Promoting peace and contributing to friendship
The State of Palestine’s “Star of Merit” Order is a prestigious honor recognizing the significant contributions of former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh to the struggle for national liberation, peace, and the promotion of the longstanding friendship between the people of Viet Nam and the people of Palestine. She is also the first Vietnamese recipient of this distinguished award. According to the decision, former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh is recognized as an outstanding international figure who has contributed to peacebuilding and to the friendship between the two nations.
On this occasion, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and State President To Lam sent a congratulatory flower arrangement to former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh.
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| Palestinian Ambassador to Viet Nam Saadi Salama, presented the State of Palestine’s “Star of Merit” Order to former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh. (Photo: Dinh Hoa). |
Speaking at the ceremony, Palestinian Ambassador to Viet Nam Saadi Salama expressed his honor and emotion at representing President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas in presenting the State of Palestine’s “Star of Merit” Order to Nguyen Thi Binh - an outstanding Vietnamese leader, an exceptional symbol of the courage and intellect of Viet Nam’s revolutionary diplomacy, and a steadfast friend of the Palestinian people.
The Palestinian Ambassador stated: “The ‘Star of Merit’ Order recognizes Nguyen Thi Binh’s tremendous and enduring contributions to the struggle for national independence, peace, justice, and human rights. It also reflects the profound gratitude of the State and people of Palestine toward a friend who has consistently shown sincere support and affection for Palestine over many decades.”
Saadi Salama noted that Nguyen Thi Binh’s name is closely associated with important historical milestones in Viet Nam’s struggle for national independence, reunification, and peacebuilding. Through her special role in diplomatic efforts leading to the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1971, she helped lay the foundation for peace, stability, and reconciliation, while also becoming a source of inspiration for many peoples around the world fighting for self-determination and justice.
He shared that, in his youth, he and many Palestinian and Arab young people were captivated by the images, statements, and interviews of Nguyen Thi Binh during the negotiation rounds in Paris.
“On television screens, we saw a calm, strong, and resilient Vietnamese woman responding to the international press and participating in historic negotiations. That image deeply inspired many young Palestinians and Arabs,” the Ambassador said.
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| The Embassy of Palestine in Viet Nam takes a commemorative photo with former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh at the ceremony on May 22, 2026. (Photo: Dinh Hoa). |
Supporting the Palestinian cause for an independent Palestinian State
According to the Palestinian Ambassador, Madam Binh not only represented Viet Nam but also served as a voice for peoples struggling for independence, freedom, and dignity. Her confidence, intellect, and steadfast spirit became symbols of hope for many nations around the world. For the Palestinian people, Nguyen Thi Binh is regarded as a symbol of courage, diplomatic wisdom, and commitment to the principles of international law. She has consistently spoken out in defense of justice, human rights, and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to live in freedom, independence, and dignity in their homeland, while also participating in activities related to the Palestinian issue within the framework of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine.
“We deeply value the solidarity and support that she has shown for Palestine. Today’s event is a testament to the profound friendship between the Palestinian and Vietnamese peoples - two nations that have shared aspirations for peace, independence, and faith in international justice,” Palestinian Ambassador Saadi Salama stated.
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| Former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh speaks at the ceremony conferring the State of Palestine’s “Star of Merit” Order on May 22, 2026. (Photo: Dinh Hoa). |
In Viet Nam’s foreign affairs activities, Nguyen Thi Binh also contributed to strengthening the traditional solidarity between Viet Nam and Palestine through people-to-people diplomacy, promoting peaceful cooperation, and calling on the international community to support nations fighting for national independence. As a renowned Vietnamese diplomat at the Paris Peace Conference, she became an international symbol of the struggle for peace, thereby fostering deep sympathy for the Palestinian people.
Through many international friendship exchanges, she consistently expressed Viet Nam’s support for peaceful solutions and for safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the Palestinian people.
Speaking at the ceremony, former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh said she felt deeply honored to receive the prestigious medal from the State of Palestine.
According to Nguyen Thi Binh, relations between Palestine and Viet Nam are traditional ties. In the past, the Vietnamese people strongly supported Palestine’s liberation struggle. Today, amid a highly complex global situation, the Vietnamese people continue to firmly and strongly support the Palestinian cause for an independent Palestinian state.
“I hope that the friendship between the Vietnamese and Palestinian peoples will continue to flourish,” former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh expressed.
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| Representatives of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations pose for a commemorative photo with former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh at the ceremony on May 22, 2026. (Photo: Dinh Hoa). |
| Nguyen Thi Binh, whose real name is Nguyen Thi Chau Sa, is 98 years old and hails from Quang Nam Province. She joined the revolution in August 1945 at the age of 18. She studied at Lycée Sisowath in Cambodia before later studying in France and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in literature from the University of Hanoi. At the end of 1968, she traveled to Paris to attend negotiations on ending the war and restoring peace in Viet Nam as a representative of the National Liberation Front of South Viet Nam. After the establishment of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet Nam in June 1969, she was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and concurrently served as head of the delegation to the Paris Peace Conference. Together with adviser Le Duc Tho and Xuan Thuy, the female minister formed a “trio of negotiators” that attracted considerable international attention and goodwill at the time. Continuous military victories on the battlefield created favorable conditions for Vietnamese negotiators to compel the opposing side to accept the fundamental terms necessary for the signing of the Paris Peace Accords on ending the war and restoring peace in Viet Nam on January 27, 1973. Madam Binh was the only woman to sign the agreement. |
Source: Vietnamtimes
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