Seminar-Exhibition “80 Years - A Confident Vietnam”

The Seminar was attended by a distinguished group of speakers and guests, including Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and former President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations; Ambassador Le Quang Long, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to Cuba; Major General Hoang Kim Phung, former Director General of the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations; Major General Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director General of the Search and Rescue Department under the General Staff of the Viet Nam People’s Army and Head of the Viet Nam People’s Army delegation for international search and rescue operations in Myanmar in 2025; First Lieutenant Ngo Lam Phuong, Commander of the A80 Female Military Medical Officers Formation; and photographer Nguyen A. From the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam, participants included Mr. Nguyen Manh Dong, M.A., Vice President of DAV; Dr. Ho Thanh Tung and Ms. Do Thi Bach Duong, M.A., lecturers of the Faculty of International Communication and External Culture, along with a large number of DAV students.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Nguyen Manh Dong, M.A., expressed pride in the country’s achievements over the past eight decades, affirming that the photographic works of Nguyen A offer a vivid visual lens through which students can more profoundly appreciate Viet Nam’s 80-year journey of growth and resilience. He emphasized that the Seminar was not only an opportunity to view documentary photographs imbued with historical significance, but also a meaningful occasion to inspire national pride and a sense of responsibility among the young diplomatic generation in preserving and promoting Viet Nam’s cultural identity amid deepening international integration.

Within the framework of the Seminar, speakers shared multifaceted perspectives on the theme “Telling the National Story through Cultural Communication.” They concurred that Viet Nam’s current standing on the international stage is the cumulative result of the sacrifices, courage, and intellect of previous generations. National pride, they noted, not only resonates deeply at home but also serves as a strong bond connecting overseas Vietnamese communities with the Homeland, thereby reinforcing national cohesion in light of the country’s increasingly recognized achievements. On this foundation, the younger generation is entrusted with a pivotal role in carrying forward the legacy of peace, while harnessing creativity to contribute to Viet Nam’s robust development and enhanced international stature.

Addressing the role of cultural communication in national development, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, affirmed that culture constitutes a nation’s spiritual strength and enduring foundation. In this context, human development and the creation of enabling spaces for student creativity are of paramount importance. She underscored the need to foster innovative thinking and to flexibly apply modern communication forms and languages in order to effectively promote the national image in line with the evolving landscape of international integration.

From a historical and foreign policy-defense perspective, Major General Hoang Kim Phung highlighted Viet Nam’s participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations as a compelling testament to the country’s strategic mindset transformation, contributing to the dissemination of national identity and the affirmation of Viet Nam’s position on the global stage. Building on this spirit, Colonel Tran Van Trung emphasized that the younger generation will serve as the core force, acting as dynamic and creative “cultural ambassadors” who can leverage technological strengths and professional expertise to translate awareness into concrete actions, thereby bringing Viet Nam’s distinctive values further into the world in the new era.

Following the Seminar, guests and students visited the photo exhibition “80 Years - A Confident Vietnam,” featuring selected works from the eponymous photo book by artist Nguyen A. Beyond vividly portraying the nation’s achievements over 80 years of independence and development, the photographs authentically depict the daily lives and international peacekeeping missions of officers and soldiers of the Viet Nam People’s Army, reinforcing the image of a strong, united, and forward-looking Viet Nam.

The Seminar-Exhibition concluded successfully in an open and engaging atmosphere, leaving a lasting impression of Viet Nam’s 80-year journey of independence and development. Through substantive academic exchanges and meaningful visual experiences, the program helped inspire a heightened sense of responsibility and aspiration to contribute among the young diplomatic generation, thereby laying an important foundation for the development of mindset, resilience, and capacity to engage in diplomacy, communication, and international exchange.

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