Fostering unity and solidarity from all directions.

Over the years, the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) has become a common home connecting the Vietnamese community abroad with their homeland. This role is demonstrated through programs to mobilize, unite, and care for the overseas Vietnamese community, especially through the increasingly extensive participation of the members of the VFF Central Committee.

At the 11th National Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the voices and expectations of overseas Vietnamese delegates continued to demonstrate the increasingly prominent role of the overseas Vietnamese community in the national unity bloc.

Extended arms

While in the past, the image of overseas Vietnamese was often associated with sentiments of patriotism, today, the overseas Vietnamese community has become an important resource in many fields such as economics, science, education, culture, and people-to-people diplomacy .

Throughout this journey, the team of members of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front who are overseas Vietnamese are seen as "extended arms" of the national unity bloc abroad. They not only represent the voice of the Vietnamese community in their host countries but also contribute to bringing the image of Vietnam to the world through many practical activities.

Many overseas Vietnamese are now entrepreneurs, scientists , and intellectuals holding prominent positions in developed countries. They serve as bridges for investment, trade, science, and technology cooperation, while also contributing to a better understanding of Vietnam among the international community.

For Dr. Phan Bich Thien, President of the Vietnamese Women's Forum in Europe, her involvement in community work and participation in the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front stemmed from her participation in youth and student movements in Moscow (Russia) and her attendance at the 1988 Festival of Outstanding Youth and Students Abroad in Bulgaria.

After moving to Hungary with her family and settling there permanently, she was always concerned about how to strengthen the Vietnamese community and assert its position in the host country. From this thought, she helped establish the Vietnamese Women's Association in Hungary, actively participating in community activities, people-to-people diplomacy, and connecting women, entrepreneurs, and intellectuals of the Vietnamese diaspora with their homeland.

Dr. Phan Bich Thien, President of the Vietnamese Women's Forum in Europe, contributed her opinion at the Congress. (Source: Organizing Committee)

It was from this practical experience that, in 2009, she was introduced by the Vietnamese Embassy in Hungary to join the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. According to her, at that time, many overseas Vietnamese still did not fully understand the role and functions of the Front. However, through four terms of participation, she increasingly felt the Front's role in gathering and consolidating the great national unity, especially in connecting more than six million overseas Vietnamese as an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation.

What impressed Dr. Phan Bich Thien most was the spirit of always focusing on overseas Vietnamese with respect and a willingness to listen, demonstrated through the Front's regular consultations with overseas Vietnamese on important national issues, and its efforts to convey many of their suggestions to relevant authorities. Many policies and legal regulations have also been adjusted to ensure the rights of overseas Vietnamese.

Attending the 11th National Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Dr. Tran Hai Linh, an overseas Vietnamese residing in South Korea, also clearly felt the open-mindedness, receptiveness, and increasingly profound concern of the Party, State, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front for the Vietnamese community abroad. According to him, the strength of national unity in the new era lies not only in shared spirit but also in the ability to connect and leverage Vietnamese resources, creating a common strength for the goal of building a strong and prosperous nation.

A pillar of community connection

One of the things frequently mentioned by overseas Vietnamese when discussing the Vietnam Fatherland Front is its role in connecting and building trust. Not only does it unite people from all walks of life in Vietnam, but the Front is increasingly expanding its reach to the overseas Vietnamese community through dialogue, meetings, gathering opinions, and supporting the overseas community in preserving their national cultural identity.

Many overseas Vietnamese members believe that participating in the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front is not only a personal honor, but also an opportunity for them to directly convey the thoughts and aspirations of the overseas Vietnamese community to the Party, the State, and the people at home.

The role of overseas Vietnamese in the Front today is no longer symbolic. Their voices are increasingly heard on issues related to overseas Vietnamese policies, Vietnamese language education, attracting intellectuals, and building national unity.

Delegate Huynh Tan Dat, President of the Vietnamese Student Association in Australia, said that what left a strong impression at the Congress was the spirit of innovation, the strong focus on the grassroots, putting the people at the center, and emphasizing the practicality in all activities of the Front. He was particularly impressed with the message of caring for the practical interests of the people, including the Vietnamese community abroad.

From the perspective of a student union official in Australia, Mr. Huynh Tan Dat hopes that in the future, the Vietnam Fatherland Front will continue to develop more effective mechanisms to connect with overseas Vietnamese associations, especially young intellectuals, students, and young professionals. He believes that with close coordination and specific guidance, the global Vietnamese youth and student community can contribute more to the country in the fields of science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and promoting Vietnam to the world.

Delegate Huynh Tan Dat, President of the Vietnamese Student Association in Australia. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Expectations for a new term

Attending the 11th National Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, many overseas Vietnamese delegates expressed their hope that the Congress would further expand the role of the overseas Vietnamese community in the national unity bloc.

In addition, they expect the Front, in its new term, to further promote online connections, regular exchange forums with overseas Vietnamese, and programs to attract young intellectuals to return and contribute to the country.

Many opinions also suggest that the role of overseas Vietnamese in cultural diplomacy and promoting the image of Vietnam to the world should be strengthened. In the context of increasingly deep international integration, the overseas Vietnamese community has a special advantage in building international networks in economics, education, and culture.

Businessman Nguyen Hoai Bac, an overseas Vietnamese residing in Canada, highly praised the keynote speech by General Secretary and President To Lam at the Congress. According to him, although concise, the speech directly addressed practical issues, closely aligned with current requirements, and demonstrated a decisive spirit in handling and resolving the country's problems.

He expressed his hope that the Vietnam Fatherland Front, along with other ministries and agencies, would continue to uphold the spirit of "speaking less, doing more," putting the people at the center of service. According to him, the strength of the Party stems from its close ties with the people; the State is strong because it relies on the people, and the regime is sustainable because it receives the trust, support, and joint efforts of the people.

Businessman Nguyen Hoai Bac, a Vietnamese expatriate in Canada (second from the right), with other delegates attending the Congress. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Representing the Vietnamese diaspora in Japan, Mr. Nguyen Duy Anh also stated that what the Vietnamese diaspora community most desires today is genuine connection, attentive listening, and long-term support from within Vietnam. Given the increasing diversity of the diaspora in terms of generations, occupations, and places of residence, the Vietnam Fatherland Front needs to continue innovating its connection methods towards greater flexibility and effectiveness, especially by promoting the application of digital platforms to maintain regular interaction with overseas Vietnamese.

It is evident that the Vietnam Fatherland Front has always played a crucial role in mobilizing forces and maintaining spiritual cohesion among the Vietnamese community both at home and abroad. Beyond being a significant political and social milestone, the 11th National Congress also affirmed that wherever they may be, the Vietnamese diaspora community remains an integral part of the nation, sharing the aspiration to build a developed, strong, and culturally rich Vietnam.

Source: baoquocte.vn

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/vun-dap-khoi-dai-doan-ket-tu-muon-phuong-238260514184253168.htm