On the evening of January 19th, 2023, the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association, in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organizations, organized an art performance program titled "Flourising Vietnam-Laos Amity" at Ho Chi Minh University of Education. The program contributed to promoting people-to-people diplomacy between Vietnam and Laos and provided an opportunity for the young generations of the two countries to exchange and learn through cultural and artistic activities.
In attendance were Mr. Ngo Minh Chau, City’s Party Committee Member, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee, and President of the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association; Mr. Ho Xuan Lam, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organizations; and Mr. Phonesy Bounmixay, Consul General of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in Ho Chi Minh City. Representing Ho Chi Minh City University of Education was Prof. Dr. Huynh Van Son, the University's President.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Ngo Minh Chau, City’s Party Committee Member, Deputy Chairman of the People's Committee, and President of the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association, highlighted that over the past time, the traditional amity between Ho Chi Minh City and Lao localities had been continuously developing deeply and widely across various sectors, yielding increasingly practical outcomes. Particularly in the field of education and training, Ho Chi Minh City had nearly 800 Lao students studying at academies and universities at present.
Mr. Phonesy Bounmixay, Consul General of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in Ho Chi Minh City, highly appreciated this program, which aimed to strengthen international solidarity and friendship, as well as the ties of Laos - Vietnam, Vietnam – Laos in general, and between Ho Chi Minh City and Lao localities in particular. He hoped that in the future, the City would continue to implement cooperative programs in line with the goals and tasks of socio-economic development of the two countries.
In a warm and solemn atmosphere, students from several universities, including Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Ton Duc Thang University, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, the University Preparatory School, Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance, the Lao Students' Dormitory in Ho Chi Minh City, and the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Cultural House, staged a series of impressive performances.
During the program, the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association officially launched two new Vietnam-Laos Friendship Chapters, one at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education and another at Thien Phu Tourism and Education Limited Company.
As a token of appreciation and to foster a festive atmosphere during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year among Lao students, the organizing committee presented 100 gifts, worth 500,000 VND each, to 100 Lao students.
