Vietnam, Egypt strive to move towards prosperity

The bespoke show ran for 60 minutes in total and was broadcast in English, with featured guests including Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt Tran Thanh Cong and Le Thi Thuy, an overseas Vietnamese who is based in Egypt.

The programme provided listeners from Egypt, Arab countries, Africa, and Europe with an overall picture of Vietnamese history, detailing past struggles for independence and the successful experience of economic renewal. This was shown alongside socio-economic development and some of the typical traditional cultural features and friendly relations that Vietnam enjoys with other countries globally, including Egypt.

Speaking during the show, Ambassador Tran Thanh Cong highlighted the historical significance of September 2, 1945, for the Vietnamese people, noting that the day was seen as a significant milestone for oppressed people around the world.

The past 75 years has seen the Vietnamese people move from victory to victory and record a range of tremendous achievements through 35 years of renovation and international integration.

The Vietnamese diplomat attributed the country’s stellar achievements to patriotism, the clear-sighted leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and the love for peace which is present among all Vietnamese people.

Furthermore, Ambassador Cong also underscored the great attention given by the Party and State of Vietnam to causes such as educational development which ultimately contributes to fostering young talent whilst preserving national cultural identity moving forward.

During the course of the broadcast, he went on to review a number of historical milestones which have occurred in bilateral co-operation, noting the similarities and advantages that exist between the two sides. Indeed, both Vietnam and Egypt have plenty of opportunities to participate in further acts of co-operation whilst supporting mutual development for the cause of a prosperous future.

“In order to step up bilateral co-operation, first of all, it is necessary to intensify people-to-people exchanges so that we can understand each other's cultural beauty from cuisine to music and culture. With closer co-operation, I hope that not only Hanoi and Cairo but also the two countries’ localities will enjoy fruitful co-operation and reap a lot of success in the future,” Ambassador Cong said.

Sharing her views with Egyptian listeners, Le Thi Thuy, an overseas Vietnamese based in the North African nation, was an invited guest of the special programme who explained her pride and joy at witnessing the successes and strong development of Vietnam. Thuy described that Vietnamese expatriates worldwide often look toward the Fatherland, especially on special occasions such as the traditional New Year festival and National Day, whilst every expatriate always keeps in mind the tradition of "drinking water, remember its source".

The launch of the special radio programme was also part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2016 between the national broadcaster, Voice of Vietnam (VOV), and the Egyptian National Radio Broadcasting Station.