Vietnamese female soldiers in United Nations peacekeeping operations

(CLO) On October 25th, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department (Ministry of National Defence) collaborated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam and the Vietnam Women's Museum to organize an exchange event and photo exhibition titled "Vietnamese Female Soldiers in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations".

The event serves as a platform to share experiences, explore new approaches, and enhance understanding of the contributions of Vietnamese female military personnel to United Nations peacekeeping operations; aiming to increase and promote the full and meaningful participation of women in peacekeeping activities.

The exhibition displays photographs capturing memorable moments from the participation of Vietnamese female soldiers in United Nations peacekeeping missions over the past 10 years; honoring the beauty, talent, and contributions of female soldiers to peacekeeping missions, while further enhancing public understanding of Women, Peace, and Security issues.

People are visiting the exhibition space.

At the exhibition, locals and tourists will be able to admire nearly 100 photographs taken by Vietnamese soldiers who directly participated in United Nations peacekeeping missions. This provides an opportunity for the public to better understand their arduous and meaningful journeys in these distant missions, serving as vivid evidence of the courage, resilience, and humanitarian spirit of Vietnamese female soldiers.

Speaking to reporters, Colonel Mac Duc Trong said that the photographs displayed at the exhibition reflect the profound desire for peace of the Vietnamese people – a nation that has experienced fierce wars and understands very well the immense value of peace. This aspiration is carried by Vietnamese female soldiers in carrying out their missions in conflict zones, contributing to building lasting peace.

Furthermore, many photographs clearly reflect the difficulties and challenges faced by female soldiers, from the recruitment process and rigorous training to their deployment. Many female soldiers have had to temporarily set aside their family lives and overcome personal obstacles to dedicate themselves to this noble international mission; the photographs also showcase the closeness and sharing of Vietnamese female soldiers with local people through activities in healthcare, education , culture, and social welfare.

"Even far from their homeland, these women still carry with them the qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers - a spirit of compassion and responsibility, connecting friendship between nations, and spreading the good values ​​of peace," Colonel Mac Duc Trong emphasized.

The image shows female soldiers from the 1st Army Corps of Engineers bidding farewell to their loved ones before departing for their mission.

At the program, delegates also had the opportunity to interact with special guests – commanders, officers, and female military personnel who have made significant contributions and had unique experiences during their participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations.

To date, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence has deployed 18 female military personnel individually (15.12%) and 129 female military personnel in units (13.87%). Vietnam has been striving to maintain an increasing percentage of women participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations, in line with the UN's objectives.

The exhibition is open to the public from October 25th to November 8th, 2024 at the Vietnam Women's Museum (36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hang Bai Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi).

Vietnamese female soldiers are deployed to United Nations field missions to perform various tasks such as operational staff officers, intelligence officers, training officers, civil-military coordination officers, logistics officers, supply and provision officers, military observers, and liaison officers. Within their units, Vietnamese female soldiers are responsible for commanding field hospitals, managing logistics, administrative staff work, engineering, medical services, and even troop security.

Many Vietnamese female military personnel serving in missions hold doctoral and master's degrees; upon completion of their terms of service, they are highly regarded by United Nations leaders and mission leaders, awarded medals and commendations, and recognized for outstanding performance.

Text and photos: Trung Nguyen

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/hinh-anh-nu-quan-nhan-viet-nam-trong-hoat-dong-gin-giu-hoa-binh-lien-hop-quoc-post318431.html