Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association: 70 Years of Nurturing People-to-people Ties

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The ceremony was attended by Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Member of the Politburo, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Central mass organizations, and President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

Also present were Phan Anh Son, President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations; Nguyen Thuy Anh, President of the Vietnam-France Friendship Association; representatives of ministries and agencies; and the Embassy of France in Vietnam.

Member of the Party Central Committee and Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vo Thi Anh Xuan sent a congratulatory flower basket.

From the belief that “understanding can heal” to trusted cooperation

In her remarks at the ceremony, Nguyen Thuy Anh, Member of the Party Central Committee; Deputy Head of the Central Policy and Strategy Commission; Chair of the Vietnam-France Parliamentary Friendship Group; and President of the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association, recalled the milestone of July 2, 1955, when the Association (then the Vietnam-France Friendship Association) was established in a postwar context marked by profound historical challenges in bilateral relations. 70 years represent not merely a passage of time, but a journey built on trust, perseverance, and sincere affection between the peoples of Vietnam and France. 70 years ago, when the Indochina War had just ended, Vietnam-France relations faced a major test of history.

It was precisely in that context that, on July 2, 1955, the Vietnam-France Friendship Association came into being, reflecting the far-sighted vision of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh: valuing friendship between peoples and regarding people-to-people diplomacy as an important component of Vietnam’s foreign policy.

The Association was founded on a simple yet enduring belief: that people can understand one another, and that understanding can heal.

Nguyen Thuy Anh, Chair of the Vietnam-France Parliamentary Friendship Group and President of the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association, delivers remarks at the ceremony. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

During the resistance war against the United States for national salvation, the Vietnam-France Friendship Association played an active role on the international public opinion front. Through close coordination with the France-Vietnam Friendship Association and progressive forces in France, the Association mobilized broad support from the French public and international friends for the just struggle of the Vietnamese people. These efforts helped generate a wave of international public opinion in support of Vietnam and provided practical assistance to the Vietnamese negotiating delegation in Paris, leading to the Paris Peace Accords of 1973. In that same year, Vietnam and France officially established diplomatic relations, opening a new chapter in bilateral ties, in which people-to-people diplomacy continued to serve as a reliable and enduring channel of connection between the two countries.

After national reunification, the Association shifted its focus from public opinion advocacy to cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. It became an effective bridge in promoting cooperation in culture, education, science, healthcare, and humanitarian fields, while mobilizing valuable support from French friends for postwar recovery and socio-economic development.

President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Bui Thi Minh Hoai and delegates attend the anniversary ceremony. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

In the context where people-to-people diplomacy constitutes one of the three pillars of Vietnam’s diplomacy, the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association clearly recognizes its responsibility: not only to preserve tradition, but also to innovate and create, thereby more strongly enhancing its role as a bridge between the peoples of the two countries. Accordingly, in the period ahead, the Association will continue to expand its network of partners; strengthen cooperation in areas of strength such as education and the Francophonie, healthcare, culture, science, local-level cooperation, youth, and sports; and step up communications promoting the image of Vietnam in France as well as the cooperative and friendly relationship between the two countries.

During the years of resistance against the United States, the Association was recognized for its active participation on the “international public opinion front,” coordinating with friendship organizations and progressive forces in France to help spread support for Vietnam.

After national reunification, the Association shifted its focus from public opinion mobilization to cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, becoming a steadfast organization of connection in the fields of culture, education, science, healthcare, and humanitarian work, while also helping to maintain channels of cooperation even when external conditions for foreign relations were challenging.

Entering the period of international integration, the Association continued to innovate. Its renaming as the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association in 2009 was seen as a transition from traditional friendship to more substantive cooperation aligned with the development of bilateral relations. As Vietnam and France successively upgraded their ties to a Strategic Partnership (2013) and a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2024), the Association reaffirmed its commitment to further promoting its role as a bridge, expanding its network of partners, and advancing cooperation in areas of strength such as education and the Francophonie, healthcare, culture, science, local cooperation, youth, and sports, while also enhancing communications about Vietnam’s image in France.

Further Strengthening Vietnam-France Friendship

Speaking at the anniversary ceremony, President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son emphasized that, as the Association enters a new phase amid rapid and complex global and regional developments, and in response to new demands, the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association needs to continue renewing its thinking and modes of operation in order to better fulfill its role in Vietnam-France people-to-people diplomacy. He underscored the importance of aligning the Association’s activities with the strategic priorities of the Vietnam-France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, as well as with Vietnam’s major orientations and socio-economic development goals; and of promoting its role in connecting intellectuals, experts, youth, and the Vietnamese community in France, thereby generating a sustainable social ripple effect for bilateral relations.

President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son delivers remarks at the ceremony. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

At the same time, the Association should strengthen coordination with organizations within the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations system, its member chapters, and French partners, in order to enhance the quality, effectiveness, and impact of people-to-people diplomatic activities. In particular, with intergenerational continuity, the great potential of the Vietnamese community and Vietnamese students in France, and the deep affection that generations of leaders and peoples of the two countries have for one another, the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association will continue to write new and meaningful chapters, meeting expectations and trust, delivering tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries, and contributing to the shared goals of peace, stability, cooperation, and prosperity in the region and the world.

Member of the Politburo, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Central mass organizations, and President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Bui Thi Minh Hoai presents the Second-Class Labor Order to the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

At the ceremony, on behalf of the Party and State leadership, Member of the Politburo, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Central mass organizations, and President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Bui Thi Minh Hoai presented the Second-Class Labor Order to the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association in recognition of its outstanding contributions in recent years. On this occasion, a number of exemplary members were also awarded the commemorative medal “For Peace and Friendship Among Nations” by the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations.

President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son presents the commemorative medal “For Peace and Friendship Among Nations” to individuals who have made significant contributions to people-to-people diplomacy. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

The 70th anniversary celebration was not only an occasion to honor generations who have steadfastly kept the flame of friendship alive, but also conveyed a message about a “soft link” connecting the peoples of the two countries, where trust is nurtured through exchanges, cooperation, practical projects, and shared stories. Building on this foundation, the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association is expected to continue contributing to deeper social bonds, supporting concrete cooperation programs, and jointly expanding the space for collaboration in the interests of peace, stability, and sustainable development.

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