Female soldiers visit the photo exhibition. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – An exchange programme was held in Hà Nội on Friday by the Ministry of Defence’s Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), along with the opening of a photo exhibition themed “Vietnamese female military personnel in United Nations peacekeeping operations”.

The programme served as a forum for sharing experiences and exploring new methods to enhance understanding of the contributions of female military personnel to UN peacekeeping operations, thus increasing and promoting their meaningful participation in these activities.

Additionally, it reaffirmed Việt Nam's consistent commitment to the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, as well as its response to the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security.

Nearly 100 photos on display at the exhibition have been taken by Vietnamese military personnel who have directly participated in UN peacekeeping missions over the past more than a decade, giving the public an insight into their challenging and meaningful journeys in distant missions, and serving as vivid evidence of the courage, resilience, and humanitarian spirit of Vietnamese female soldiers.

The photos reflect the desire for peace of the Vietnamese nation which endured fierce wars and understands the immense value of peace. This aspiration is carried by Vietnamese female soldiers as they implement their missions in conflict areas, contributing to the building of sustainable peace, emphasised Colonel Mạc Đức Trọng, deputy head of the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

The exhibition remains open to visitors until the end of November 8 at the Vietnamese Women's Museum on Lý Thường Kiệt Street, Hoàn Kiếm District.

To date, the Ministry of Defence has sent 147 servicewomen to UN peacekeeping missions. VNS