"The hearts and sentiments of people around the world have given great strength to the Vietnamese people," Do Van Chien, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, said today at an event organized by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related agencies to commemorate the 80th National Day.

Mr. Chien said international friends not only supported Vietnam during the struggle for national defense and reunification, but also contributed significantly to the country's reconstruction. Some who were once on "the other side of the battle lines" overcame their feelings and contributed to Vietnam's war reconciliation and new life.

Mr. Do Van Chien speaks at the event. Nhan Dan Newspaper

Mr. Do Van Chien speaks at the event. Nhan Dan Newspaper

Mr. Chien conferred the Friendship Order of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung presented the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit to organizations and individuals in recognition of international friends' support and positive contributions to Vietnam.

Among the more than 100 international delegates present at the event was Kathleen S. Magee, President and CEO of Operation Smile in the US, who, along with her husband and colleagues, helped build bridges between the US and Vietnam after the war.

With Operation Smile, Ms. Magee has actively mobilized resources and brought experts to Vietnam to provide free cleft lip and palate surgery for Vietnamese children, while also improving the capacity of medical staff. Since her first mission to Vietnam in 1982, Ms. Magee said more than 70,000 free surgeries have helped change the lives of children with disabilities.

"Our work here has become one of the first humanitarian bridges to help pave the way for the normalization of relations between the two countries," Ms. Magee said at the event.

For her significant contributions to Vietnam and the bilateral relationship, Ms. Magee was awarded the Friendship Order at today's gratitude meeting.

"The medal is not a recognition for an individual, but for a partnership built on compassion, service, and the belief that every child deserves to smile," she said.

Nam Khe Son Hospital, China's only rear international hospital specializing in treating Vietnamese wounded soldiers from 1969 to 1975, was also awarded the Friendship Order for its significant contributions to Vietnam during the war against the US.

During this period, the hospital treated 5,432 Vietnamese patients, performed 2,576 surgeries, and Chinese medical staff donated 779,000 ml of blood to Vietnamese patients. In 1975, after the last patients were brought back to Vietnam, the hospital was handed over to the Guangxi Department of Health and renamed Nam Khe Son Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

"Those years are deeply etched in the historical memory of Nam Khe Son Hospital, becoming an endless motivation for generations of doctors at the hospital to continue writing the story of China-Vietnam friendship," said Liu Honglin, Party Secretary of Nam Khe Son Hospital in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

He affirmed that the friendship between the two countries will last forever, emphasizing that he will continue to cultivate the deep friendship with Vietnam "both as comrades and brothers." In 1974, Nam Khe Son Hospital was awarded the First-Class Resistance Order by Vietnam.

Many other organizations and individuals were also honored and awarded the Friendship Order and the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit on this occasion. The gratitude meeting on the occasion of National Day not only acknowledges the affection of international friends who have supported Vietnam during difficult times, but also sends a message about a country that values gratitude and is ready to be a friend and reliable partner of the world community.

Kathleen S. Magee, President and CEO of Operation Smile, in Hanoi on the afternoon of 2/9. Thanh Tam

Kathleen S. Magee, President and CEO of Operation Smile, in Hanoi on the afternoon of 2/9. Thanh Tam

Sharing on the sidelines of the event, many international delegates expressed their impression of the patriotic atmosphere of the Vietnamese people during the 80th National Day grand celebration, along with the country's rapid development.

"We watched the parade this morning, witnessing the happy and proud moments of the Vietnamese people about their country. It was truly a happy moment," Ms. Magee said.

Radman Jesse Kivette, Chief Representative of VinaCapital Foundation, a US non-profit organization that helps disadvantaged children and received the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit, commented that Vietnam is not only progressing rapidly economically, but also has many progressive ideas about politics and society.

"Vietnam has done wonders compared to 25 years ago, when I first came here," Mr. Kivette said. "Vietnam is on the right track in all three aspects: social, political, and economic."

Thanh Tam