The Overseas Vietnamese General Association was set up in Belgium on November 16 with 12 founding members presided over by Huynh Cong My. The organization’s aim is to meet OVs desires for an official body to promote mutual support, solidarity and contributions to the homeland. In his speech, ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Pham Sanh Chau highlighted the association establishment as a major task of fulfilling the Politburo’s decree 36 on OV affairs. He expressed his hope that the society will be a way for OVs in Belgium to promote partnership and bilateral ties between the two countries. There are now approximately 13,000 OVs living and working in Belgum but this is the first time in over 40 years that the OV community in Belgium has an official organisation. The association is already preparing various activities in honour of their homeland, including preparations for the upcoming Traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet). VOV