Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SOCV) Le Thi Thu Hang visited the family of Eamon McMullen in Dublin on October 3 (local time), expressing gratitude for their adoption of a Vietnamese child named Ngo Huong Thao.
Hang, who accompanied Party General Secretary and State President To Lam on a state visit to Ireland, was delighted at seeing the Vietnamese community in Ireland, with about 5,000 people, leading stable and united lives while contributing to the host country's prosperity.
She praised their efforts to promote Vietnamese culture and teach the native language to younger generations born and raised in Ireland. These people-to-people exchanges, along with cultural, educational and tourism activities are vital to fostering mutual understanding and friendship between the two nations, Hang noted.
The Deputy Minister introduced various annual activities held by SCOV, such as the Vietnam Summer Camp designed for young overseas Vietnamese (OV) and students. She encouraged Thao to excel in her study, explore Vietnamese cultural heritage, and visit the homeland whenever possible.
In a touching moment, Hang also invited Thao to attend the Vietnam Summer Camp, a unique opportunity to strengthen her connection with her roots.
The official expressed her hope that the McMullen family would continue to nurture a supportive environment for Thao, enabling her to learn and maintain her native language, practice Vietnamese cultural traditions, and stay connected with her homeland. She encouraged the family to involve Thao in activities held by the Vietnamese community in Ireland and bring her back to Vietnam whenever possible.
Discovered abandoned in Ve An ward, Bac Ninh province when she was just 2-3 days old, Thao was entrusted to the provincial centre for revolutionary contributors and social protection in December 2007. In May 2008, she found a loving home with the McMullen family in Ireland.
Since the signing of an adoption agreement in 2003, Ireland has emerged as a leading partner of Vietnam in child adoption, providing countless Vietnamese children with loving homes and opportunities for a brighter future./.
