Viet Nam Peace and Development Foundation convened its 5th Congress for the 2025-2030 term

The Congress was attended by Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long; former Member of the Party Central Committee, former Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, and President of the Viet Nam Peace Committee Uong Chu Luu; Secretary of Party Union and President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son, along with representatives from several central and local ministries, departments, and agencies.

Broader participation, diverse themes, and flexible approaches

At the Congress, delegates received and discussed the report of the 4th term and the draft plan for the 5th term of the Viet Nam Peace and Development Foundation. Despite its compact structure and limited financial resources, during the past term the Foundation upheld the spirit of “proactivity, flexibility, creativity, and effectiveness,” comprehensively carrying out its activities and making practical contributions to peace, national development, and the defense of the Fatherland.

Its external relations continued to expand, with greater diversification and multilateralization, thereby strengthening people-to-people friendship, broadening international networks, garnering global public support, protecting national interests, and enhancing Viet Nam’s standing in international forums.

At the Congress. (Photo: Duc Tuan)

At this Congress, the Foundation officially changed its name to the Viet Nam Peace and Development Council (the Council), while also adjusting its operational approach to broaden participation, diversify its themes, and adopt more flexible methods to meet the requirements and tasks of the new period.

The Congress elected the 5th Executive Committee consisting of 35 members, including 12 new members. From this body, 12 members were selected to serve on the Council’s Standing Committee.

Comrade Ha Hung Cuong, former Minister of Justice, was elected as President of the Viet Nam Peace and Development Council for the 2025-2030 term.

Five key tasks

Congratulating the Congress, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long emphasized that this is a significant political event. As a member organization of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, the Viet Nam Peace and Development Council was established with the mission of bringing together and promoting the intellect and dedication of individuals who voluntarily contribute their efforts to the cause of peace and national development.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long underlined that the Council is an important organization in people-to-people diplomacy. (Photo: Duc Tuan)

“Over more than 20 years of construction and development, the Viet Nam Peace and Development Council has effectively promoted a streamlined organizational model and flexible, creative, and efficient working methods. It has become a key organization in people-to-people diplomacy, working in the fields of peace, solidarity, and friendship. Alongside other dynamic members of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, the Council has actively supported Party and State diplomacy in implementing external affairs, thereby helping to build and consolidate the foundations of friendship, cooperation, and trust between the Vietnamese people and the peoples of other countries. Under the dedicated leadership of its executives, particularly Comrade Nguyen Thi Binh, its founding President and Honorary President, and with the guidance of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, the Council has carried out many meaningful and in-depth activities across three main areas: strengthening bilateral and multilateral partnerships, conducting research and policy consultation, and advancing external communications,” Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long stressed.

During the 2019-2025 term, despite facing numerous difficulties and challenges, the Viet Nam Peace and Development Foundation organized a wide range of activities in people-to-people diplomacy, thereby enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the Vietnamese people and the peoples of other nations, expanding Viet Nam’s international network of friends and partners, and contributing to the common cause of peace, national independence, democracy, and social progress in the region and the world.

In recognition of these achievements, in 2022 the Foundation was honored by the Party and the State with the First-Class Labor Order for its outstanding contributions to the cause of building socialism and defending the Fatherland.

The Deputy Prime Minister also welcomed the Congress’s decision to rename the Foundation as the Viet Nam Peace and Development Council, while reforming its working methods toward broader participation, greater diversity of themes, and more flexible approaches to meet the requirements of the new period.

The Deputy Prime Minister also outlined several key orientations and tasks for the Council in the coming term, specifically:

First, continuing to expand, deepen, and improve the effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy activities; to strengthen participation in multilateral forums and promote global initiatives on peace, security, sustainable development, and social justice. Together with Party and State diplomacy, the Council should contribute to consolidating overall national strength and advancing the country’s development goals.

Second, broadening its network of linkages with international peace and development organizations, and to engage reputable and influential individuals both domestically and internationally, as well as international friends, in its people-to-people diplomacy activities.

Third, enhancing the quality of research, policy recommendations, and policy critiques, to strengthen linkages and cooperation with domestic and international research organizations in order to contribute to addressing complex foreign policy issues and safeguarding national interests in the context of an increasingly fast-changing and complicated global environment.

Fourth, vigorously innovating external communications, diversifying methods and media platforms; effectively utilizing the Council’s information system, publications, and website; and proactively promoting a positive image of Viet Nam in general and of the Council in particular among the public and the international community.

Fifth, continuing to consolidate the organization and expanding its membership network, harnessing collective wisdom, and further attracting the participation of young, competent, dedicated individuals who are committed to the cause of peace and national development, engaging them in the Council’s activities.

Delegates of the Congress pose for a commemorative photo. (Photo: Duc Tuan)

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long also suggested that the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, the Central Committee of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, ministries, agencies, and mass organizations continue supporting and creating more favorable conditions for the Viet Nam Peace and Development Council.

At the Congress, the Council also announced commendation decisions, presenting Medals of Commemoration and Certificates of Merit to several individuals and collectives for their outstanding achievements.

Source: VNA