The event was organised by the Viet Nam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA) in coordination with the Office of the Standing Agency of the 701 Steering Committee and the Centre for Military Radio and Television Broadcasting to commemorate the 64th anniversary of the Viet Nam Agent Orange Disaster (10/8/1961–10/8/2025) and the Day for Agent Orange Victims in Viet Nam (10/8/2021).
Comrade Do Van Chien, Politburo Member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, and President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee, attended and presented a bouquet of flowers to the organising committee.
The highlight of the programme was the interaction between artist Den Vau and Nay Djrueng — a determined young man of the J’rai ethnic group — to support others in similar circumstances. The story of the 11-year journey of his charitable foundation, along with Nay Djrueng’s spirit of refusing to surrender to fate, delivered powerful inspiration to the audience.
The programme also featured a series of moving documentaries, showcasing the efforts of government bodies, sectors, international organisations, and society as a whole in addressing the consequences of war, including the effects of Agent Orange/dioxin in Viet Nam, and supporting victims in integrating into the community. Prominent role models such as photographer Chu Viet Ha and singer Bao Tram Idol, with their journeys of connection at the Viet Nam Friendship Village, were also vividly portrayed.
Speaking at the event, Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Chinh, member of the Presidium of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee and President of the Viet Nam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, said that from 2024 to the first half of 2025, the association system had mobilised more than 773 trillion from domestic and international organisations and individuals. This funding was used to support livelihoods, construct and renovate houses, provide rehabilitation services, and present gifts to victims during holidays and Tet.
Specifically, on April 1, 2025, at the Presidential Palace, President Luong Cuong and Belgian King Philippe witnessed the signing of a principle agreement to support Agent Orange victims between the Viet Nam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin and the Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region, through the Aquitara Fund, marking a significant step forward in international cooperation for humanitarian goals.
Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Chinh emphasised that millions of Agent Orange victims remain across the country, only around 626,000 of whom are entitled to the regime for “persons engaged in resistance activities and their children exposed to toxic chemicals.” Many families have three to four victims, living in illness and exhaustion. Mothers and wives of the victims continue to quietly care for their loved ones amid a pain that has lasted for decades.
At the programme, the organising committee received support from numerous organisations and individuals with a total value of over 2.5 billion VND. The committee called on political and social organisations, the people, overseas Vietnamese, and international friends to continue responding to the movement “Action for Agent Orange Victims” launched by the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee. It also urged the United States Government and international organisations to strengthen cooperation and support Viet Nam in overcoming the consequences of chemical warfare.
