Lesson 1: From Irkutsk to Hanoi: Sowing the seeds of friendship from young shoots

NDO - These days, in Hanoi, a group of 50 students from Irkutsk province, Russian Federation are having a memorable visit and exchange with Vietnamese friends within the framework of the "School Diplomacy" project. The activity is implemented by the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association of Irkutsk province "Baikal" in collaboration with the organization "Youth without Borders" with the support of the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Hanoi, contributing to deepening the traditional friendship between Russia and Vietnam through lively connections from the young generation.

Previously, from March 24 to 30, the “Baikal” Friendship Association also organized a delegation of 30 students to visit and exchange in Hanoi under the “School Diplomacy ” Project.

Historical milestone, the driving force connecting the young generations of the two countries

Sharing with Nhan Dan Newspaper reporters about the exciting activities within the framework of the project, Chairman of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association of Irkutsk “Baikal” province Andrey Akhmadulin said that the activity has special significance as it takes place in 2025 - the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and Vietnam. At the same time, the two countries also celebrate many important events such as the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the 135th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh , the 80th anniversary of National Day and the 50th anniversary of National Reunification Day.

“It is these historical milestones that have motivated us to restore exchange activities between students of the two countries after a period of interruption. The main goal of the project is to promote international cooperation and student exchange between the two countries; to arouse interest in history, culture, and traditions, and to create a foundation for future cooperation,” Mr. Andrey Akhmadulin emphasized.

During the preparation for the trip, the Organizing Committee held many introductions to Vietnam, helping students have a closer look at the history and traditions here. In particular, students heard and learned about President Ho Chi Minh's visit to Irkutsk on July 9-10, 1955 and the contribution of Mr. Bazyr Vampilov in supporting the construction of the Museum of Revolution in Hanoi . He was a Soviet expert who studied at the Communist Labor University of the East in the 1930s, where he had the opportunity to meet President Ho Chi Minh.

Irkutsk province students visit Lenin Monument.

Along with the development of the Vietnamese community in Irkutsk, the young generation here is increasingly interested in learning Vietnamese. Among the group of students coming to Vietnam this time, there are some who can communicate in Vietnamese. Although the number is still modest, Mr. Andrey Akhmadulin is confident that after the trip, there will be more young people interested in this language, because Irkutsk used to be one of the major centers for training Vietnamese experts in many fields and that connection is still valuable today.

Warmth from meetings

During their week in Vietnam, the Irkutsk students had many activities to visit and learn about Vietnamese culture and history. The group visited the historic Ba Dinh Square and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The students visited and learned about the heritage of Thang Long Imperial Citadel, the Temple of Literature, Bat Trang pottery village and made beautiful plates by themselves. Within the framework of the program, the students also visited the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex (Ninh Binh Province) - the first and only mixed heritage in Southeast Asia recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

Irkutsk province students visit Temple of Literature.

In addition to sightseeing and learning about Vietnamese history and culture, the highlight of the trip was the meetings and exchanges with students from Hanoi. Previously, the group of 30 students visited and exchanged at Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted and Foreign Language High School, University of Languages ​​and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. On this trip, the group of 50 Irkutsk students will exchange at Nguyen Hue High School for the Gifted, Hanoi.

“We were deeply moved by the warm and thoughtful welcome from your side. The Vietnamese people are very friendly and open. Despite the language barrier, people still connect with each other through smiles, eyes, and sincere gestures. Many people, when hearing Russian, immediately started talking, reviewed a few Russian words, and gave small gifts or ice cream to the students. The Vietnamese students were also very happy to take pictures and interact with our young people. Some even made friends, exchanged phone numbers and social networks to keep in touch,” the head of the delegation excitedly recounted.

The visit of the Irkutsk students is a vivid demonstration of the vitality of the Vietnam-Russia relationship in the new era - where the young generation becomes a bridge of culture, understanding and sharing. When the seeds of friendship are sown from school age, the future of bilateral relations will certainly continue to flourish with stronger, closer and more colorful bridges.

Sharing her feelings when she first set foot in Vietnam, Kira Polukhina, a 7th grade student at Specialized High School No. 3 in Irkutsk city, said that what impressed her most was that Vietnamese people are extremely friendly, open and connected. The connection between people in Vietnam makes her feel very admiring. “I am very excited about the upcoming exchange with students. I believe it will be an interesting meeting, where both sides can learn from each other and form new friendships,” Kira shared.

“Vietnam is a country of kind people, with a rich culture that is distilled from many ethnic groups, but still retains its own unique characteristics. It is hot and humid here, but that does not stop the desire to explore and learn about this wonderful country,” Kira added.

Towards long-term cooperation

Chairman of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association of Irkutsk “Baikal” Andrey Akhmadulin emphasized that children are the future, and today, we are building the foundation for relations between the two countries. In the future, they will grow up, choose their own paths and careers, but the warm feelings, childhood friendship and love for Vietnam and Russia will remain forever in their hearts.

Irkutsk province students take photos on The Huc bridge.

“School diplomacy” is a sustainable investment in Vietnam-Russia relations. Friendships sown from childhood will develop into a solid foundation for cooperation in science, education, trade, and culture in the future. “We believe that the more young people from both countries have direct contact and learn about history, culture, and the Vietnam-Russia relationship, the stronger and more vibrant the friendship between the two peoples will be,” Mr. Andrey Akhmadulin emphasized.

After the trip, the Russian delegation hopes to expand the cooperation model, connecting with more Vietnamese schools and universities. The two sides are promoting initiatives such as: Organizing a "Russian Cultural Week" in Vietnam; publishing a book about President Ho Chi Minh's visit to Irkutsk, a magazine introducing Irkutsk in Vietnamese; organizing screenings of Vietnamese films in Irkutsk... In particular, a very interesting idea is to build a cooperative relationship between the figure skating federations of the two countries to exchange sports and train young talents.

The visit of the Irkutsk students is a vivid demonstration of the vitality of the Vietnam-Russia relationship in the new era - where the young generation becomes a bridge of culture, understanding and sharing. When the seeds of friendship are sown from school age, the future of bilateral relations will certainly continue to flourish with stronger, closer and more colorful bridges.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/ngoai-giao-hoc-duong-vun-dap-tinh-huu-nghi-viet-nam-lien-bang-nga-post871317.html