Belgian Senate President Stéphanie D'Hose visits Quang Tri province: President of the Belgian Senate Stéphanie D'Hose speaks at a working session with Quang Tri province's leaders. (Photo: VNA)

At the reception, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Hoang Nam remarked that he appreciated Belgium’s support for the locality so far and hoped for more assistance in the time to come regarding Quang Tri’s efforts to address war aftermath, promote socio-economic development, and support livelihoods for local victims of landmines and Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin.

Senate President D'Hose said following her ongoing official visit to Vietnam from August 21-25, many Belgian delegations are expected to come to Vietnam to step up the countries’ cooperation and investment.

She also anticipated the Belgian Chamber of Representatives approval of a resolution to aid AO/dioxin victims in Vietnam. The resolution calls on the Belgian Government to enhance efforts to provide additional assistance to the Vietnamese group and assist the Vietnamese Government in this area.

In 2022, Belgium, through the non-profit organisation VVOB, sponsored the implementation of a project named “Preschool Teachers Apply Language-rich Teaching Skills and Knowledge (TALK 2022-2026).” The project is being carried out in the difficult mountainous districts of Dakrong and Huong Hoa, which is home to 41 kindergartens, with 1,347 school management staff and teachers, and 11,890 kids. It aims to enhance the capacity of school management staff and teachers in building language-rich learning environments at kindergartens.

Speaking at the working session, Vice Director of the provincial Department of Education and Training Vo Van Minh stated that the TALK project has so far helped improve skills of the management personnel. It has also fostered an awareness of building an effective working environment focusing on professional development for teachers, significantly enhancing the education of Vietnamese language (the second language) based on the mother tongue of ethnic minority children.

On the same day, Senate President D’Hose and her delegation visited a village of ethnic minority people in Van Ri hamlet, Huong Hoa’s Huc commune.