The event drew senior leaders, including former presidents Nguyen Minh Triet and Truong Tan Sang, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son; and Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc, along with former officials and representatives from provinces across the country.
In his opening speech, Acting Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations Pham Dut Diem reviewed the department’s 50-year journey of establishment, growth and development. He affirmed that, entering a new era of national advancement, the Department of External Relations would continue to uphold its traditions of solidarity, courage and creativity, ready to undertake and successfully fulfil the tasks entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the city.
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc commended and expressed profound gratitude for the significant and enduring contributions of successive generations of staff at the Department of External Relations.
Building on the department’s achievements, Nguyen Van Duoc expressed his hope and confidence that the Department of External Relations would further promote a proactive and innovative spirit in advising policies and implementing the city’s external affairs, and effectively contribute to the implementation of Politburo Resolution 59 on international integration in the new context.
He also emphasised the need for the Department of External Relations, together with relevant agencies, to strengthen bonds with overseas Vietnamese and Vietnamese communities abroad, guiding them to maintain their connection, accompany and contribute to the development of both the city and the nation.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son highlighted the important contributions made by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations over its 50 years of development, within the broader, glorious journey of Viet Nam’s diplomacy.
He urged the department to focus on future directions and key tasks. In line with the resolutions and action plans of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ first Party Congress, the department should proactively translate them into practical programmes and plans, implement professional political tasks, and uphold its role across all three pillars: Party diplomacy, state diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy.
On this occasion, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations was honoured to receive the First-class Labour Order awarded by the State President for its outstanding achievements from 2010 to 2024, contributing to the cause of building socialism and safeguarding the Fatherland.
In addition, individuals with notable contributions to the department’s diplomatic work were awarded the Medal “For the Cause of Viet Nam Diplomacy” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
