Hanoi marks 60th Vietnam AO/Dioxin disaster day
VOV.VN - The Central Committee of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) held a press conference on June 24 in Hanoi in order to reveal a broad array of activities which are to be launched to mark the 60th anniversary of Vietnam AO/Dioxin disaster (1961-2021).
During the course of the occasion, Nguyen Van Rinh, chairman of the VAVA, said a host of key events are due to take place in Hanoi, including a congress of 300 delegates aimed at honouring outstanding supporters of AO/dioxin victims between 2016 and 2021. This is in addition to an international seminar on AO/dioxin related illnesses.
A meeting featuring the participation of between 300 and 500 people will provide participants with a deeper insight into the serious consequences of chemicals on the human health and the environment, as well as Vietnamese efforts in resolving these consequences. The function will also involve calls for greater domestic and international support towards the AO community.
Activities will also cover an exhibition, an award ceremony of a VAVA-initiated writing contest, and a text message campaign aimed at raising fund for the victims.
The VAVA central committee stated that these events will take place virtually or in person in a limited scale in line with pandemic-prevention regulations.
Between 1961 and 1971, troops from the United States sprayed more than 80 million litres of herbicides, 44 million litres of which was AO containing approximately 370 kilograms of dioxin, over southern Vietnam.
As a result, roughly 4.8 million Vietnamese citizens were exposed to the toxic chemical. Many of the victims have since died, while millions of their descendants are living with deformities and diseases as a direct result of the chemical’s effects.