The 3rd Congress of the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association in Ho Chi Minh City  (VLFA HCM City) took place on November 11, focusing on discussing measures to effectively promote people-to-people diplomacy between HCM City and Lao localities.

The congress elected a 31-member Executive Committee for the 2022 - 2027 tenure. Ngo Minh Chau, Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee, was elected as Chairman of the VLFA HCM City.

In the new tenure, the association will concentrate on further promoting the popularisation and education of the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos among the two countries’ people, especially the young; organising national holidays, important anniversaries of the two nations, friendship and cultural exchanges between the youth and students.

Addressing the event, Vanxay Xaysena, Deputy Consul General of Laos in HCM City said people diplomacy activities carried out by the association over the past five years contributed to enhancing understanding between the the two countries' people, bolstering the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in general and between HCM City and localities of Laos in particular.

On the occasion, organisations and individuals of the VLFA HCM City were commended for their positive contributions to people-to-people diplomacy activities in the 2016-2021 period./.