The event was attended by Jordi Llorens Carratalà, Secretary for Administrative, Consular and Cultural Affairs at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Viet Nam; Nguyen Nam Hai, Vice President of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations; and representatives of the Hanoi Viet Nam-Spain Friendship Association and its member chapters.

People-to-people exchanges lay the foundation for cooperation

Speaking at the event, Ha Thi Thanh Huong, Standing Vice President of the Hanoi Viet Nam-Spain Friendship Association, noted that Viet Nam and Spain officially established diplomatic relations in May 1977. In 2009, Spain became the first European Union (EU) member state to establish a strategic partnership framework with Viet Nam.

Ha Thi Thanh Huong, Standing Vice President of the Hanoi Viet Nam-Spain Friendship Association. (Photo: Mai Anh)

Throughout the development of bilateral relations, cultural exchanges and people-to-people exchanges have been prominent highlights, contributing to greater mutual understanding and strengthening the bonds of friendship and solidarity between the peoples of the two countries.

Established in 2005, the Hanoi Viet Nam-Spain Friendship Association has gradually strengthened its role as a bridge between the peoples of the two countries. The Association has focused on expanding its membership network by bringing together agencies, schools, businesses and individuals who have an affinity for Spain and its people and wish to contribute to bilateral friendship and cooperation in the fields of culture, education and the economy.

Speaking at the event, Jordi Llorens Carratalà expressed his warm sentiments towards Viet Nam and its people, praising the friendliness and diligence of the Vietnamese people. He noted that Viet Nam and Spain still have considerable potential for cooperation in the years ahead, with areas in which the two sides can learn from and complement each other.

He emphasized that relations between the two countries are built not only through official cooperation channels between governments and political organizations, but also nurtured through ties between social organizations and ordinary citizens. Every contribution, no matter how small, plays a meaningful role in promoting Viet Nam–Spain friendship.

Jordi Llorens Carratalà, Secretary for Administrative, Consular and Cultural Affairs at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Viet Nam. (Photo: Mai Anh)

Nguyen Nam Hai, Vice President of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations, described Spain as an important partner of Viet Nam in various fields, including the economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges. He acknowledged the efforts made by the Hanoi Viet Nam-Spain Friendship Association to maintain and expand relations with Spanish partners, particularly through the promotion of visits, working sessions and exchange activities between the two sides.

To enhance the effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy in the coming period, Nguyen Nam Hai proposed three key orientations.

First, the Association and its chapters should identify areas with cooperation potential. Alongside cultural exchanges, greater attention should be given to economic cooperation, while leveraging the role of member businesses to deliver tangible benefits to members, Hanoi and Viet Nam.

Second, exchanges and connections with Spanish partners should be strengthened to introduce Viet Nam and its people, promote the image of Hanoi, and showcase Vietnamese products to international friends.

Third, the Association should gradually move beyond exchanges and networking towards more extensive cooperation, translating friendly relations into concrete activities that bring practical benefits to individual members and chapters.

Nguyen Nam Hai also highly appreciated the Embassy of Spain in Viet Nam for its continued attention and support for the Association's activities, contributing to the strengthening of cooperative relations between friendship organizations and partners of the two countries.

Nguyen Nam Hai, Vice President of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations. (Photo: Mai Anh)

Expanding the friendship network

As part of the programme, the Hanoi Viet Nam-Spain Friendship Association held a ceremony to launch two new chapters: the Momiji Viet Nam Company Limited Chapter and the HAVICO International Manpower Training and Supply Joint Stock Company Chapter. Both companies operate in the fields of foreign language training, overseas study and vocational training abroad.

According to Ha Thi Thanh Huong, the Executive Committee of the Hanoi Viet Nam-Spain Friendship Association comprises 25 members and six member chapters. The continued development of new chapters is one of the Association's key priorities, aimed at expanding the participation of various stakeholders in people-to-people diplomacy and creating additional opportunities for cooperation in culture, education and training, tourism promotion, and business networking between the two countries.

The establishment of the new chapters will also help expand the network of people who have an affinity for Spain, strengthen cooperation between Viet Nam and Spain in general, and between Hanoi and Spanish localities in particular. She expressed her confidence that the two new chapters would work alongside the Association's Executive Committee and existing member chapters to harness collective strength and actively implement meaningful exchange and cooperation activities, thereby contributing to stronger Viet Nam–Spain friendship.

Mai Ngoc Anh, Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and Director of the HAVICO Study Abroad Training Centre, noted that the Spanish language is playing an increasingly important role in international exchanges and cooperation. The teaching and learning of Spanish is becoming more widespread, including in Asian countries.

With the aim of expanding cooperation opportunities in the Spanish market while providing students with more enriching extracurricular activities, the HAVICO Company Viet Nam-Spain Friendship Chapter will actively participate in the Association's activities and strengthen exchanges and experience-sharing with other member chapters.

Mai Ngoc Anh expressed her hope for continued support and cooperation from the Hanoi Viet Nam–Spain Friendship Association, the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations and the Embassy of Spain in Viet Nam, enabling the chapter to gradually develop its activities and contribute to the capital's people-to-people diplomacy efforts.

Flamenco: Cultural Bridge Between Vietnam and Spain

Viet Nam-Spain: Expanding from Friendship Exchanges to People-to-People, Knowledge and Local-Level Connections