First-ever Vietnamese-Russian Youth Forum opens in Hanoi

HANOI, July 24. /TASS/. Participants of the first-ever Vietnamese-Russian Youth Forum organized by Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) and Russia’s Federal Agency for Youth Affairs will discuss the development of youth exchanges and the prospects of extending cooperation in the sphere of youth policy between Vietnam and Russia on July 23-29. The forum’s opening ceremony was held on Tuesday evening in the International Convention Center in Hanoi. In his welcome address, First Secretary of the HCYU Central Committee Le Quoc Phong pointed out that the forum is taking place amid the celebration in 2019-2020 of memorable dates for Vietnam and Russia: the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Basic Principles of Friendly relations and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In this context, the conference, aimed to galvanize cooperation between the younger generations of the two countries, will write a vivid page in the long-time history of successful development of Vietnamese-Russian partnership. "We hope that thanks to this forum young Russians will be able to better understand our country, its culture and people and experience the warm feelings of the Vietnamese youth and the whole Vietnamese people toward foreign friends, especially their close friends from Russia," the HCYU first secretary stressed. Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Alexander Bugayev in his address expressed confidence that the forum will become a great venue for sharing experience and presenting joint ideas and initiatives, which is especially important and relevant amid the Russian-Vietnamese cross-culture year. The Russian delegation included young representatives for Russia’s largest public organizations, as well as students who study Vietnam’s language, history, culture and economy. "The delegates represent different regions of our great country - from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok. They are eagerly waiting for a chance to deepen their knowledge about Vietnam and establish direct friendly contacts with their peers," Bugayev noted. The forum’s program includes multiple meetings and round-table discussions that will be held in Hanoi, in the northern Vietnamese Quang Ninh province and in southern Ho Chi Minh City. Young activists from both countries will discuss the history and modern state of Russian-Vietnamese relations and the prospects of developing bilateral cooperation in such spheres as voluntary work and work with the rural youth. Read more