Virtual Talk on “Taking Care of Mental Health - Improving Adaptive Capability among Diplomatic Staff under New Circumstances”

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu chaired the discussion, where two sessions were coordinated by Dr. Pham Lan Dung, Acting Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and Mr. Bui Nguyen Long, Deputy Director of the Personnel and Organization Department, along with the participation of leading health experts on mental health and overseas Vietnamese ambassadors. The talk aimed to identify and partially create favorable conditions for MOFA’s cadres, civil servants and officials to maximize their capacity and contribute more efficiently to professional work.

This was the first talk about a brand-new topic by MOFA in which the guest speakers had an opportunity to share their expertise on mental health as well as valuable experience so that diplomatic staff can effectively adapt to a modern living environment and demanding working environment with rapid changes.

Beginning the first session with a topic entitled "Taking Care of Mental Health", Mr. Bui Nguyen Long, Deputy Director of the Personnel and Organization Department, moderator of the discussion, addressed the concern for mental well-being among diplomatic staff, especially in a current working environment with many changes. Also, the guest speakers who are leading experts in mental health in Vietnam introduced the topic and other related issues, while recommending solutions to take care of the mental health, providing support for diplomatic staff and their relatives in accordance to their needs.

With a topic on “Improving Adaptive Capability among Diplomatic Staff under New Circumstances” in the second session, overseas Vietnamese ambassadors had a lot to share about the diplomatic policies and mechanisms regarding diplomatic staff’s health. Dr. Pham Lan Dung opened the session by emphaizing the importance of diplomatic mechanisms and policies towards caring for officials from overseas missions sgencies, as well as the spirit of innovation in order to adapt to their situations timely. 

Within the same session, the ambassadors openly imparted the causes affecting the psychology of MOFA’s cadres working in different countries, the social challenges as well as proposing solutions to relieve their stress and workload. The ambassadors also emphasized the significance of rules and regulations in work places so that diplomatic staff can fully develop their professional potentials.

The virtual talk was successful with a lively and open spirit. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu ended the meeting by expressing his big thanks to the guest speakers, mental experts and ambassadors for sharing their enthusiastic, practical and helpful experience. The Deputy also conveyed his agreement to the proposals by the ambassadors, thereby making practical recommendations and solutions to improve the psychological and spiritual health among the staff working in oveses missions agencies in particular, and all diplomatic staff as a whole.