A total of 100 Lao students studying at universities and junior colleges in Da Nang have taken part in a three-week homestay programme in the city in 2022.

Lao students were presented with gifts at the launching ceremony of the homestay programme on Saturday morning. Photo: NGOC HA

The programme was co-organised by the Da Nang Union of Friendship Organisations, the city branch of the Viet Nam - Laos Friendship Association, the Consulate General of Laos in Da Nang, the district-level authorities, associations, unions, and member schools of the University of Da Nang.

It is designed to help Lao students familiarise themselves with daily activities in Vietnamese families, gain a deeper insight into the culture of Vietnamese people, and enhance their Vietnamese language proficiency as well.

Under the programme, the Lao students are arranged to live with host families in the districts of Lien Chieu, Thanh Khe, Hai Chau, Cam Le, Ngu Hanh Son and Son Tra between November 5 and November 27.

Speaking at the reception ceremony for Lao students on Saturday, Mr. Ho Ky Minh, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee cum Chairman of the city branch of the Viet Nam - Laos Friendship Association, said that since it was held for the first time in 2011, the homestay programme for Lao students has become a bright spot and a typical model expanded in many localities nationwide.

Each year, on average, about 100 Lao students participate in the programme, through which many twinning relationships between Vietnamese parents and Lao children, and Vietnamese and Lao brothers and sisters, have been formed, contributing to promoting friendship between the two countries in general and between Da Nang with Laos’ localities in particular.

As bridges to promote bilateral cooperation relations between Da Nang and Laotian localities, for many years, the municipal Union of Friendship Organisations and the city branch of the Viet Nam - Laos Friendship Association, have raised tens of billions of VND in scholarships for Lao students studying at universities in the city, and have joined with the city in signing 35 documents of agreements and memoranda of understanding with 7 localities of Laos.

In particular, the nearly VND116 billion cooperation programme for the 2018 - 2022 period between Da Nang and 5 south and central provinces of Laos in various fields has contributed to promoting the socio-economic development of Lao localities.

Reporting by NGOC HA - Translating by M.DUNG