HCM City gathering marks France’s Bastille Day
VOV.VN - The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) held a ceremony on July 11 to mark the 234th anniversary of France’s National Day, also known as Bastille Day (July 14).
In her opening speech, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung, president of the Vietnam - France Friendship Association of Ho Chi Minh City, noted that despite upheavals Vietnam - France relations have been strengthened in all areas since the two countries established diplomatic ties more than five decades ago.
Decentralized cooperation between localities of the two countries has become a major pillar in bilateral relations since the early 90s of the twentieth century. To date, 38 French localities and 18 Vietnamese localities have engaged in this cooperation model with 240 projects undertaken, mainly in fields such as health, economics, education, heritage conservation, Francophone community, rural development, and urban development.
Dung recalled the twin relationship between Ho Chi Minh City and Lyon city and the Rhône-Alpes region, saying HCM City and Lyon have since 1997 deployed priority cooperation areas, such as preserving and promoting heritage values, urban planning and development, urban transportation and especially in urban lighting. Meanwhile, the Rhône-Alpes region and Ho Chi Minh City have effectively implemented cooperation projects in the fields of urban planning, health, education and vocational training.
Taking the floor, Emmanuelle Pavillon-Grosser, consul general of France in Ho Chi Minh City, expressed her joy at the fact that many Vietnamese people in the city know French and love France, especially in the context that the coming Francophone summit is about to take place in France.
Vietnamese people who know French are a cultural bridge between Vietnam and France, contributing to consolidating and developing friendly exchanges between the two countries, she said.
She revealed that there will be 100 Vietnamese students receiving scholarships to study in France in the new school year, and that Vietnam has the third largest number of students studying in France.
France - Vietnam exchanges will not only be limited to higher education and sports but will be continuously promoted in other fields such as economics, science-technology, and culture, she said.
