The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) announced a range of activities in anticipation of the event at a press conference Hanoi on July 7.
VAVA president and head of the organising committee Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh revealed that three major events will be held during the commemoration, including the two-day National Emulation Congress for AO victims next week, an international seminar on assessment of consequences of AO/Dioxin in Vietnam in August and a grand ceremony in anticipation of the anniversary on August 10.
In addition, VAVA is also co-operating with the National Humanitarian Portal 1400 to launch the SMS campaign ‘55 day messaging for AO victims’, as well as with the Vietnam Military History Museum, the Chemical Army Museum, the Central Military Library and Bac Giang province to organise an exhibition entitled ‘AO, conscience and justice’.
The association is also partnering-up with the Vietnam American Steel Corporation (VAS) to present gifts worth VND50 million each to 15 families of AO victims.
The events will be held from early July until the end of September.
Also at the press brief on Thursday, the High Command of Vietnam People's Navy donated VND1.6 billion and VAS presented 15 houses to support AO victims.
Earlier on November 6, 2015, the Party Central Committee's Secretariat issued Notice No. 217 on organising events to commemorate the 55th anniversary of AO/Dioxin disaster in Vietnam.
The document stated that the commemoration is an opportunity to promote the Party and State’s points of view and policies for the settlement of consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US in Vietnam, contributing to raising public awareness about the long-term danger and consequences of the AO disaster on Vietnam’s environment and people.
It also aims to mobilise social strata, organisations and individuals at home and abroad to provide AO victims with both physical and mental assistance, while drawing support both domestically and internationally in the fight for justice for Vietnamese AO victims.
From August 10, 1961, the US forces sprayed over 80 million litres of toxic chemicals throughout parts of Vietnam, including AO. Around 4.8 million people were exposed to AO/Dioxin, 3 million of whom are victims.
