In celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the UK, a delegation from the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association, led by Vice President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Nguyen Van Phuc, visited the UK from December 3 to 10. The aim was to strengthen people-to-people ties.

VUFO Vice President Nguyen Van Phuc and UK delegates at the meeting. Photos: VNA

On December 4, acting on behalf of VUFO, the delegation conferred the highest honor, "For Peace and Friendship Among Peoples," medals to Ben Chapman, former MP and Chairman of the Vietnam-UK Network (2013-2018); Warwick Morris, former UK Ambassador to Vietnam and Chairman of the Vietnam-UK Network (2018-2023); and Paul Smith, businessman and Vice Chairman of the Vietnam-UK Network.

At the same ceremony, the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation for the period 2023-2028 with the Vietnam-UK Network, in the presence of representatives from the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnamese Embassy in Hanoi, and numerous Vietnamese and British friends.

On December 5, the delegation visited the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK and met with representatives from various Vietnamese community associations and unions, including the Vietnamese Association in the UK (VAUK), the Vietnamese Intellectual Association in England and Northern Ireland (VIS), the Vietnamese Business Association in the UK (VBUK), and the Vietnamese Student Association in the UK (SVUK).

On December 7, in cooperation with the delegation from the Academy of Journalism and Communication under the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, led by Associate Professor Mai Duc Ngoc, the delegation visited and held discussions with leaders of SOAS University. SOAS is a renowned research center focusing on issues related to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and has played a crucial role in training high-level leaders from various ministries and agencies in Vietnam.

Vietnam-UK Friendship Association and the Vietnam-UK Network sign cooperation agreement for the 2023-2028 period.

On December 8, the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association delegation and the Academy of Journalism and Communication delegation visited the Karl Marx Library in London.

Founded in 1933 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Karl Marx's death, the library currently houses over 60,000 books and newspapers on Marxism, scientific socialism, and the global workers' movement. It also features numerous volumes on the history of the Vietnamese Revolution and President Ho Chi Minh. Even today, the library serves as an educational center for studying Marxism and the workers' movement, attracting generations of learners from the UK and beyond.

During their visit on the library's 90th anniversary, the group was warmly welcomed by Alex Gordon, one of the patrons of the Library and President of the British National Federation of Railway, Maritime, and Transport Workers.

Gordon led the delegation through galleries showcasing artifacts and valuable documents on the history of Marxism, the international workers' movement, and revolutionary leaders.

The Vietnamese delegation at Karl Marx Library.

The Vietnamese delegation presented the Karl Marx Library with an English version of the book authored by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong titled: "Some Theoretical and Practical Issues About Socialism and The Path to Socialism in Vietnam." The book encapsulates the Communist Party of Vietnam's theoretical advances and recent practical outcomes on socialism and the trajectory towards socialism in Vietnam.

It enriches the Karl Marx Library's collection with both theoretical insights and practical experience from Vietnam, contributing to global research on socialism.

Additionally, the delegation presented the library with the book "The Love of the World's People for President Ho Chi Minh," compiled by the Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This compilation commemorates the 110th anniversary of Uncle Ho's journey in search of a way to save the country (1913-2023).

The Vietnamese delegation presents books to representatives of the Karl Marx Library.

The delegation's visit and discussions represent a meaningful initiative to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the UK. It fosters friendship, strengthens people-to-people diplomatic ties between the two nations, and further consolidates the ties between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the British workers' movement.