Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem applauded the Vietnam Federation of UNESCO Associations for its efforts to overcome difficulties to become one of the two strongest UNESCO organizations in Asia.

During a working session with the federation on Sept. 18, Deputy PM Khiem said the organization would continue its important role in assisting the Government in people-to-people relations.

He asked relevant ministries, agencies and Hanoi authorities to lend financial assistance to ensure the federation’s effective operation.

According to the federation’s General Secretary Nguyen Xuan Thang, the organization was set up in 1993 and works as a self-supporting non-governmental organization. The federation now includes nearly 100 UNESCO clubs, centres and provincial associations with more than 5,700 members.

Every year, the federation organizes some 200 events related to culture, science and education. Worthy of note is an international writing contest on the subject of Hanoi, which drew contestants from more than 100 countries worldwide.

In addition, the federation joins in preserving antiques, translating books on culture, sciences and education, sending its art troupes abroad for performances, and organizing training courses for provincial museums.