Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) - Representatives of Asian consulates general in Ho Chi Minh City are joining the “Friendship journey – The city named after President Ho Chi Minh” programme in Con Dao special zone on October 15-16, marking the 50th anniversary of Saigon–Gia Dinh being officially named after President Ho Chi Minh (1976-2026).
The programme, organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO), also celebrates the success of the union's 7th National Congress for the 2026-2031 tenure.
It features a range of activities to strengthen mutual understanding and people-to-people exchanges between the city's Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, HUFO and its members, and foreign diplomatic missions, while promoting Vietnam’s historical and cultural values and messages of peace, friendship and cooperation.
The delegation, comprising city officials, representatives of HUFO and its members, and diplomats from Asian countries, paid tribute to late Party General Secretary Le Hong Phong and fallen heroes at Hang Duong and Hang Keo cemeteries, and visited the Con Dao Prison Historical Site.
At a meeting with local authorities, consular representatives learned about Con Dao’s socio-economic potential and development orientations, and discussed opportunities to promote cooperation between the island and foreign partners.
The delegation also planted trees and inaugurated a Friendship Garden, presented scholarships to local students, and visited Con Dao National Park.
Pham Minh Tuan, Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City's Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, said the programme served not only as a commemorative event but also as a forum for diplomatic missions, friendship organisations and authorities at central and local levels to exchange views and strengthen mutual trust.
Choosing Con Dao as the destination for this journey carries great significance, as it is both a land closely associated with the nation’s heroic history and a place where distinctive cultural, natural and environmental values converge, he noted.
The activities also help participants gain a deeper appreciation of the value of peace as a foundation for trust and long-term development, while highlighting the shared responsibility for protecting the environment and preserving biodiversity amid climate change. They are expected to foster closer coordination between diplomatic missions and friendship organisations, contributing to the city’s sustainable development.
Sourabh Kemparaju, Deputy Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City, praised the programme for providing an engaging platform for people-to-people exchanges and helping participants better understand the sacrifices made by young Vietnamese revolutionaries in the struggle for national independence.
Organisers expressed their hope that the journey would deepen diplomatic representatives’ understanding of Vietnam’s history, culture and natural heritage, as well as the Vietnamese people’s aspiration for independence and commitment to peace.
The programme is expected to lay the groundwork for stronger people-to-people diplomacy between Ho Chi Minh City and foreign partners, contributing to Vietnam’s relations with other countries and to regional peace, cooperation and sustainable development./.
