people-to-people diplomacy
REMARKABLE MILESTONES OF THE VIETNAMESE STUDENTS IN THE NETHERLANDS The year 2016 marks the new evolution of the Vietnamese students community with the re-establishment of the Association of Vietnamese Students in the Netherlands. Up to now, the association has connected various generations of Vietnamese students in the Netherlands and been able to organise major public events with great impact on the local and international fellows. The Vietnamese Students in the Netherlands (VSNL) is the official organization of Vietnamese students in the Netherlands which belongs to the Central Vietnamese Student Union, under the auspices of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Netherlands. The main objective of the association is to put the students focus on learning, provide mutual support, strengthen solidarity among students and connecting and developing activities for the Vietnamese students in the Netherlands.
First official event of VSNL: “A touch of Viet Nam” (05/06/2016) in Amsterdam with the participation of more than 100 persons and attendance of the Former Ambassador of Viet Nam in the Netherland
“The Embassy Festival” in The Hague (3/9/2016) an opportunity to promote Vietnamese culture and tourism, exquisite handicrafts and traditional cuisine.
Being a foreign student in the Netherlands, one will encounter unfamiliar practices and will need support to be able to adapt and study well. Therefore, VSNL attempts to share adaptation and study skills and create a familiar environment for students through interesting and useful events. The major events held in 2017 included Alumni Talk in April 2017 about employment opportunities for students in the Netherlands, ASEAN Sports Day in June 2017, the “Departure Briefing” event with Nuffic Neso Viet Nam in July 2017, Embassy Festival in September 2017” and the “Welcome You Freshmen” event also in September 2017. In addition, the Association of the Vietnamese students in the Netherlands also serves as a bridge connecting Viet Nam to the Netherlands, gaining support and understanding of the Dutch people in favor of Viet Nam. The Association has held the “5 senses of Viet Nam Festival” in The Hague in January 2018, an opportunity for international guests to get a glimpse of Vietnamese diverse cuisine, traditional games and musical performances. The Association has mobilised significant support and donations from the Dutch and Vietnamese nationals in the Netherlands for the “Lend a building hand” program which helps rebuild a primary school for ethnic minority children in Khau Tao, Ha Giang Province. Over the past years, the Vietnamese Student Association in the Netherlands has continuously received the guidance and attention from the Student Union and the Embassy of Viet Nam, coordination and assistance from other individuals and organizations in the Netherlands. These actors have made great contribution to the success of the Association events.
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“Alumni Talk” (23/4/2017) for Vietnamese students.