At a working session in Hanoi on September 18, Mr Khiem noted that the federation has formed a network of nearly 100 member organisations, including UNESCO Clubs, UNESCO Centres and UNESCO Associations across the country since it was established in 1993.

The non-governmental organisation hosts about 200 cultural, scientific and educational events each year. One of them – a writing competition about Hanoi’s thousand-year-old-history - has attracted entries from more than 100 countries.

The federation has been engaged in preserving artefacts and translating books on culture, science and education, has sent art delegations to festivals abroad, and has run training courses for curators in several provinces.

Mr Khiem affirmed the federation’s important role in expanding the government’s people-to-people diplomacy and asked relevant ministries and the Hanoi administration to provide financial assistance to increase its operational efficiency.