The programme was jointly organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Peace Committee (HPC), the Ho Chi Minh City Peace and Development Foundation (HPDF), and the Global Flagship of Peace.

The event was attended by Ha Thanh, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations; Ton Nu Thi Ninh, President of the HPDF and President of the HPC; Major General, Associate Professor, Doctor Nguyen Hong Son, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin; Nguyen Thi My Tien, Vice President of the HPDF; Huynh Ngoc Van, former Director of the War Remnants Museum, Director of the Ao Dai Museum and Vice President of the HPC; and Lam Ngo Hoang Anh, Acting Deputy Director of the War Remnants Museum, along with representatives of friendship organisations.

International participants included Barbara Violetta Figiel, co-founder of the Global Flagship of Peace and a founding member of the Rotary Odyssey Club; and Paul Montoya, President and founding member of the Rotary Odyssey Club.

In particular, the programme was attended by more than 50 international visitors from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, India, China, the Philippines and other countries, who are members of the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise community. As part of their journey connecting different lands and cultures, the group chose Ho Chi Minh City as a port of call coinciding with the International Day of Peace.

Ton Nu Thi Ninh, President of the HPC and HPDF, and Barbara Violetta Figiel, co-founder of the Global Flagship of Peace, ring the bell of peace together.

From memories of war to lessons in reconciliation

Speaking at the programme, Ton Nu Thi Ninh shared with international friends her reflections on history, Vietnam’s diplomatic identity and the country’s journey towards reconciliation.

She stressed that Vietnam’s painful yet resilient history is a sacred part of the nation’s collective memory, not something to be erased or forgotten. However, the way history is approached should be oriented towards the future: remembering in order to understand, understanding in order to reconcile, and reconciling in order to build the future together.

Drawing on Vietnam’s experience, she emphasised the value of tolerance and a forward-looking spirit. Yesterday’s adversaries can become today’s friends when the parties choose dialogue, cooperation and concrete humanitarian actions.

Activities such as searching for missing military personnel, clearing landmines, addressing the consequences of war and supporting victims of Agent Orange have contributed to building trust and opening up new spaces for cooperation between Viet Nam and its international partners.

Ton Nu Thi Ninh (left) speaks at the programme.

Ton Nu Thi Ninh also highlighted Viet Nam’s foreign policy of independence and self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification, as well as proactive international integration. Viet Nam’s contributions to peace are reflected not only through dialogue and diplomacy, but also through humanitarian activities, efforts to address the consequences of war, and participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions.

The message shared at the programme was also in line with the spirit of the International Day of Peace: peace is not merely the absence of war, but something that must be nurtured every day through dialogue, trust, mutual respect, understanding, and concrete, positive and constructive actions.

The Bell of Peace rings out

A highlight of the programme was the Peace Bell ringing ceremony held on the grounds of the War Remnants Museum.

Leaders of the HPC, HPDF, HUFO, the War Remnants Museum and HAVA pose for a commemorative photo.

In a solemn atmosphere, representatives of the Peace Committee, the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations, the Peace and Development Foundation, the War Remnants Museum, and the Ho Chi Minh City Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, together with representatives of the Global Flagship of Peace and the Rotary Odyssey Club, rang the bells of peace.

Immediately afterwards, all delegates and guests observed a minute of silence in remembrance of the victims of war, while expressing their hope for a future free from war and conflict.

Delegates enjoy a musical performance.

The message of peace continued to spread through an artistic programme featuring Vietnamese performers. The programme opened with a performance by Orange Happiness, a group comprising victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Ho Chi Minh City, who performed the songs “Take Me to Brooklyn”, “You Raise Me Up” and “Nối Vòng Tay Lớn”.

The performances conveyed stories of resilience and efforts to overcome the consequences of war. A mashup of Northern Vietnamese folk songs, “Bèo Dạt Mây Trôi - Trống Cơm”, the traditional song “Dạ Cổ Hoài Lang”, and the song “Coming Home - Đi Về Nhà” introduced international friends to aspects of Vietnamese culture and the spirit of connection and sharing.

Following the programme, the delegation and international visitors toured the War Remnants Museum, where they learned about documents, artefacts and stories related to the war and its consequences in Viet Nam.

The visit gave the international guests an opportunity to gain first-hand insights into Viet Nam’s history, the consequences left by the war, and the value of peace today.

Seeking Solutions to Remove Bottlenecks to Socio-Economic Development On July 29 in Hanoi, the Vietnam Peace and Development Council, in coordination with the Institute for Economic Strategy Studies, held a seminar to identify key bottlenecks hindering socio-economic development while proposing solutions and development orientations for Vietnam in the years ahead.

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