The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on August 8 held an exchange titled, “ForAgent Orange Pain” to mark 50 years of the AO catastrophe in Vietnam(Aug. 10, 1961-2011).
Deputy Prime MinisterNguyen Thien Nhan, representatives from the embassies of Greece ,Finland , Russia , Chile , France and Palestine , and donorsjoined AO victims at the event.
During theget-together, the Deputy PM hailed VNA’s initiative to set up the “ForAgent Orange Pain” fund, which, he said, had launched practical andefficient activities to help AO victims during the past five years.
Although the war ended 50 years ago, its consequences still existed inthe daily lives of AO victims, who were the poorest among the poor,Nhan said.
He described the VNA fund as aninspiration for social organisations, which together with the Governmentcontinued to provide humanitarian aid to families of AO victims.
The Deputy PM applauded the presence of representatives fromdiplomatic corps and international organisations at the exchange, which,he said, provided evidence of the sympathy of international friends forAO victims.
The struggle for justice for Vietnamese AO victims had made progress but needed to be continued, he noted.
Nhan used the occasion to express his profound sympathy to AO victimsand held conversations with victims who have overcome their pains tointegrate into the community with extraordinary efforts. They includeNguyen Son Lam from the northern province of Quang Ninh, who was bornwithout legs but strove to graduate from two departments in HanoiUniversity and Phuong Dong University , plus two sisters, ThanhHang and Thanh Ha, who were working at Kien Thuc Ngay Nay (Today’sKnowledge) magazine in Ho Chi Minh City .
ViceState President Nguyen Thi Doan also sent a message to the exchange, inwhich she described the event as a human cultural activity and a gooddeed.
The exchange aimed to call on joint efforts to ease the difficulties and pain facing Vietnamese AO victims, she said.
VNA Director General Tran Mai Huong, who was also head of the fund’smanagement council, said since its establishment in September, 2006, thefund had launched a wide range of activities to support AO victims andpresented gifts to thousands of victims nationwide.
The fund has raised a total of 3.8 billion VND in cash, to which theGovernment and the President of Greece contributed 86,000 EUR. The fundhas also built 21 houses for victims in provinces of Dong Thap, Ben Tre,Vinh Long and Thanh Hoa, he said.
On the occasion,the VNA fund received over 650 million VND from domestic and foreignindividuals and organsiations, with Deputy PM Nhan contributing 5million VND./.
Deputy Prime MinisterNguyen Thien Nhan, representatives from the embassies of Greece ,Finland , Russia , Chile , France and Palestine , and donorsjoined AO victims at the event.
During theget-together, the Deputy PM hailed VNA’s initiative to set up the “ForAgent Orange Pain” fund, which, he said, had launched practical andefficient activities to help AO victims during the past five years.
Although the war ended 50 years ago, its consequences still existed inthe daily lives of AO victims, who were the poorest among the poor,Nhan said.
He described the VNA fund as aninspiration for social organisations, which together with the Governmentcontinued to provide humanitarian aid to families of AO victims.
The Deputy PM applauded the presence of representatives fromdiplomatic corps and international organisations at the exchange, which,he said, provided evidence of the sympathy of international friends forAO victims.
The struggle for justice for Vietnamese AO victims had made progress but needed to be continued, he noted.
Nhan used the occasion to express his profound sympathy to AO victimsand held conversations with victims who have overcome their pains tointegrate into the community with extraordinary efforts. They includeNguyen Son Lam from the northern province of Quang Ninh, who was bornwithout legs but strove to graduate from two departments in HanoiUniversity and Phuong Dong University , plus two sisters, ThanhHang and Thanh Ha, who were working at Kien Thuc Ngay Nay (Today’sKnowledge) magazine in Ho Chi Minh City .
ViceState President Nguyen Thi Doan also sent a message to the exchange, inwhich she described the event as a human cultural activity and a gooddeed.
The exchange aimed to call on joint efforts to ease the difficulties and pain facing Vietnamese AO victims, she said.
VNA Director General Tran Mai Huong, who was also head of the fund’smanagement council, said since its establishment in September, 2006, thefund had launched a wide range of activities to support AO victims andpresented gifts to thousands of victims nationwide.
The fund has raised a total of 3.8 billion VND in cash, to which theGovernment and the President of Greece contributed 86,000 EUR. The fundhas also built 21 houses for victims in provinces of Dong Thap, Ben Tre,Vinh Long and Thanh Hoa, he said.
On the occasion,the VNA fund received over 650 million VND from domestic and foreignindividuals and organsiations, with Deputy PM Nhan contributing 5million VND./.
