Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh led a Vietnamese delegation to the 25th annual summit of the UN Human Rights Council, which opened in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 3. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (left) at the 25th annual summit of the UN Human Rights Council. — Photo: VNA This is the first time Viet Nam has joined over 80 nations and international organisations in the event as the Council's member. On November 12, 2013, the country was elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 tenure for the first time, being acknowledged by the international community for its recent achievements in exercising civil, political, economic, cultural and social rights During this session, participants are to review the Council's activities and discuss ways to protect and promote the rights of immigrants, children, and people with disabilities. They focus on empowering the disabled to gain access to education as well as anti-genocide works. As the Council's member, Viet Nam has proactively participated in the agency's activities, especially those relating to human rights. She worked closely with other member countries in human rights issues of international concern in the constructive and responsible spirit. The Southeast Asian nation has also promoted dialogues and global cooperation and approached human rights issues in a balanced, all-sided manner. On the fringes of the session, Deputy PM Minh held bilateral meetings with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua Milano, Japan's Deputy Foreign Minister Hirotaka Ishihara, and Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Anders Johnsson to push ahead cooperative ties between Viet Nam and its partners. Source: VNS