Vietnam’s role in OIF highlighted at Montpellier conference
Scholars and experts on French language and culture have affirmed Vietnam’s increasingly important role in the French-speaking community and the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF).
Paris (VNA) – Scholars and experts on French language and culture have affirmedVietnam’s increasingly important role in the French-speaking community and theInternational Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) at aconference in France’ssouthern city of Montpellier as part of the Francophone Week from March 27-31.
Imma Tor Faus, who represented the OIF Secretary-General, highlighted theposition and role of Vietnam in the OIF as well as the maintenance anddevelopment of French language in the country.
Sherecognised Vietnam’s significant contributions to the OIF since it joined theorganisation in 1970, especially through the hosting of the Francophone Summitin 1997.
Frenchlanguage in Vietnam has helped foster economic and trade ties with partners,especially in African countries, she said, mentioning Vietnam’s rice growingproject in Cameroon, cashew processing plants in Benin and Ivory Coast, andwood processing project in Gabon.
Theincreasing role of French language in Asia will contribute to promotingexchanges in the region towards a better and more humane world, said Faus.
At theevent, themed “French in Vietnam: History, literature and memories”, VietnameseAmbassador to France Nguyen Ngoc Sonreviewed important milestones in therelations between Vietnam and the IOF in 2016, including the OIF GeneralSecretary’s Vietnam visitin September, President Tran Dai Quang’s attendance atthe Francophone Summit in Madagascar in November, and French President FrancoisHollande’s visit to Vietnam.
The diplomatlauded the achievements of the OIF in various fields, especially preventing andcoping with crises, reinforcing peace, respecting international law, andpromoting cultural diversity, education and environmental protection.
However, healso pointed out that the French-speaking community is facing challenges inVietnam and the Asian region such as modest number of French speakers.
He urged theOIF to continue supporting the teaching of French language, with priority givento bilingual classes, while increasing scholarships and training courses forpublic servants and diplomats.
In terms ofeconomy, the organisation should work harder for the formation of an economicsystem using French language, support partnerships among members and promote themultilateral cooperation in French-speaking space.
On thesidelines of the Francophone Week, Ambassador Son had a meeting with PierrePousessel, Governor of Heraultprefecture to discuss cooperation between thelocality and Vietnamese partners, especially in economy and tertiary education.-VNA
The teaching of French is developing in Southeast Asia, according to Director for the Asia-Pacific of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) Eric-Normand Thibeault.
Vietnam has made significant efforts to contribute to the development of Francophone community and the promotion of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF)’s image in the region.
Vietnam joined French-speaking countries to attend a ceremony at the Kirchner Cultural Centre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 20 to celebrate International Francophonie Day 2017.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the agency’s centre for digital contents and communications (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Austria, with prestigious conductors like Mahler and Karajan who shape its legacy. Its New Year’s Concert, broadcast to over 90 countries annually, stands as a global symbol of classical music excellence.
PM Chinh lauded the press’s historic role in the nation’s fight for independence and its ongoing process of national development, affirming that the Government always highly appreciates the close partnership and steadfast support of press agencies and journalists nationwide.
In recent decades, Vietnam’s mainstream media has become a reliable and persuasive channel for showcasing the nation’s development policies and achievements, especially in economic matters, according to a senior assistant editor at the Times of India.
A hub for sharing best practices, the event aims to forge solutions for financial sustainability, public media contracts, audience engagement, content innovation, and newsroom restructuring. It is also a moment for Vietnam’s media to accelerate its progress and figure out what the “revolutionary press” means in a new era.
From “Thanh nien”, Vietnam’s first revolutionary newspaper founded by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later President Ho Chi Minh) on June 21, 1925, the revolutionary press has remained devoted to its sacred missions -accompanying the nation, serving the Fatherland, and working for the people.
The official launch of Emirates’ Dubai–Da Nang route on June 2 has sparked a “tourism revolution” for Vietnam’s central coastal city. Da Nang is emerging as a top destination for high-end travelers, particularly from the lucrative Middle Eastern market.
Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said VNA has been a consistent and reliable partner in OANA, contributing actively to the regional media landscape through content sharing, coordination, and policy discussions. Their coverage of ASEAN and Indochina issues adds valuable perspectives. Bernama appreciates the collaboration with VNA.
In this era of global integration and digitalisation, the press must adopt modern multimedia models to not only meet increasing information and communication demands but also align with the broader socio-economic development of the country.
A master plan on implementation of recommendations accepted by Vietnam under the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) took effect on June 17.
Participants at the conference (Photo: VNA) 
