Attending the program were Senior Lieutenant General Pham Hong Huong - Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Veterans Association; Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Dung - Director of the Vietnam Friendship Village; Colonel, journalist Do Phu Tho - Editor-in-Chief of the Vietnam Veterans Newspaper, along with veterans and Agent Orange victims being cared for and nursed at the Vietnam Friendship Village.
Speaking at the program, Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Dung - Director of the Vietnam Friendship Village said that the war has receded, the country is innovating and developing day by day, but the consequences of Agent Orange are still imprinted in the lives of many Vietnamese families. There are still pains present on the bodies of soldiers of the past, in the eyes of mothers and on the journey of many young children born when the war ended. These are not only the consequences of a war, but also a reminder of the value of peace and compassion.
Vietnam Friendship Village was formed from the love of peace, comradeship and sharing of international friends. For nearly 30 years, this place has become a common home for veterans and Agent Orange victims, and also a humane address in nursing, rehabilitation, education, vocational training and health care," Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Dung emphasized.
Senior Lieutenant General Pham Hong Huong - Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Veterans Association affirmed that history always reminds everyone of the value of peace. The losses caused by the war further motivate the whole society to join hands to care for and share with those who are still suffering the consequences of chemical toxins.
According to Senior Lieutenant General Pham Hong Huong, during the war, millions of liters of dioxin-containing luminescent substances were splashed on Vietnam, leaving serious consequences for the environment and human health. To date, many veterans, former youth volunteers and their children and grandchildren are still facing diseases, birth defects and many difficulties in life.
Senior Lieutenant General Pham Hong Huong assessed that for nearly 30 years of formation and development, the Vietnam Friendship Village has become a symbol of solidarity, compassion and sharing; not only caring for, functional rehabilitation, education, and vocational training for people affected by Agent Orange but also a bridge between international friends and Vietnam in humanitarian and peaceful activities.
On behalf of the Central Vietnam Veterans Association, Senior Lieutenant General Pham Hong Huong expressed his desire to continue to receive the attention and companionship of agencies, organizations, businesses and philanthropists at home and abroad to jointly care for and support Agent Orange victims, contributing to building and developing Vietnam Friendship Village in the coming time.
Also in the program, Colonel, journalist Do Phu Tho said that the Vietnam Veterans Newspaper and the Vietnam Friendship Village have had many effective coordination activities in propaganda, spreading human values as well as accompanying veterans and Agent Orange victims. Many journalistic works reflecting the activities of the Vietnam Friendship Village have created positive spillover effects in the community, contributing to connecting organizations, businesses and kind hearts to Agent Orange victims.
The twinning between the two units this time will not only stop at a cooperation document but will be concretized by many practical coordination programs, contributing to mobilizing more social resources to care for victims and spreading the message of compassion more widely," Colonel Do Phu Tho emphasized.
On this occasion, Vietnam National Group of Industry - Energy donated 300 million VND to the Vietnam Friendship Village to support the care, nursing, and rehabilitation of veterans and Agent Orange victims being nurtured here.
The Vietnam Veterans Newspaper presented 50 gifts to Agent Orange victims who are living, studying and being nursed in the Village, contributing to encouraging and sharing with those in difficult circumstances...
Within the framework of the program, the Vietnam Friendship Village and the Vietnam Veterans Newspaper signed a sisterhood program, agreeing to strengthen coordination in information and propaganda work, organize social activities, and connect resources to better care for the material and spiritual lives of veterans and Agent Orange victims.
