The Vietnamese Permanent Representative Mission to the United Nations and the Vietnamese Consulate in New York hosted a reception on January 18 (local time) to celebrate the upcoming Year of the Horse.

Head of the Vietnamese mission, Ambassador Le Hoai Trung, joined foreign diplomats in the UN, international friends and more than 200 overseas Vietnamese (OVs) at the event.

In a toast, Ambassador Trung briefed the participants on the achievements Vietnam made over the past year in the fields of socio-economic development, external affairs and security and defence.

He said that 2013 was a busy yet joyful year for the Vietnamese missions and representative offices in New York, with significant contributions in multilateral diplomatic activities, including Vietnam’s election to the UN Human Rights Council.

Trung thanked the expatriates, US organisations and individuals, as well as UN colleges for the warm sentiment and assistances to Vietnam in 2013, and expressed hope for continued support in the coming time.

Meanwhile in Canada, the Vietnamese Embassy held a get-together for the traditional Tet festival, drawing the participation of over 200 people.

Addressing the function, Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada To Anh Dung described the OV community as an inseparable part of the Vietnamese people, adding that the State will heavily support the expatriates to integrate into their host countries, while still maintaining their national pride and character.

At the event, the Hai Phong Association of Fellow-Countrymen in Toronto presented 3,500 CAD for flood relief efforts in their homeland.

In Egypt, a similar event was held by the Vietnamese Embassy.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt Dao Thanh Trung voiced his desire for the Vietnamese staff to overcome difficulties and actively contribute to strengthening the friendship and cooperation relations between the two countries.-VNA