The General Association of Vietnamese in Belgium (GAVB) was established on November 16 with 12 founding members, aiming to strengthen solidarity among overseas Vietnamese in the country and contribute more to the homeland. The organisation has a three-member executive board headed by chairman Huynh Cong My. Speaking at the GAVB’s debut ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Pham Sanh Chau applauded the establishment of the general association, and hoped that it will link the OVs with people in the homeland, thus strengthening the bilateral ties between Vietnam and Belgium . My said the association’s motto is solidarity and it will be the representative of the Vietnamese community in the host country. The GAVB is planning a wide range of activities in the time ahead, including celebrations of the 2014 Lunar New Year. An estimated 13,000 Vietnamese people are living and working in Belgium.VNA