Vietnam Week in St. Petersburg: Meeting of Delegations and Strengthening Friendship

This week, St. Petersburg is hosting Vietnam Week, marked by significant events and meetings.

On May 21, 2024, a meeting took place at BSTU “VOENMEH” named after D.F. Ustinov with a Vietnamese delegation. The event aimed to discuss prospects for cooperation and the role of people’s diplomacy in strengthening Vietnam-Russia relations.

Those attending the meeting were representatives from the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Russian Federation, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, the Association of Vietnamese Citizens in Russia, and the Association of Vietnamese Businessmen Abroad.

The Russian side was represented by:

• Konstantin Mikhailovich Ivanov, Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Rector;
• Alexander Evgenievich Shashurin, Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Vice-Rector for Educational Activities and Digitalization;
• Marina Vadimovna Butorina, Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Head of the International Department;
• Irina Borisovna Gerasimenko, Head of the Youth Policy and Educational Activities Department;
• Petr Konstantinovich Ivanov, Head of the Socio-Cultural Activities and Network Interaction Department.

Honorary guests included

• Vyacheslav Gennadievich Kalganov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of St. Petersburg;
• Arseniy Yuryevich Kosiak, Specialist of the 1st Category in the Department for Relations with International Organizations of the Committee for External Relations of St. Petersburg;
• Andrey Leonidovich Vassoevich, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies at Herzen State Pedagogical University.

Participants discussed opportunities for expanding cooperation in science, education, culture, and economics, as well as shared experiences in strengthening Vietnam-Russia relations.

Among those present was Phan Anh Son, Chairman of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, who presented a commemorative medal to St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov “for significant contributions to strengthening mutual understanding, friendship, and peace between the peoples of Russia and Vietnam.” This year marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the basic treaty on the foundations of friendly relations between our countries. Alexander Beglov emphasized that “the friendly relations between the two countries are based on the course set by the two leaders — Vladimir Putin and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.” “We are bound by a century-old friendship tested by time,” said Alexander Beglov.