Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Trần Thanh Mẫn (right) presents a gift to President of the Switzerland–Việt Nam Friendship Association Anjuska Marija Weil on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo

GENEVA — Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Trần Thanh Mẫn met with Anjuska Marija Weil, President of the Switzerland–Việt Nam Friendship Association (SVFA), in Geneva on Monday, within the framework of his working trip to the Central European country.

NA Chairman Mẫn emphasised that Việt Nam’s current success is partly thanks to the support and assistance of international friends, including Anjuska Marija Weil, who has served as President of the SVFA for over 30 years. She has been a key figure in the association’s activities and has visited Việt Nam more than 20 times.

He expressed his gratitude to the association leader for joining a movement to protest the war in Việt Nam in the 1960s and for continuing to stand by the country until this day.

He affirmed that Việt Nam deeply values the contributions of the Switzerland–Việt Nam Friendship Association, not only in terms of spiritual support but also through its efforts in mobilising donations for charitable and humanitarian activities, and supporting the poor. The association has helped Việt Nam in building schools, assisting leprosy patients, and assisting victims of Agent Orange.

For her part, Anjuska Marija Weil noted that since its establishment in 1982, the mission and purpose of the association have remained unchanged: to promote friendship, mutual understanding, and cooperation between the people of Switzerland and Việt Nam.

In recent years, the association has carried out humanitarian projects to support AO victims, provide microcredit assistance, and improve health care and education. It has also supported the Vietnamese community in Switzerland, including the establishment of the Bình Minh School to teach Vietnamese language to children of Vietnamese origin.

She asserted that in her capacity, she will continue to contribute to the development of the association as well as to the fine friendship and collaboration between Switzerland and Việt Nam.

Congratulating the association on its recent achievements, especially its close collaboration with the Vietnamese community in organising many meaningful activities in Switzerland, the top Vietnamese legislator said that thanks to Việt Nam’s own efforts and the support from international partners, including Switzerland, the country has now succeeded in eliminating leprosy. — VNS