On the occasion of a visit to some partner organizations of Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, in June. 2008, Vice President of VWU - Nguyen Thi Kim Thuy, as helped by the Vietnamese embassy in respective countries had cordial meetings with a number of overseas Vietnamese women who are residing, working and studying here.

In the meetings, on behalf of VWU’s Presidium and the delegation, Mrs. Kim Thuy delivered a brief report on activities implemented by VWU, especially the results of the recent 10^th National Women’s Congress which set forth the encouragement of all forms of gathering overseas Vietnamese towards the motherland and VWU.

In Berlin Capital of Germany, in Thai Binh Commercial Center of which Mrs. Trinh Thi Mui is the founder and director, a women’s organization was formed by Mrs.Mui after her trip to Vietnam to attend the 10^th National Women’s Congress at the invitation of VWU. Through the women’s organization, Mrs. Mui was able to initiate many activities to help the Vietnamese women and children in Berlin. Mrs. Mui and members of the women’s organization have organizedVietnamese classes for more than 100 children at different ages... Many art performance programs were also organized attracting the participation of quite a big number of the overseas Vietnamese people. A Vietnamese Pagoda was built in the area of the Center by Mrs. Mui and with the contribution of the overseas Vietnamese becoming a destination of the spiritual life of the Vietnamese community in Berlin and the surrounding areas.

In Belgium, many women came and settled here since after 1975. There have been many oversea Vietnamese intellectuals making good contribution to the home country as Doctor Bùi Kim Hải who is pursuing a project on construction of a complex of medical university and hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Although at present, there are no forms of organization of the oversea Vietnamese women, the Vietnamese embassy in respective country has a strong connection with the Vietnamese oversea community, mobilizing their efforts and participation in organizing certant events and celebrating New Year - Tet Holiday with the oversea Vietnamese community. In the meeting with the delegation, many women in Belgium expressed their sentiment to home country, sharing their personal story of living in the second home country as well as their concerns and advice on a number of issues in the original home country. Like the women in Germany and the Netherlands, women in Belgium also expressed their wish to have a organization of the Vietnamese women in Belgium. They suggested that VWU should send officialrequest to the Vietnamese embassy in respective country to guide the establishment of women’s organizations or women’s clubs in the locality./.

Hoai Giang - Translated by VWU’s International Relations Department

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