The decoration recognised their contributions to teaching French language in Vietnam as well as boosting cultural exchange activities between bilingual students and teachers in Vietnam and the world.

Over the past 14 years, the two experts worked hard to help organise the first Vietnamese-French bilingual classes, and set up the National Steering Board for "Promoting the teaching and the use of the French language."

They also helped set up 19 steering boards at provincial level, open more than 700 Vietnamese-French bilingual classes, and provide facilities for 110 schools in Vietnam.