AO victims grateful to British PM
British Prime Minister David Cameron has received hand-made gifts from Vietnamese Agent Orange victims as thanks for supporting their fundraiser.
The appreciative tokens, described by Cameron as “beautiful”, were handed over to the PM in his office by the Secretary of the Britain-Vietnam Friendship Society, Len Aldis on October 24.
Aldis, who visited Vietnam in August to commemorate the 51st anniversary of the spraying of Agent Orange, was asked by the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) to present the gifts in person.
The gifts comprise a selection of beautiful hand-embroidered linen and colorful hand-painted pictures made by the AO child victims from Hoa Binh village, Tu Du Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and children from the Cancer Hospital in Danang City.
On June 18, the British All Party Parliament Group on Vietnam (APPG) and the Vietnmese Embassy in the UK at Portcullis House held an auction to raise funds for AO victims.
Items sold at the auction were donated by a number of businesses and individuals, including leaders from the three major parties in British parliament. Each leader gave their favorite book up for auction and personally signed them.