The second Congress of the Confederation of Vietnamese people Associations in Europe

On October 15, 2022, the Second Congress of the Confederation of Vietnamese Associations in Europe, term 2022-2026, was held in Prague, Czech Republic. This Congress was attended by nearly 300 overseas Vietnamese delegates and Vietnamese Ambassadors from 23 countries. Leaders of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Head of the Czech Republic's Government Office, members of the European House of Representatives, and representatives from Vietnamese, expatriate, and international press agencies were all present.

Representatives from Vietnam and the Czech Republic attended the Second Congress of Vietnamese Associations in Europe. (Photo: Quynh Nga)

Mr. Hoang Dinh Thang, the First Term Chairman of the Confederation of Vietnamese Associations in Europe's , delivered the opening remarks reviewing the significant milestone. On October 29, 2016, the First Congress of the Confederation of Vietnamese Associations in Europe marked an important milestone, a major transformation of the Vietnamese community in the EU, when there was for the first time the Confederation of Vietnamese Associations in the EU. In our first term, we built and developed an association worthy of international and regional standards, with 30 members in the Executive Committee and Vietnamese associations in 22 European countries. The Confederation has strengthened and developed relationships of solidarity and mutual assistance among Vietnamese in Europe who are running businesses and contribute to economic development, and preserve national culture in their second homeland while are also attempting to integrate deeply into the host country. The Confederation has contributed significantly to the development of friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and European countries, as well as the integration of Vietnamese citizens into the European community.

The opening remarks was given by Mr. Hoang Dinh Thang, Chairman of the First Term Confederation of Vietnamese Associations in Europe.

Following that, the Congress presented a video reviewing the activities of the First Confederation, as well as there were welcome speeches from some Vietnamese and international leaders.

Nguyen Van Thao, the Vietnamese Ambassador to the EU, stated: "EU leaders and member countries consider the importance to Vietnam's role and position, wishing to continue to promote multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam, particularly in important areas such as trade, investment, sustainable development, climate change response, innovation, green transformation, digital transformation, circular economy. In that context, I believe that the Vietnamese community in Europe, with its abundant potential and resources, particularly the dynamic young generation, merchants, businesses, intellectuals, and so on, has played an important role in strengthening cooperation between Vietnam and member countries, thereby elevate Vietnam's  image as a dynamic and modern developing country, as well as a responsible member of the international community".

The Congress received a congratulatory letter from the Czech President's Office, which stated that the growth of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic has demonstrated the closeness of our two countries. It has been a part of our lives for decades, and being an ethnic minority is the highest recognition that a community can achieve and demonstrate the importance of that community in the Czech Republic. The Czech Government invited representatives of the Vietnamese community to the Council of Ethnic Minorities in 2013, establishing the Vietnamese community as an official ethnic minority in the Czech Republic.

The Congress also heard from the Czech Government's Representative, Head of the Government Office, Jana Kotalková said: "I am very happy to be able to meet today with representatives of the Vietnamese Community in the Czech Republic, right here at Sapa Trade Center. This is the point at which Vietnamese culture and business meet in the Czech Republic. This is also a traditional meeting place for the leaders of Vietnam and the Czech Republic, but most importantly, it remains a place of unity between the peoples of the two countries. Because the Czech Republic is a member of the European Union, our cooperation naturally mirrors Vietnam's relationship with the EU".

Jana Kotalková, Head of the Czech Government Office, delivered a speech of congratulations.

Deputy Chairman of the European House of Representatives of International Trade Committee, Jan Zahradil said: "Today is of very special significance, as we attend the Second Congress together in Prague, the heart of Europe, and at the same time as the Czech Republic takes on the rotating presidency of the European Union. Entrepreneurs, who work hard, run businesses, create jobs and are the foundation for the second generation . I hope you can keep this positive energy going and uphold the Union's good traditions when you choose the next Board of Directors to represent your communities across the continent".

The Congress reported on the activities for the first term of the Confederation (2016-2022), which included exchanging work experiences at the meetings, encouraging Commissioners to strengthen practical and effective activities, and performing well in foreign and domestic affairs; mobilizing local authorities and urging the Vietnamese community in Europe to assist Vietnam with funding, vaccines, medical equipment, and solutions to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic and recover from it. During the armed conflict in Russia and Ukraine, the Confederation Committees coordinated and directed Vietnamese associations in countries where Vietnamese people had fled to provide financial, housing, legal, job application, or repatriation assistance. We have successfully organized sports tournaments such as football, tennis badminton, table tennis, and European golf since 2017; we have sponsored the Vietnamese Student Youth Association in a number of countries to successfully organize European Vietnamese Student Youth Summer Camps in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and the Netherlands; and we have succeeded every year in collaboration with the "Vietnam Ancestral Global Day"  to organize the ceremony of commemorating the death of Hung Kings. The Confederation assisted the Voice of Vietnam in organizing the successful art contests titld "I love my language". The contest "Ao Dai for Ladies in Europe" was sponsored by the Vietnam Association of Culture and Arts in the Czech Republic. We also assisted the Ministry of Public Security Drama Theater, the Central Drama Theater, and the Hanoi Rowing Theater in organizing performances in a number of European countries, as well as the production of a multi-episode report titled "Overcoming Snowstorm" about the Vietnamese community in Europe, as well as the program "Kitchen God travel incognito in Europe". In terms of foreign policy, the Executive Committees will keep in touch with members of the European Parliament on a regular basis.

During visits to the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, and Strasburg, France, the Executive Committees asked MPs to support the Vietnamese community's integration process in Europe, as well as a number of issues that Vietnam is concerned about. They  also met with top delegations from the Vietnamese Party to reflect on the situation and give recommendations of the Vietnamese community.

Thus, there were two years of the Covid-19 pandemic in the first four-year term, but the Confederation of Vietnamese Associations in Europe proved to be a widely influential organization.

Delegates to the Second European Congress of Vietnamese Associations

The Congress also approved the direction of operation for the second term (2022-2026), the Draft Charter of the Confederation, which was supplemented, amended, and listened to the comments of the delegates present, as well as the election and launch of the Executive Committeea and the Confederation Inspection Board for the term 2022-2026. As a result, the Congress elected 60 delegates from other countries to the Confederation of Vietnamese Associations in Europe's Executive Committee for the second term. Mr. Hoang Dinh Thang remains Chairman, and there are 5 Vice Presidents from some countries.

Thai Xuan Dung, Ambassador of Vietnam to the Czech Republic, presented bouquets of flower to the Confederation Executive Committees (2022-2026).

The Congress was held in a spirit of unity, openness, and success. Delegates were invited to attend a reception in the evening and enjoy some of the community's unique performances.

Dr. Yen Platz, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of WAJ, posed for a photo with new Chairman Hoang Dinh Thang and his wife.

Some other photos at the Congress