Viện Nghiên cứu Nam Á, Tây Á và Châu Phi

On December 15, 2020, University of Languages and International Studies ​​- Vietnam National University, Hanoi (ULIS-VNU) held an meeting between its students and H.E. Ngo Toan Thang, the newly appointed Ambassador of Vietnam to the State of Kuwait, with the theme "45 years of Diplomatic Relations between Vietnam - Kuwait and a future for the young generation ". This is one of the activities aiming to celebrate World Arabic Language Day (December 18) and the 45th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Vietnam and Kuwait in January 2021 (1976 - 2021).

The meeting was attended by leaders of University of Languages and International Studies, leaders and staffs of the Institute for African and Middle East Studies - Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (IAMES-VASS), lecturers from the Department of Arabic Language ​​and Culture (DALC), along with students studying Arabic language at ULIS-VNU.

The Department of Arabic Language ​​and Culture under ULIS-VNU, is the only institution in Vietnam to provide full time courses for Bachelor of Arts Programme in Arabic language. Up to now, the Department has trained eleven courses (the first enrollment course was in 1996). Graduates are currently working at embassies, foreign representative offices in Vietnam, state agencies such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commission for Foreign Relations of the Party Central Committee, Ministry of Public Security, Vietnam News Agency as well as business such as trading, labor exchange, tourism, …

At the meeting, students had raised a number of questions about the relationship between Vietnam and Kuwait in particular and the Gulf countries in general; they also expressed their concern about the prospects of further promoting studying abroad, student exchange with Kuwait in the future; proposal some expectations that the Vietnam Embassy in Kuwait is going to facilitate students to study in Kuwait; job opportunities and prospects for Arabic language students after graduation.

Ambassador Ngo Toan Thang and PhD. Kieu Thanh Nga (Vice Director of the Institute for African and Middle East Studies) exchanged with students

On this occasion, Ambassador Ngo Toan Thang highly appreciated the efforts of students studying Arabic language, which does not widely spread in Vietnam. At the same time, he said that in recent years, the understanding of the Gulf countries about Vietnamese culture and vice versa has changed greatly, showing that good friendship is increasingly being cultivated and developed. Currently, the potential to attract tourists from the Gulf countries to Vietnam is quite high since the connecting flight routes between the Middle East and Vietnam were quite convenient and available with a high frequency before the Covid-19 pandemic happened. Vietnam is considered a safe and attractive destination attracting tourists from the Middle East. With rich tourism resources and suitable to the preferences and needs of tourists from the Gulf in particular and Middle East countries in general, Vietnam will continue to be an attractive destination in the post-Covid-19 period.

At the meeting, PhD. Kieu Thanh Nga, Vice Director of the Institute for African and Middle East Studies, also said the cooperation between Vietnam and Kuwait has gone through 45 years with many memorable milestones. Kuwait was the first country in the Gulf to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam on January 10, 1976. Trade exchange between Vietnam and Kuwait has reached over 3 billion USD, of which Vietnam has a trade deficit. In the field of investment cooperation, Nghi Son Petrochemical Refinery project by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and Japan for which Kuwait is committed to provide long-term crude oil has a total investment of 9 billion USD. In addition, cooperation in labor export and aid between the two countries is also being promoted. In the coming period, the two sides need to continue their efforts to overcome barriers of cultural, linguistic and religious differences and it is the students learning Arabic language to be the factors to shorten the gap and contribute to the growing cooperation between Vietnam and Kuwait which is commensurate with the two sides' potential.

Ambassador Ngo Toan Thang and Dr. Kieu Thanh Nga, took a commemorative photo with lecturers and students of DALC, ULIS-VNU

Ambassador Ngo Toan Thang also encouraged students studying Arabic to take advantage of this great opportunity to increase their learning of Arabic language and cultures and be a bridge to promote the relations between Vietnam and Kuwait as well as the Gulf countries in many fields such as tourism, investment, trade, import and export.

The leaders of ULIS-VNU and lecturers of the DALC gave a souvenir gift to Ambassador Ngo Toan Thang

Ambassador Ngo Toan Thang also highly appreciated the Arabic teaching and dissemination efforts of ULIS-VNU and expressed his wish to further promote cooperation activities between universities in Kuwait and ULIS-VNU to promote Arabic language training in Vietnam, open up many studying and working opportunities for students learning Arabic, promote the image of the country and people of Vietnam to international friends and make the bridge for the relationship between Vietnam and Kuwait in particular and Arab countries in general become stronger in the coming time.

By: Le Van

Translated by: DALC, ULIS-VNU