(VOVWORLD) - 200 delegates, including 100 representatives from 49 member countries of the World Peace Council, are attending the 22nd Congress of the World Peace Council which opened in Hanoi on Tuesday. It’s an important event illustrating Vietnam's active and responsible role and contributions to the World Peace Council and global peace movement in general.
 Members of Vietnam’s Military Engineer Unit No.1 and Level 2 Field Hospital leave for the United Nations peacekeeping operation in April 2022. (Photo: Trong Duc/VNA) |
During 70 years of development, the World Peace Council has always upheld its principles of promoting peace for all and fighting for and supporting solidarity of countries around the world for peace, justice, national independence, and territorial sovereignty. The World Peace Council has always been the fulcrum for peace and progressive movements around the world.
Vietnam’s relations with World Peace Council
The World Peace Council and Vietnam have a special relationship. Vietnam was one of the founders of the World Peace Council in 1949. Over the past seven decades, the Council has supported Vietnam in all historical stages, from the national struggle for peace, independence, unification, and territorial integrity, to the present construction and defense.
Vietnam has always been an active and responsible member of the World Peace Council. That’s the reason the World Peace Council is holding its 22nd Congress in Vietnam.
Uong Chu Luu, Chairman of the Vietnam Peace Committee, said: “Vietnam's participation in the World Peace Council has been recognized by international friends and members of the Council. Vietnam is a peaceful, stable, innovative, integrating and developing country. The Vietnamese people have a tradition of patriotism and filial piety, and are peace-loving, friendly, hospitable, loyal, and affectionate.”
Over the past two years, while the world has fallen into recession, Vietnam has achieved very positive socio-economic results. This has led the World Peace Council to see Vietnam as the right place to hold its Congress.
 Uong Chu Luu, Chairman of the Vietnam Peace Committee (Photo: Trong Duc/VNA) |
Vietnam conveys a message of peace and global unity
Over the years Vietnam has demonstrated its position and role as a founding member of the World Peace Council and has actively participated in the Council's activities, such as the Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament and the World Peace Council’s anti-nuclear weapons forum.
In 2017 the Vietnam Peace Committee hosted a World Peace Council Executive Committee meeting in Hanoi. It was an honor for Vietnam when the World Peace Council established the Ho Chi Minh award to honor peace activists and peacekeepers. In 1980 the award was given to the leaders of the peace movements of Palestine, Namibia, and South Africa.
Organizing the World Peace Council Congress is a responsibility and a great honor for Vietnam. It’s an opportunity for Vietnam to introduce to foreign friends its history, its tradition of struggle for national independence and freedom, and its achievements in national renewal.
Chairman of the Vietnam Peace Committee Uong Chu Luu said: “We want to convey to international friends Vietnam’s messages and images in the renewal process. We want to introduce Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, and friendship, and Vietnam's contributions to the Council and the world peace movement. This is also an opportunity to raise awareness of all people, especially the younger generation, about the role and value of peace in Vietnam’s construction and defense. International solidarity and the support of international friends were very important factors in Vietnam’s revolutionary successes.”
The concept of peacekeeping and protection should be understood in a broader sense. Peace is not simple the absence of war. Peace also includes development, the environment, human rights, public health, and justice.