BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 4. A meeting was held with Azerbaijanis living in Vietnam for the first time in the history of the diaspora, Trend reports.
Azerbaijan and Vietnam are united by friendly relations dating back more than half a century. The two countries are building lasting and mutually beneficial relations based on common interests. These relations, founded by the National Leaders of the peoples Heydar Aliyev and Ho Chi Minh, have been strengthened and developed by Azerbaijanis who have lived and worked in Vietnam and Vietnamese who have studied in Azerbaijan.
The elevation of these relations to the level of strategic partnership as a result of the historic meetings of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during his state visit to Azerbaijan in May 2025 has given a special impetus to historical relations and set new tasks for each institution.
In this matter, the role of Azerbaijanis living in Vietnam, as the successors of their predecessors, is of particular importance. Their social activism and commitment to the values of friendship make the bridges between the two countries more unshakable.
Fuad Muradov, Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan, met with the compatriots in Hanoi as part of his visit to Vietnam, and this went down in history as the first large-scale meeting held with Vietnamese Azerbaijanis, as well as Vietnamese who had previously studied in Baku.
Before the meeting, a bouquet of flowers was laid in front of the bust of the outstanding statesman, National Leader Heydar Aliyev, located in the building of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Vietnam, and his dear memory was commemorated with respect. The event began with the playing of the National Anthems of Azerbaijan and Vietnam. The dear memory of Azerbaijan's heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the Motherland was commemorated with deep respect.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, Shovgi Mehdizade, made a speech and drew attention to the existence of sincere friendly relations based on historical roots between the two countries. In the speech, detailed information was provided on the role of national leaders in the establishment and development of historical relations between the Azerbaijani and Vietnamese peoples, and it was emphasized that currently these relations are successfully developed by the leaders of the two countries.
The ambassador said that the Vietnam-Azerbaijan Friendship Association, which unites graduates of Azerbaijani universities, was established in Hanoi in 2015, and provided information about the active activities of the association and the work it has done so far. He recalled the visit of members of the Vietnam-Azerbaijan Friendship Associations to Azerbaijan in 2024, jointly organized by the State Committee for Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan and the embassy, and the guests' participation in a number of meetings in Baku and Shusha city as part of the visit. The ambassador noted that although the number of Azerbaijanis living in Vietnam is not large, they are always active participants in all events of the embassy.
The ambassador highly appreciated the visit of the chairman of the State Committee for Work with Diaspora to Vietnam and noted that this historic step is a new stage for cooperation in the field of diaspora activities.
The chairman of the committee, warmly welcoming the participants, reminded that Azerbaijanis living in different countries of the world are always surrounded by the attention and care of President Ilham Aliyev. First Vice-President, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, spoke about the contribution of Mehriban Aliyeva to conveying the truths of Azerbaijan to the world, protecting national and spiritual values, and informing the compatriots abroad.
The continuation of relations with Vietnamese people who studied in Azerbaijan and the organization of their visits to the country were highlighted, and the compatriots were thanked for their contributions to further strengthening humanitarian and public relations between the two countries.
Detailed information was provided on the long-term projects and programs implemented by the Azerbaijani state to strengthen the unity of Azerbaijanis around the world, including Azerbaijani Houses abroad, Coordination Councils, weekend Azerbaijani schools, specialized forums, cultural events, and the successful process of community building among the compatriots.
The event featured video materials featuring historical speeches by President Ilham Aliyev, as well as patriotic videos.
The meeting was attended by the head and honorary head of the Vietnam-Azerbaijan Friendship Association, as well as members of the association who had previously received higher education in Azerbaijan, who expressed their positive impressions of the meeting. Nghiem Vu Khai, honorary head of the Vietnam-Azerbaijan Friendship Association, expressed his great love for Azerbaijan in his speech.
Nghiem Vu Khai was awarded the "Taraggi" medal in 2017 by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan for his contribution to the development of friendly and cooperative relations between Azerbaijan and Vietnam.
The meeting, which took place in an interactive and productive atmosphere, exchanged views on the prospects, listened carefully to the issues of interest to the participants, and provided comprehensive answers.
Expressing great interest in the committee's projects, the compatriots noted that the majority of Azerbaijanis living in Vietnam teach English here and voiced their proposals for strengthening relations between the two countries, especially in the fields of education, culture, and cuisine, as well as organizing a teachers' forum here. The participants of the event thanked the Azerbaijani state for the care shown to the community in Vietnam.
The meeting with the Azerbaijani community in Vietnam concluded with an artistic part. The performances of Azerbaijani artists, as well as Vietnamese educated in Baku, and the performances that added a special color to the event were met with continuous applause.
In recent years, the State Committee for Work with the Diaspora has been holding regular meetings with Azerbaijanis living in various countries, listening to the proposals of the compatriots, and supporting their activities.
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