At a press conference on November 26, Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association Nguyen Thi Hoi, a representative of the organising board, said the funds raised through the Run since 2009 have helped more than 350 children nationwide to overcome their diseases.
The Run has attracted increasing attention from Hanoians and international friends, she said, adding that this is also a people-to-people diplomatic activity between Vietnamese and Canadian people.
Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Deborah Paul said all children deserve a healthy life, and people can make a difference in the life of less privileged children by helping them to receive treatment and realise their dreams.
She added that a highlight in the two countries’ relations is people-to-people diplomacy. There are more than 250,000 Vietnamese in her country, while over 180,000 Canadians visit Vietnam each year. Community activities like the Hanoi Run for Children are very important to bilateral relations.
The Run raises about 1 billion VND (42,800 USD) every year. Deducting organisation expenses, all the donations will be spent on supporting disadvantaged children with cancer and congenital heart diseases at the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital, the Hanoi Heart Hospital, and the Heartbeat Vietnam of VinaCapital Foundation.
VNA/VNP
