A performance at the ceremony (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – A ceremony took place at the Ly ThaiTo Statue Square in downtown Hanoi on March 15 evening to celebrate the 2019International Francophone Day (March 20).
Speaking at the event, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trungpraised cooperation outcomes obtained by the Francophone community and theiractive contributions to tackling global security and developmentchallenges.
Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung speaks at the event (Photo: VNA) Vietnam is dedicated to the solidarity and collaborationwithin the community for peace, stability and sustainable growth in the world,the diplomat stated.
He said Vietnam is willing to work for the promotion of theFrench language in Asia-Pacific.
Also at the ceremony, Anne Lange, head of the Wallonie-BruxellesDelegation in Vietnam and president of the Group of Francophone Embassies,Delegations and Institutions in Hanoi (GADIF), bestowed the GADIF award upontwo individuals in recognition of their work in promoting the French languagein Vietnam and the ties between Vietnam and the Francophone community.
The two are Bui Tran Phuong, chairwoman of the executiveboard of the Thai Binh Duong University in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province;and Tran Bich Nga, a student of the Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy inThua Thien – Hue province.
Besides the ceremony, a wide range of activities are takingplace on March 15 and 16, from art and musical performances to a fair featuring60 stalls ran by the embassies of French-speaking countries, universities andhigh schools, organisations, State agencies and businesses. These pavilionstreated visitors to useful information, gastronomic and entertainmentactivities.
The Vietnam News Agency also operated a stall at the event,introducing its Le Courrier du Vietnam – the only French-language dailynewspaper in Vietnam.
Visitors hold on their hands Vietnam News Agency's Le Courrier du Vietnam – the only French-language daily newspaper in Vietnam (Photo: VNA) The morning of March 16 saw over 1,2000 students holdinghands to form the five-colour logo of the International Organisation of theFrancophonie (OIF) at the Ly Thai To Statue Square as part of celebrationactivities, followed by the cutting of a 25-layer cake marking the 25th anniversary of the Asia-Pacific Office of the Francophone University Agency (AUF).
Various activities will also be held across Vietnam duringMarch to celebrate the International Francophone Day.
The ceremony in Hanoi was co-organised by the ForeignMinistry, the Hanoi administration and the OIF.
The OIF groups 88 member states and governments, whichtogether account for a population of over 900 million people, including about300 million French speakers.
Vietnam has been an OIF member since its foundation in 1970and is considered among its founders. –VNA
VNA
