Media plays a crucial role in connecting Vietnam and the United States in the 21st century.

Overview of the seminar (photo by Huyen Pham)

Presiding over the seminar, Ambassador Nguyen Tam Chien, President of the Vietnam-America Friendship Association, emphasized the importance of the seminar: "The Vietnam-America relationship is entering a phase that requires more action in the future for the younger generations of both countries. Young people must not forget history, but they must strive to avoid repeating it."

In response to the Ambassador's remarks, Ted Anthony, Director of the Associated Press (AP) Asia-Pacific region, expressed his agreement with the program's significance. He stated that the seminar was a valuable exchange of experiences among journalists, especially young journalists, which would significantly contribute to improving interpersonal relationships and fostering mutual understanding. He also emphasized that it serves as a driving force for strengthening Vietnam-US relations in the 21st century.

Also at the seminar, delegate Ha Minh Hue, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, highly appreciated the contributions of the press in general and the Associated Press (AP) in particular to the Vietnam War and to the expansion of friendly relations between Vietnam and the United States afterward.

Associate Professor Pham Quang Minh, Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, is sharing his views (photo by Huyen Pham).

In a continuation of the discussion, Ms. Vu Viet Trang, Head of the Editorial Secretariat of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), stated in her speech: "The aspiration for peace is the eternal aspiration of all nations." Associate Professor Dr. Pham Quang Minh emphasized that journalism is about information, but it must have a political balance and ensure its role as a representative of history and truth.

The seminar also provided time for today's young generation to reflect on images of the past. The hall fell silent as journalist Nick Ut, representing the Associated Press, showed photographs of the Vietnam War, accompanied by stories connected to the painful and devastating context of Vietnam.

The war is over, but the memories of it will never fade away. "The Vietnam-US relationship in the 21st century is entering a phase that requires more for the future of the younger generation. Young people in both countries must not forget history, but they must strive to avoid repeating it. The media will be the bridge connecting the two countries in the new century," Ambassador Nguyen Tam Chien expressed.

At the end of the seminar, journalist Vu Huyen, former Standing Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists, presented the AP representative with three sets of photographs depicting the war, the country, and the people of Vietnam by Vietnamese photographers. He expressed his hope that AP would expand the sharing of knowledge and experience in journalism to Vietnamese journalists, especially the younger generation, so that Vietnamese and American journalism could be more closely connected and develop further.