The Lombardy region’s Vietnam-Italy Friendship Association held their annual exchange in Milan on November 24 to promote solidarity and friendship between the two countries and raise funds for Agent Orange victims in Vietnam.

Nearly 200 representatives from the Vietnamese embassy in Italy, the Vietnam-Italy Friendship Association in Lombardy, overseas Vietnamese, and Italian friends attended the event.

Addressing the exchange, the association’s President Roberto Cocevari reviewed the organisation’s recent activities, outlined his vision for its future, and urged its members and other Italian friends to raise funds for Vietnamese AO victims.

Cocevari noted his positive sentiments about Vietnam. He has participated in numerous campaigns protesting wars and throwing support behind worldwide national liberation struggles.

He added that the association’s membership base has broadened and charity activities in support of Vietnam have expanded and reaped positive results.

Last year, the Vietnam-Italy Friendship Association in Lombardy and Italy-Vietnam Mutual Support Association raised 7,000 euros to upgrade a clinic in the central province of Ha Tinh.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Hoang Long acknowledged the sentiments of Italian friends and overseas Vietnamese who supported Vietnam during its past struggle for national independence as well as in the current process of national construction.

The diplomat informed participants of the diplomatic, cultural, and economic events that will be held in Italy next year to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations (1973 – 2013).

He expressed his wish that the Italy-Vietnam Friendship Association will make greater contributions to reinforcing the positive relationship between the two nations.

(VOV)