Exhibition looks back on 60 years of AO disaster in Vietnam

Hanoi (VNA) – Nearly 300 photos, documents and items on the Agent Orange/dioxin (AO) disaster in Vietnam over the past 60 years are being displayed at an exhibition that opened at the Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi on July 13.

The exhibition gives visitors an insight into the disaster's aftermath, efforts to resolve the consequences as well as the journey to demand justice for Vietnamese AO/dioxin victims and their desire to rise.

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Van Rinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) said that the exhibition aims to provide Vietnamese people in and outside the country as well as international friends with deeper understanding of  consequences of the toxic chemical to the environment and people’s health, endeavours taken by the Party, State, the military and the VAVA as well as relevant agencies in overcoming them.

It also spotlights the joint efforts of the society and support of international friends in dealing with the results left by the disaster and helping victims, and the victims’ efforts to integrate into the community, he said, adding that he hopes the exhibition will contribute to calling for more support in easing the pain caused by the disaster and stronger solidarity in preventing the proliferation of mass destruction weapons as well as the support to the struggle to demand justice for Vietnamese AO/dioxin victims.

From 1961 to 1971, the US military sprayed about 80 million liters of toxic chemicals, 61 percent of which were Agent Orange, containing 366 kg of dioxin, on to nearly a quarter of South Vietnam. About 86 percent of the area was sprayed more than two times, 11 percent of the area was sprayed more than 10 times. 

As a result, around 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to the toxic chemical. Many of the victims have died, while millions of their descendants are living with deformities and diseases as a direct result of the chemical’s effects.

The exhibition, which will run until August 12, is part of activities to mark the 60th anniversary of the AO/dioxin disaster in Vietnam.

Along with the display at the museum, the exhibition is also available online at VAVA website at trienlamdacam.vn and a number of other websites until the end of 2021./.