CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION WITH VIETNAM

On September 24, 2004, Church World Service and long time partner, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), celebrated “50 Years of Friendship and Cooperation with Vietnam”. 

CWS and MCC first combined efforts in 1954 in response to the refugee emergency in Vietnam. Over the ensuing years, CWS worked with MCC and partnered with other aid agencies, working from within and from out of country, to provide medical assistance, food aid, training and counseling to all people affected by a history of war. In 1978, at a time when strict embargo was in effect, the U.S. State Department gave special clearance for CWS to ship 10,000 tons of food aid to Hanoi. Between 1975 and 1990, CWS provided over 8 million USD in development and relief assistance to Vietnam for use in health, education, infrastructure, and skills training sectors. 

In 1990 Church World Service was among the first U.S. non-governmental organizations given permits by the Government of Vietnam to open offices in Hanoi. CWS now holds the highest level of licensing granted by the Vietnamese government, in recognition of the agency’s continued commitment to and support for the people of Vietnam. 

Working with local implementers, CWS programs currently focus on quality education for young people; water and sanitation; and training, capacity building, and livelihood. Joanne Fairley, CWS Vietnam Representative said: “We will continue to adapt our programs to the changing needs of the Vietnamese people, as they meet the new demands of integrating into the world economy.” 

“Throughout the last fifty years U.S. NGOs have played a key role in building and re-building the relationship between our two countries, through humanitarian assistance and advocacy…In these fifty years we have experienced much together, tragedy and frustration as well as joy and success…But the most important is that cumulative relationship between CWS and Vietnam and what we represent, the relationship that continues to grow and strengthen as we continue to work together towards our common goal of betterment of life for the people of Vietnam.”
CWS Executive Director and CEO the Rev. John L. McCullough

“…On this occasion I would like to express sincere thanks to generations of leadership, directors, staff and donors of the two organisations for their continuing support and assistance to Vietnam both in the war times and in peace…Beside the efforts and practical contributions through projects and programs, MCC and CWS have been working on reconciliation and promoting mutual understanding between the people of the United States of America and the people of Vietnam and contributing actively in the normalisation of relations the two countries. Having the mandates for peace, justice and equality among peoples and among nations, the activities undertaken by MCC and CWS have helped the U.S. general public to better understand Vietnam, a nation struggling to overcome war consequences, heading for peace and development, putting aside the past and looking forward to the future………..” 
Madam Truong My Hoa, Vice-President of Vietnam

Mr. Delbert Weins, the first Country Directors of CWS in 1954, talks with Joanne Fairley, current CWS Vietnam Representative, Madam Truong My Hoa, Vice-President of Vietnam, and Vu Xuan Hong, chairman of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations.

Madam Truong My Hoa, Vice-President of Vietnam, inspects a bag of wheat donated by CWS in 1978.