Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association: Building an effective and sustainable people-to-people cooperation model

The Central Committee of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association, Southern Standing Committee, has just coordinated with the Southern Vietnam Youth Union Former Cadres Liaison Committee to organize the program "10-year reunion of warm friendship", celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Representative Office, Khmer Language Center and Vietnam - Cambodia Business Club (VNCBC).

Speaking at the program, Dr. Le Hong Liem, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association, Standing Member of the Southern region, said that after 10 years of operation, the Association's work in the Southern region has made strong progress in content and methods, closely connecting the business community, experts, and artists in people-to-people friendship activities.

Dr. Le Hong Liem, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association, Southern Standing Committee, spoke at the program. (Photo: KT)

From a few dozen initial members, VNCBC has now gathered more than 200 businesses, not only promoting bilateral investment and trade but also actively participating in social work, supporting the Vietnamese-Cambodian community, giving gifts to students in border areas, contributing to social security and volunteering.

A notable highlight is the "Nurturing Friendship" movement, launched by the Central Association, with hundreds of Cambodian students studying in Vietnam being sponsored and supported in their studies and living by businessmen and members. He affirmed that each member enterprise is a friendship ambassador, contributing to fostering increasingly strong Vietnam - Cambodia relations.

Along with that, the Khmer Language Center has trained more than 1,500 students, providing knowledge of Cambodian language and culture, becoming a prestigious address for people working in foreign affairs and businesses cooperating in the host country.

Highly appreciating the operating model, Mr. Oknha Leng Rithy, Chairman of the Vietnam - Cambodia Business Association in Cambodia, commented that VNCBC is a typical model of people-to-people cooperation between the two countries - combining friendship and development interests.

Art program to celebrate "10 years of warm and affectionate reunion". (Photo: KT)

Mr. Nguyen Cong Trung, member of the Central Executive Committee of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association, a former volunteer soldier who fought in Cambodia, said: "Helping friends is helping myself. I consider continuing to be associated with the Association as a way to show gratitude and extend the old friendship." He and his wife are currently sponsoring two Cambodian students studying at Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and Pharmacy (HCMC), seeing it as a simple but practical way to pass on friendship to the younger generation.

Mr. Trung proposed expanding the "Nurturing Friendship" movement, connecting more veteran volunteers, experts and youth union members to support Cambodian students, helping them integrate and become ambassadors of friendship after returning home.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/hoi-huu-nghi-viet-nam-campuchia-xay-dung-mo-hinh-hop-tac-nhan-dan-hieu-qua-ben-vung-217422.html