends, and for those who had studied, worked and formed lasting bonds in Belarus to look back on memories from their youth.

According to Nguyen Tuan Phong, for many members of the Association, Belarus is not merely a place where they once studied or worked, but also a place that holds a part of their youth. It was where dedicated teachers passed on not only knowledge but also their passion for their professions; where sincere friends shared some of the most beautiful years of their lives; and where Belarusian families welcomed Vietnamese students as members of their own families.

Memories of teachers and friends, together with the warmth and affection extended by the Belarusian people, have nurtured the strong bonds that generations of Vietnamese people feel toward Belarus and its people. These memories have also been among the motivations that have encouraged them to continue participating in the activities of the Vietnam-Belarus Friendship Association, contributing to strengthening ties between the peoples of the two countries.

“Belarus is not only a place where I once studied or worked. It is also a place that holds a part of my youth,” Nguyen Tuan Phong shared.

As a people-to-people diplomacy organization, the Vietnam-Belarus Friendship Association identifies its mission as contributing to preserving and developing the friendship between the peoples of the two countries. The Association’s President expressed his appreciation for the Embassy of Belarus in Vietnam’s continued companionship, support and coordination, while expressing his hope that the two sides would continue to organize more practical activities to help younger generations in both countries enhance mutual understanding and carry forward the goodwill cultivated by previous generations.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Vietnam Uladzimir Baravikou. (Photo: Vu Dong)

Expanding practical areas of cooperation

Speaking at the friendship gathering, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Vietnam Uladzimir Baravikou said Belarus-Vietnam cooperation continues to develop, with positive progress being made. Since May 2025, bilateral relations have been elevated to a Strategic Partnership, opening up new opportunities for cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, culture, science, education, and people-to-people exchanges.

According to the Ambassador, in June 2026, the Belarus-Vietnam Commission for Scientific and Technological Cooperation resumed its activities and held its 12th session in Minsk. The two sides are preparing to announce a program to select Belarus-Vietnam science and technology cooperation projects for the 2027-2028 period.

Ambassador Uladzimir Baravikou also noted that regular direct flights and charter flights, together with the visa exemption policy between Belarus and Vietnam, are facilitating tourism, business exchanges, direct contacts, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Cultural cooperation has seen several notable activities in 2026. Belarus Film Days in Vietnam were held in June. The National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus performed in Hanoi for the first time since the two countries established diplomatic relations, while the Ho Guom Theatre also presented a program in Minsk.

Activities for younger generations have also continued to receive attention from both sides. The Ambassador said that in 2026, Belarus resumed welcoming Vietnamese children for holidays and educational programs at the National Children’s Educational and Recreation Center “Zubrenok” on Lake Naroch. In July and August, a group of Vietnamese children spent their holidays in Belarus. At the same time, a delegation of children of Vietnamese law enforcement officers visited Belarus at the invitation of Belarusian Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Kubrakov.

Ambassador Uladzimir Baravikou said people-to-people diplomacy and cooperation between friendship associations can play an important role in further promoting and deepening Belarus-Vietnam relations.

The Ambassador expressed his hope that the Vietnam-Belarus Friendship Association would continue to propose new initiatives, including activities to foster patriotism, preserve historical memory, and safeguard historical truth. The two sides should also effectively implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation signed in Minsk in May 2025 between the Belarusian Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations.

“The Embassy of Belarus is always ready to actively support efforts to strengthen relations within the framework of people-to-people diplomacy,” Ambassador Uladzimir Baravikou affirmed.

Delegates pose for a commemorative photo. (Photo: Vu Dong)

The gathering contributed to maintaining ties among those who had studied or worked in Belarus and their Belarusian partners and friends. It also provided an additional foundation for friendship organizations from the two countries to continue promoting people-to-people exchanges, connecting younger generations, and supporting the implementation of cooperation areas aligned with the Vietnam-Belarus Strategic Partnership.

Efforts to Tighten Vietnam - Belarus Traditional Relations The Vietnam - Belarus Friendship Association organized a friendship meeting on August 7 in Hanoi to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Belarus (July 3, 1944 - July 3, 2024) and Vietnam's National Day (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2024 ). At the event, the Chairman of the Vietnam - Belarus Friendship Association affirmed that the association will continue to deepen the traditional friendship between the two countries.

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.