The bridge builder of diplomacy and cultures

From Osaka to Canberra, then Copenhagen - each overseas assignment left him with lessons about people, culture and how a country asserts its position on the world map.

For him, diplomacy is not only a profession, but also a journey of awareness, of dialogue and of belief that for each land, as poet Che Lan Vien once wrote: "When we are here, it is just a place to live/When we leave, the land suddenly becomes the soul".

Ambassador Luong Thanh Nghi and the overseas Vietnamese delegation visited Truong Sa and DK1 Platform in April 2018

From Osaka, with the first lessons

Japan was the starting point for that journey. In 2003, he was appointed Deputy Consul General at the Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka - his first overseas assignment, but one that shaped his core diplomatic qualities.

Before that, Mr. Nghi had a short time studying in the land of cherry blossoms, so when he returned as a diplomat with the title of Deputy Consul General, the feeling was both familiar and new. "But only when living and working with them, I understood why a nation that had lost everything after the war could stand up so strongly," Mr. Nghi said.

Japan, as he said, is a great school, “I always respect and admire the passion for work, the carefulness, discipline, detail but very scientific of the Japanese. Those qualities more or less affect my thinking and actions in my work process later”.

To this day, he remains immersed in Japanese culture, cuisine and spirit. “Perhaps that is where I understand best that diplomacy is not only a dialogue between countries, but also a meeting between cultures,” Mr. Nghi mused.

Canberra - a journey across the ocean and broadening horizons

Generations of Spokespersons of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam (photo taken in April 2021)

Nearly 10 years later, he became the Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia (2014-2017). If Osaka gave him meticulousness, Canberra left him with vision and the ability to reconcile differences. That period marked a turning point in Vietnam-Australia relations, when the two countries were expanding cooperation in many fields, from politics, education, to trade and innovation.

Australia - a large country with more than 250 ethnic groups, a developed economy, advanced science and technology and a large Vietnamese community - brought him countless experiences.

“I have visited all states and territories and felt the affection of Australian people, politicians and businesses for Vietnam. Despite the ups and downs in the history of bilateral relations, the two sides have put the past behind them, looked to the future, and together built an equal and mutually beneficial cooperative relationship,” he said.

For Mr. Nghi, Australia is not only a place of work but also "a vast picture of majestic natural landscapes and creative inspiration".

As a photography enthusiast, he has captured hundreds of frames of the world's largest coral reef (Great Barrier Reef), the Great Ocean Road, or the foggy Tasmanian strip of land...

“Every time I hold my camera, I feel like I'm not just capturing a landscape, but also capturing the emotions of the country and the friends who have built friendship bridges with me.”

A small but mighty Denmark

Mr. Luong Thanh Nghi when he was the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam

From 2022 to 2025, Mr. Nghi will serve as the Vietnamese Ambassador to Denmark - one of the countries with the second highest happiness index in the world. He considers this "a very lucky thing for himself".

Denmark is small but full of innovation. It is the land that gave birth to the Viking iron axe, the Lego brick, or modern technologies such as Google Map and Skype - inventions that bear the mark of Nordic thinking. “I often joke that Denmark is small but has a lot of ‘martial arts’,” Mr. Nghi laughed. “They are at the forefront of green transformation, science and technology, and liberal education.”

In particular, Denmark's philosophy of lifelong learning and education for all, its science and technology level and its innovation index, which are always in the top 10 in the world, left a deep impression on him. Along with that is the historical closeness - Prince Henrik, husband of Queen Margrethe II, spent many years studying and living in Vietnam. Denmark was also one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam - in 1971.

For Mr. Nghi, working in Copenhagen is an opportunity to see how a small but intelligent and responsible country has built a global position through creativity and humanity. “It is a place that makes me believe more that diplomacy is not only about politics, but also about education, science, and the living environment,” Mr. Nghi said.

Spokesperson - the face of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Many people remember Mr. Nghi as the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam - a position he held from September 2011 to February 2014. At that time, he was the sixth Spokesperson in the history of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since this mechanism was established in 1987 with Ms. Ho The Lan being the first female spokesperson.

“The spokesperson has a high level of representation (often considered the face of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and is also a bridge between the State and public opinion,” said Mr. Nghi. To undertake this role, the spokesperson not only needs in-depth knowledge of international politics, professionalism and courage, good communication skills, but also must understand the media, have the courage to respond to pressure and the ability to maintain a balance between information transparency and protecting national interests.

When he was appointed, he had more than 20 years of experience in the industry, having experienced both domestic and international environments, as well as many years of working directly with foreign press. “Perhaps those are the reasons why the leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs chose me as the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he said. During those years, Mr. Nghi contributed to creating the image of a modern, professional, steadfast but dialogue-ready Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The red thread runs through

During his diplomatic career, Mr. Nghi has held many different positions: Ambassador, Vice Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs... Each position has its own tasks and pressures, but for him, they all have one thing in common - requiring dedication, devotion, and professional knowledge and skills.

At representative agencies, the tasks of diplomats cover politics, economics, culture, security and defense, consular work and citizen protection. At the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, the work is more specialized, aiming to connect overseas Vietnamese, preserve national cultural identity and mobilize resources for national development. “Although the agencies are different, they all have the same goal: to build Vietnam's soft power and foster national unity,” Mr. Nghi shared.

“When we leave, the land suddenly becomes our soul”

Up to now, with more than 35 years of working in the diplomatic sector, Mr. Luong Thanh Nghi has experienced all the levels of the profession. Each working term, each country, each event is a piece of the puzzle that depicts the picture of a person who chooses to stand in the middle of diplomatic bridges - connecting cultures, interests and most of all, people.

Now, looking back, “every place I have been has left a deep impression - from the scenery, people, culture to cuisine - and helped me mature in my work and life. Each working term abroad (about more than 3 years) is a lesson, a new understanding of the world and myself, bringing unforgettable experiences, just as the poet Che Lan Vien wrote: “When we are here, it is just a place to live, when we leave, the land suddenly becomes the soul”, Mr. Nghi confided.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nguoi-noi-cay-cau-ngoai-giao-va-nhung-nen-van-hoa-post1794803.tpo