Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc opens a workshop in Hanoi on November 16 to mark the 20th anniversary of the seventh Francophone Summit hosted by Vietnam in 1997. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – A workshop took place in Hanoi on November 16 to mark the20th anniversary of the seventh Francophone Summit hosted by Vietnam in 1997.
Theevent was jointly organised by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, theDepartment of International Organisations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairsand the International Organisation of Francophonie (OIF) to talk about theevent in memories and prospects.
Inhis opening remarks, Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc said the OIF hasbrought together 84 member states and governments over the past two decades,accounting for 20 percent of the global trade and 13 percent of the world’ GDP.It has made significant contribution to the fulfillment of the UN MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs) and to addressing global and regional issues, such aspoverty, education and healthcare, people’s standard of living, environmentprotection, gender equality and childcare, Ngoc noted.
Theorganisation has also proved its vital role in preventing and settlingconflicts and political crises as well as encountering terrorism in the memberstates, helping maintain peace and stability in the world, he added.
Thedeputy minister moved on to say that cooperation within the Francophonecommunity has given Vietnam opportunities to strengthen relations with othermember states like France, Canada, Belgium and more in Africa and Asia-Pacific.
Eric-NormandThibeault, OIF Director for Asia-Pacific, said the 1997 Francophone Summittaking place in Hanoi, Vietnam, marked an important milestone in thecommunity’s development with the adoption of the Charter of La Francophonie andthe election of the first OIF Secretary General.
Hehighly appreciated Vietnam’s effort to promote the Francophone activities overthe past years, suggesting the country should further enhance the education ofFrench language at universities and make policies to encourage people to useforeign languages, including French. He affirmed that the OIF will continue toaccompany Vietnam in fostering language and cultural diversity and deepeningeconomic cooperation.
Attendeesdiscussed the growth of Francophone in Asia-Pacific after the summit in Hanoiin 1997 and its challenges in the future; Francophone and future ofmultilateral diplomacy; and studies of French language education and teachingin French in Asia.-VNA
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Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
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The strategic product, managed and operated by the Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
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A hub for sharing best practices, the event aims to forge solutions for financial sustainability, public media contracts, audience engagement, content innovation, and newsroom restructuring. It is also a moment for Vietnam’s media to accelerate its progress and figure out what the “revolutionary press” means in a new era.
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The official launch of Emirates’ Dubai–Da Nang route on June 2 has sparked a “tourism revolution” for Vietnam’s central coastal city. Da Nang is emerging as a top destination for high-end travelers, particularly from the lucrative Middle Eastern market.
Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said VNA has been a consistent and reliable partner in OANA, contributing actively to the regional media landscape through content sharing, coordination, and policy discussions. Their coverage of ASEAN and Indochina issues adds valuable perspectives. Bernama appreciates the collaboration with VNA.
In this era of global integration and digitalisation, the press must adopt modern multimedia models to not only meet increasing information and communication demands but also align with the broader socio-economic development of the country.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc opens a workshop in Hanoi on November 16 to mark the 20th anniversary of the seventh Francophone Summit hosted by Vietnam in 1997. (Photo: VNA) 
