In her welcoming speech, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet, Director of the Vietnam Women’s Museum, affirmed: “The Vietnam Women’s Museum is one of the special cultural institutions with the mission of introducing, honoring and spreading the values and contributions of Vietnamese women through the ages.
In recent years, through many activities such as seminars, workshops, thematic exhibitions and experiential educational activities; the Museum has become a space for dialogue on the role of women in war, peace and development, contributing to inspiring and raising social awareness of gender equality.”
On behalf of the G4 group, Ms. Hilde Solbakken – Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam – emphasized in her opening speech: “Gender equality is not only a goal, but also a foundation for peace, prosperity and sustainable development. Today’s conference is a testament to the power of cooperation and a shared commitment to empowering women to lead, innovate and inspire.”
Presenting the opening speech, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa, President of the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Children’s Rights, former member of the Party Central Committee, former National Assembly Delegate, former President of the Vietnam Women’s Union, emphasized the strength of female leaders, along with Vietnam’s practical experiences in empowering and expanding women’s participation in political , economic and social life.
The workshop also emphasized the great role and contribution of Vietnamese women in the historical process and the present. For thousands of years, women have always accompanied the nation in building, protecting and developing the country. The heroic examples, the names associated with history, literature and art have become symbols in the consciousness of the Vietnamese people.
Since its inception, the Party has considered women as a key factor for the revolution to win. Through many stages, policies and laws on gender equality have been increasingly improved, creating a foundation for women to develop and assert themselves in all fields.
The event also clearly demonstrated the solidarity between Vietnam and the international community. Through cooperation with the G4 group, the values of gender equality, sustainable development and women’s empowerment continue to be strongly spread.
Outstanding female speakers brought to the conference inspirational stories of their efforts to overcome barriers and gender stereotypes, thereby reaching success. Ms. Dao Ngoc Anh, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Detech Coffee Joint Stock Company and Chairwoman of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance Vietnam (IWCA Vietnam), has had a steadfast journey of more than 10 years to elevate Vietnamese coffee beans, especially high-quality coffee grown in Son La and the northern mountainous provinces. Under her leadership, Detech Coffee has not only affirmed its position in demanding markets such as Europe, but also pioneered a sustainable development model, putting farmers – especially women – at the center of the value chain.
Ms. Dao Ngoc Anh affirmed: “I do not just sell coffee, but I have a mission – to add value to the entire supply chain, especially for women in the fields.” “Coffee is only delicious when the coffee maker is happy. When coffee is made with kindness, the whole world will listen to the story of Vietnamese coffee.” This message is the spirit that runs through the leadership and innovation journey that she is pursuing.
The discussion session chaired by the Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Thomas Gass, attracted the participation of many prominent figures, including Ms. Caroline Beresford – Ambassador of New Zealand to Vietnam, Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Thi An – President of the Hanoi Association of Women Intellectuals, and four female speakers. Here, delegates focused on discussing practical topics: from barriers for women in leadership roles, the companionship of men in promoting gender equality, to the differences between the public and private sectors and international experiences.
With an open spirit, the workshop created an atmosphere of sincere sharing, where the voices of female leaders were listened to and respected. Thereby, it was affirmed that: in order for women to be able to fully develop their abilities, they need the attention of the Party and State, support from society and family, and efforts from themselves. As Vietnam enters a new stage of development with many opportunities and challenges, increasing the proportion of female leaders is not only a matter of gender equality, but also an objective requirement for sustainable national development./.
