At the event (Photo: sggp.org.vn) Quang Tri (VNA) – The People’sCommittee of central Quang Tri province in collaborationwith the Irish Embassy in Vietnam held a ceremony on March 14 to turn on green lights on Hien Luong bridge in the Hien Luong-Ben Hai national relic site on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of Vietnam-Ireland diplomatic relations and Ireland's St. Patrick’sDay (March 17).
Thelighting of green lights on Hien Luong bridge was part of the "Global Greening" campaign of Ireland which hasbecome a global activity. The selection of Hien Luong bridge as the onlylocation in Vietnam for the 2023 campaign is expected to popularise images ofQuang Tri among international friends, especially Irish people.
Speaking at theevent, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Hoang Nam said the Irish Embassy’s selection of Quang Tri for thesecond time as the only locality in Vietnam to organise the green lightingactivity marking Ireland's St. Patrick’s Day has reaffirmed the specialrelationship between Quang Tri and Ireland.
IrishAmbassador to Vietnam John McCullagh, forhis part, said the lighting at Hien Luong bridge has a special meaning, as the bridge is no longer a symbol of the division of Vietnam, but of the connection among people. The event reminds both sides of the time-honoured relations between Ireland and Vietnam.
He stressed that the partnership between Ireland and Quang Tri has always been given prioritythrough various programmes and development projects funded by the IrishGovernment.
In the afternoon the same day, the IrishAmbassador and local leaders joined 120 athletes in the "We run - We share" community runningevent on Hien Luong bridge.
Aceremony was also held to hand over a mobile functional rehabilitation vehiclefor RENEW project, a cooperative programme to eliminate war-time unexploded ordnance and support victims funded by the Irish Government./.
