During the official visit of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to the French Republic in November 2021, Viet Nam and UNESCO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the period 2021-2025, creating a framework to promote substantial and effective cooperation between Viet Nam and UNESCO in the fields of education, culture, science, information and communication during this period. To implement this MoU, Viet Nam National Commission for UNESCO has developed an Action Plan recently.

A meeting was held on May 24, 2022, chaired by Mr. Pham Vinh Quang, Secretary General of Viet Nam National Commission for UNESCO, to consult about the Action Plan contents and activities. The Chief Representative of UNESCO Office in Ha Noi, Mr Christian Manhart, and representatives from several Sub-commissions of the Commission attended this meeting.

Mr. Pham Vinh Quang, Secretary General of Viet Nam National Commission for UNESCO
and representatives from its Sub-commissions and UNESCO Office in Ha Noi at the meeting

The meeting focused on the key tasks of the Action Plan and the expected visit of the Director-General of UNESCO in late 2022. The participants highly appreciated the initiative and efforts of the Commission in developing the Action Plan as well as organizing public consultations which created opportunities for stakeholders to discuss and improve the Draft Action Plan. Basically, they greed with the contents of the Draft, but proposed to consider carefully the priority of activities (first priority should give to activities with high feasibility, while activities with funding uncertainty should be reviewed). The Sub-Commissions for Natural Science, International Hydrology Issues and World Documentary Heritage suggested several activities related to their areas to be added in the Action Plan. Belong to the Sub-Commissions for Natural Science, IOC Viet Nam proposed to include in the Plan activities to respond to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030. This is one of the important programs of the UN and IOC-UNESCO in this decade, aiming at sustainable development of the oceans and contribution to the achievement of the global sustainable development goals.

The participants worked and discussed at the meeting

Based on the results of this meeting, Viet Nam National Commission for UNESCO has finalized the Action Plan, which was approved by the President of the Commission on 10 June 2022. Viet Nam National Commission for UNESCO and UNESCO Office in Ha Noi will coordinate and support the Sub-Committees to carry out the tasks in the Action Plan.

In late 2022, Director General of UNESCO, Ms. Audrey Azoulay, plans to pay a working visit to Vietnam, either in September or November 2022. Viet Nam National Commission for UNESCO request all related sub-commisions, in close coordination with UNESCO Office in Hanoi, to prepare thoroughly and carry out welcome activities for the event. This visit will have an important meaning for both parties, which will strengthen the good cooperation and relationship between Vietnam and UNESCO, contributing to the implementation of the MoU between Viet Nam and UNESCO for the period 2021-2025.

(Souce: the National Committee of UNESCO Vietnam)