Binh Duong Provincial Friendship Organizations' Union to be proactive, flexible, creative and effectiveness

Binh Duong Provincial Friendship Organizations' Union (BDFOU) was founded in 1997, and has made good efforts to perform foreign tasks and affairs, contributing to introducing Binh Duong's image to international friends and strengthening the cooperation between local people and people of other countries around the world.

Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association in Binh Duong province has been established, contributed to the diversification of international cooperation of Binh Duong.

To enhance people's foreign affairs

During 23 years of establishment and development, BDFOU has strived to perform well the political missions, which is a specialized agency for the people's external relations. Currently, BDFOU has 8 member associations, with 1,542 members participating in activities, and 1 Advocacy Committee for establishment of Vietnam -Singapore Friendship Association. BDFOU held many peaceful activities, conferences on a large scale in order to strengthen friendship and solidarity with partners and friends around the world, promote diplomatic information in various forms effectively, form the all-people front for people's external relations.

Tran Thi Kim Van, BDFOU Chairwoman, said: "BDFOU and its member associations are always interested in people's external activities on important occasions and big holidays; to integrate people's external affairs into the political task implementation of the union. BDFOU actively participate in international conferences and seminars held in Binh Duong, such as Horasis Asia Meeting 2018 and 2019; WTA Summit 2018 etc. These were opportunities for Binh Duong to strengthen economic cooperation, friendly exchanges and people-to-people cooperation"...

BDFOU and its members have actively organized hundreds of events and activities of peace, solidarity, friendship, and external information in various forms with creativity and profound meaning, demonstrating peace and love, mutual affection, loyalty and gratitude of Vietnamese people, turn towards the goal of peaceful and sustainable development. In the past term, the union strengthened and expanded people's relations with other countries; established five more member associations; at the same time developed people's relations with Laos and Cambodia. Some remarkable programs were: "Raising dreams up" (Korea), "Nurturing friendship" (Cambodia - Laos), "Sharing Mekong River - Deep gratitude", to provide free medical check-ups and medicine, and give gifts to poor people in Cambodia and Laos...

For social welfare purposes

In the mobilization of foreign non-governmental aid, BDFOU has actively acted as a liaison in the campaign, actively contributed to poverty reduction, education - training activities, effective implementation of the province's social security goals. During the past term, BDFOU cooperated with relevant branches to advise Provincial People's Committee about issuance, extension, amendment and supplement of registration papers of all kinds for foreign non-governmental organizations. Some prominent organizations such as Kocham (Korea) cooperated with departments, branches and hospitals to give scholarship to children; presented compassionate houses to poor families; supported medical delegations, delegations of Korean friendship orthodontic surgery (ILWOONG), supported surgery for 560 cases of deformities, cleft lip, cleft palate; donated 29 medical devices to Binh Duong...

Besides, medical delegation of Daejeon City (Korea) also gave free medical check-ups and gave gifts to more than 1,600 Binh Duong people. Hyundai Home Shopping donated Korean helmets to disadvantaged people worth $20,500; Association of People Loving Vietnam in the Republic of Korea (VESAMO) offered "houses of kindness", donated wheelchairs and gifts to disadvantaged people with a total value of $9,000. Global Foundation for Deaf Children implemented early screening for 6,000 deaf children aged 0-3 years. In addition, Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park Joint Venture Company Limited in Binh Duong has done well their social responsibility by building "great unity" houses, supported the renovation of two primary schools; awarded scholarships to poor and studious students etc. total value was about VND 10.5 billion.

BDFOU identifies information and propagation of foreign affairs plays an important role, thus regularly carries out peaceful, solidarity, friendship and international cooperation activities; actively introduce the socio-economic development situation, potential and investment opportunities of Binh Duong province to foreign delegations, helping foreigners better understand the country and people of Vietnam in general and Binh Duong in particular.

According to Tran Thi Kim Van, in the coming time, the union will focus on improving its operations, quality and efficiency of people's external relations; gather social organizations, develop forces for people's external affairs to participate in the implementation of Party, State and provincial foreign policy with the aim of actively promoting the core role in people's external activities; constantly strengthen and develop international relationships; strengthen and improve the efficiency of foreign NGOs; improve the quality of advising, foreign information, strengthen and develop the organization; strengthen friendship exchanges, act as a liaison to promote cooperation in many fields, effectively contribute to the overall foreign policy objectives of the province. BDFOU contributes to Binh Duong's sustainable development towards smart urban, modern civilization.

Reported by Huynh Thuy - Translated by Ngoc Huynh