Participants at the online seminar (Photo: VNA)New Delhi (VNA) – Vietnamese and Indian diplomats andscholars gathered on June 12 at an online seminar on public diplomacy andVietnam – India relations.
At the event, Mahjabin Banu, President of India’s Societyfor Policy Research and Empowerment (SPRE), said India’s public diplomacy hasbecome more diverse in the past time via upgrading the nation’s commitmentswith neighbouring countries, including ASEAN member states.
India and Vietnam have boosted their join work in multiculturalexchanges, scholarships and joint research programmes, human capacityimprovement, and people-to-people exchange, among other aspects, he added.
Vietnamese Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau stated the twocountries share a long traditional friendship and a nearly-2000-year culturalconnection fostered by their generations of leaders and peoples.
People-to-people exchange is an important bridge of theties, he went on, saying it contributes to reinforcing the traditionalrelationship and mutual trust given both nations striving for deep integrationinto the international community.
Vietnam acknowledges the increasingly important role ofpublic diplomacy in developing the national policy for external relations,serving security targets, and promoting the country’s position in the world, headded.
Boosting people-to-people exchange and using cultural toolsand information for external relations are all public diplomacy, the diplomatsaid.
Participants took the occasion to raise questions on Vietnam's experience in the fight against COVID-19, and expressed their impression on the country's outcomes in the fight.
The event was co-organised by the Vietnam Embassy, the Centrefor Vietnam Studies in India and SPRE./.
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