In its efforts to tighten the traditional friendship and special solidarity with Laos in general, and its south central provinces in particular, Da Nang has, over the past years, sent its government officals to provide timely and effective support for the ‘Land of a Million Elephants’. Since then, these officials have become ‘special bridges of cooperation and friendship’ between the city and Laotian localities.

Da Nang leaders visiting the Viet Nam-Laos Friendship School in Attapeu Province on July 3, 2022. Photo: NGOC PHU

Vietnamese teacher in Laos

Ta Thi Toan, 67, a former lecturer at the Da Nang University of Education, is now working as a Vietnamese teacher at the Vietnamese Language Centre in Salavan Province.

She is among 10 teachers who have been sent to work at Vietnamese language centres in south central provinces of Laos.

In 2007, Mrs. Toan registered to go on a mission to teach Vietnamese language in Champasak and Savannakhet provinces of Laos as the city implemented a policy of sending local teachers to Laos to teach Vietnamese language.

After a year of performing her duty, she returned to Da Nang and continued to teach Vietnamese to Lao students in the city under the city's scholarship programmes at the University of Education, the University of Economics, and the University of Foreign Language Studies.

In 2012, Mrs. Toan retired under the regime but still taught Vietnamese to Lao students at the universities.

Six years later, the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs invited Mrs. Toan to Laos to teach Vietnamese at the Vietnamese Language Centre in Sekong Province. At that time, she was over 60 years old.

In 2019, the Da Nang government-funded Vietnamese Language Centre in Salavan Province was officially opened, and she was assigned to work as a Vietnamese teacher there until now.

The Da Nang teacher said that she always tried her best to well perform the assigned tasks so as to create the reputation of a teacher and gain the trust of students.

Aside from teaching Vietnamese to Lao government officials and students in preparation for their working or studying trips to Da Nang, she also teaches Vietnamese free-of-charge to children living near the centre.

“We are always aware of building and cultivating the traditional friendship and special solidarity between Viet Nam and Laos. Therefore, if we treat the Laos natives with a warm heart, they will automatically respond with sincere affection such as simple gifts, handshakes, warm greetings and sincere wedding invitations" said Mrs. Toan.

The delegation of Da Nang’s senior leaders taking a souvenir photo with teachers and students of the Vietnamese Language Centre in Salavan Province, Laos. Photo: NGOC PHU

‘Diplomatic bridges’

“The Viet Nam-Laos relationship is not only a relationship between two neighboring countries, but also likes a brotherhood in a family” said Mrs. Phan Thi Dao, Head of the External Reception - International Cooperation Division of the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs.

Working at the Department provided the opportunity for Mrs. Dao to stick with Laos, especially the south central provinces.

The woman started to work for the city's Department of Foreign Affairs in 1998, and only one year later she had the opportunity to visit Attapeu Province.

During nearly 25 years of working as an external receptionist, Mrs. Dao has coordinated with colleagues to advise on cooperation programmes with the south central provinces of Laos with the aim of connecting with many generations of associates in the neighbouring province and contributing to deepening the traditional friendship between the two localities.

Similarly, Mr. Le Van Hung, the Director of the Da Nang Centre for Investment Cooperation and Project Management in Laos, was sent to Laos in 1999 in order to support the Lao provinces of Savannakhet and Salavan to implement projects to support agricultural economy. At that time, the provinces faced many difficulties.

Mr. Hung actively cooperated with the departments and branches of Savannakhet Province to implement the Da Nang-funded projects.

He waded into remote areas and performed ‘3 togethers’ (eating together, staying together, working together) with relatives of the Lao tribes. Thanks to this, he grasped the situation of each province, thereby, together with the city's departments and agencies, advised the leaders of the two sides to carry out high-level delegation visits and sign practical cooperation programmes.

Mr. Nguyen Van Duc, hailing from Ha Tinh Province, has been working as an expert in teaching Vietnamese at the Vietnamese Language Centre in Savannakhet Province for a decade.

In addition to teaching Vietnamese to Lao people, he has also worked as an interpreter for the city’s high-ranking delegations when visiting and working in Laotian localities.

In order to better understand the culture and people of Laos, Mr. Duc learned the Lao customs and habits by himself to introduce to the delegations when he had the opportunity to go to Laos to work.

Saiyavong Luong Viset, a Laotian teacher at the Vietnamese Language Centre in Salavane Province, has lived and studied in Da Nang for 3 years under the scholarship cooperation programmes between the two localities.

After finishing his course in Da Nang and returning to his hometown, he acts as a bridge to promote Vietnamese language in Laos.

Saiyavong Luong Viset confided it was a great honour for him to teach Vietnamese to Lao people as well as the Vietnamese community living in Salavane Province.

He always told himself to make every effort to teach Vietnamese and spread Vietnamese culture to the Lao people in order to deserve the special friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam Laos, and Da Nang and south central provinces of Laos.

Mr. Ho Ky Minh, Da Nang People’s Committee Vice Chairman cum Chairman of the city branch of the Viet Nam - Laos Friendship Association, assessed the outstanding achievements in the bilateral cooperation and friendship relationships between Da Nang and the south central provinces of Laos were mainly attributed to the great efforts made by the authorities, as well as great contributions made by Vietnamese language teachers and external receptionists who act as bridges to further tighten the solidarity between Viet Nam and Laos, and between Da Nang and the south central provinces.

Reporting by NGOC PHU - Translating by M.DUNG