Home The Embassy Activities The ceremony in commemoration of the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2014 in Hanoi

The ceremony in commemoration of the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2014 in Hanoi

Monday, 01 December 2014 14:02

            Hanoi - In commemoration of the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian people 2014 and the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people (29th November), the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations, the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Vietnam, the Vietnam – Palestine Friendship Association of Hanoi and Kim Dong Cultural Center co-organized a ceremony on 28th November, 2014 in Hanoi.

           The ceremony is held one year after the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year 2014 as the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, and two years following its adoption of the historic resolution to raise the status of Palestine to a non-member observer State in the United Nations.

              Among the VIP guests attending the ceremony were Mr. Saaadi Salama, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Vietnam, Ms. Pratibha Mehta - Resident Representative and Resident Coordinator of the United Nations Development Programme to Vietnam and Mr. Ho Anh Dung - Chairman of Vietnam’s Committee for Solidarity with the Palestinian people.

           Ms. Pratibha Mehta - Resident Representative and Coordinator of the United Nations in Vietnam read the message from Secretary-General of the UN Ban Ki Moon, quoted: “I am deeply troubled by the situation in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Extremists on both sides are dictating the agenda. I call on all parties to stand up to those forces, exercise restraint and respect the status quo governing these holy sites. I also have repeatedly denounced Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. An end of the conflict will only come through a negotiated and just political solution, based on the relevant United Nations resolutions”.

Mr. Ho Anh Dung – Chairman of Vietnam Committee of solidarity with the Palestinian people – read the Message of Solidarity from President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Truong Tan Sang, in which he wrote: “On this occasion, the State and the people of Viet Nam reaffirm the strong support for the just cause and the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people. We firmly believe that the struggle of the Palestinian people with the strong support of the international community will achieve full victory”.

In his speech at the ceremony, Mr. Saadi Salama, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Vietnam, renewed the Palestinian people's deep gratitude to all Member State, UN agencies, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, brother, sisters, friends, freedom and peace-loving peoples around the world, as well as friendly people of Viet Nam, who continue to steadfastly stand by Palestinian people. They are grateful for their solidarity and support of the Palestinian people’s legitimate national aspirations for the achievement of their freedom and independence and just lasting Peace. Despite all challenges, hardship and setbacks, Palestinian people continue to have the faith that a just peace can be achieved in Middle East and that right must prevail. 

Tomorrow will mark the sixty-seventh anniversary of the adoption of the partition resolution in 1947, and in this year, the international year of solidarity with our people, the Palestinian people look forward with great hope to the future. We are determined to remain steadfast on our land and realize our inalienable rights, confident that the international community will stand with right and justice, so that hope, freedom, peace and security can prevail and that will ensure a better future for all of our children”.

The short documentary about Palestine - Vietnam diplomatic relations, produced by Palestine TV, was also screened at the ceremony, helping people tounderstand more about the friendship relations between the two countries and peoples.