The southern province of Ben Tre founded its branch of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association, in the year of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association in the southern province of Ben Tre launched.

The founding Congress of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association of Ben Tre for the 2020-2025 tenure was held on June 26. 

Under the motto of “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive, sustainable and long-term cooperation”, during its this term from 2020 to 2025, the friendship association will enhance its important role in promoting people-to-people diplomatic activities between Ben Tre and Cuban localities. This will help maintain peace as well as strengthen bilateral solidarity, friendship and cooperation with the Cuban people through their practical cooperations.

Truong Minh Nhut was elected as the Association's President, heading a 15-member-executive board.

Speaking at the congress, Indira Lopez Arguelles, Consul General of the Republic of Cuba in Ho Chi Minh City said: The Vietnam - Cuba Friendship Association of Ben Tre province was established on the occassion of the 60th anniversary of friendship between two countries. The association is a testament to the friendship and solidarity as well as an important milestone in the development of friendship between Cuba and Vietnam.

She voiced her hope that the two countries would increase cooperation in various areas, contributing to promoting economic development of both sides.

For his part, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Truc Son affirmed that the Vietnam - Cuba Friendship Association of Ben Tre is a special organization, promoting the friendship, solidarity and peace with Cuba and its people. 

Son also asked the Association to quickly develop a specific action plan, expand members, and operate effectively to well fulfill its role as a focal point in strengthen the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cuba, contributing to the construction and development of the province.

On the December 2, 1960, the diplomatic relations between Government of Republic of Cuba and Government of Vietnam Democratic Republic were established, opening a new page of the friendship between two nations. With sound awareness of struggle of Vietnamese people and army against America contributing to protect peace and liberty and happiness of Asian, Africa and American nations, of whom the Party and people of Cuba gave political support to Vietnam that was timely, dynamic and effective.

Cuba is the first country to recognize the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (1961). The Cuban Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam, later called the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association, was set up on September 25, 1963 under the instruction of Cuban Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro, who was serving as Prime Minister of the American nation at the time.

Cuba is also the only country to set up an embassy by the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam in the liberated zone. 1967 was observed in Cuba as “Heroic Vietnam Year”. In 1972, Fidel stated that Cuba’s solidarity with and trust in Vietnam is absolute and unconditional.

On January 9, 1984, the provincial People Committee decided to choose Luong Hoa commune to twin with Cuba and call it “Moncada village”. Moncada is where the Cuban revolution against the dictatorship of Batista began. Meanwhile, the Hinba Bonita cow farm in Moncada was named “Ben Tre village”, after Vietnam’s Ben Tre province, which was the first southern locality to be free in the US war in 1975.

The naming, initiated by President Fidel Castro and general Nguyen Thi Dinh, reflects the solidarity between the two nations.

Ben Tre also was the birthplace of Dinh, the first female President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association and outstanding promoter of brotherhood between the two peoples.

The local Luong Hoa commune (also called Moncada village) has been selected to establish twin relations with Cuba. In Cuba, there is a village named Ben Tre located in Artemisa province./.

VNF