As Wallonie-Bruxelles’ only diplomatic representation in the ASEAN region, the delegation has played an effective bridging role during its 30 years in Viet Nam, coordinating more than 900 academic, scientific, and cultural cooperation projects; providing more than 1,000 scholarships to Vietnamese students and researchers; and facilitating more than 2,000 bilateral expert exchanges.
Key cooperation programmes in university training, family medicine, French-language teaching, cinema, and heritage preservation have contributed positively to improving the quality of grassroots healthcare and developing high-quality human resources for Viet Nam.
In his opening remarks, Pierre Du Ville, Head of the Wallonie-Bruxelles Delegation to Viet Nam, stressed that, as Wallonie-Bruxelles’ only diplomatic representation in the ASEAN region, the delegation’s presence in Ha Noi affirms Viet Nam’s top-priority position in the region’s cooperation policy.
Looking back on the 30-year journey, he affirmed that the relationship had developed beyond mere administrative cooperation into a sincere friendship between the peoples of the two countries. In the coming period, the delegation will continue to accompany Viet Nam in addressing challenges related to energy transition, public health, and the development of the digital economy.
On behalf of the leadership of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong extended warm congratulations to the Wallonie-Bruxelles Delegation and the French-speaking Belgian Community. The deputy minister highly valued the delegation’s trusted bridging role in connecting Viet Nam with European partners and the Francophone community.
Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong stressed that Viet Nam is entering a new stage of development, in which culture, innovation, cultural industries, and digital transformation are receiving increasing attention. These are also areas in which Wallonia has considerable strengths.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hopes that the two sides will continue to work closely together and build on the achievements of the past 30 years to develop new and practical cooperation initiatives, further deepening friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam and Wallonie-Bruxelles, as well as Belgium in general.
Speaking at the event, Belgian Ambassador to Viet Nam Pieter Leenknegt expressed his impression of Viet Nam’s remarkable socio-economic development over the past three decades. The ambassador affirmed that the shared appreciation of local cultural identities and linguistic diversity provides a solid foundation for the two sides to continue promoting equal, diverse, and sustainable cooperation in the next phase.
