with the presence of many
Vietnamese people and
international friends. These events
are opportunities to not only
introduce the country, people and
cultural identity of Vietnam, but
also to reunite the Vietnamese
community in sharing their
thoughts about their motherland.
In addition, every year, we also
help organize trips for
distinguished overseas
Vietnamese people back to
Vietnam to attend important
events during Lunar New Year
celebrations and summer
vacation. We believe it helps
strengthen exchanges and thus
understanding between overseas
Vietnamese and Vietnamese
people at home and in other
countries in the world.
In June, the Consulate General of
Vietnam in San Francisco is taking
part in ASEAN Festival 2016 in Los
Angeles, to be hosted by ASEAN
Life Magazine and Consulates of
ASEAN countries. This is one of
the significant activities in the first
year of ASEAN Economic
Community. This is not only to
exchange and introduce cultures
and national identities of ASEAN
countries to Americans, but also
present a level playing field
consolidating ASEAN community
in the United States along with the
spirit of "One Vision, One Identity,
One Community." We welcome
Vietnamese community’s
participation in the festival
activities, especially Vietnamese
businesses, with products
exhibition and marketing
activities at the "Vietnam Booth" in
ASEAN Festival 2016.
What are your thoughts on
the ASEAN Community?
What could Vietnam
contribute to ensure that the
ASEAN Community will realize its
goals?
ASEAN is a community with
rich cultural diversity and
tradition. The establishment of
ASEAN Community is a historical
continuously striving to build the
ASEAN community and
contributing to peace, stability and
development, for a better life for
the people in the region.
Have you had the time to look
at the ASEAN Life Magazine?
What do you think of the
magazine? Personally speaking, do
you have suggestions on how we
can make things better in terms of
bringing the ASEAN community
together as one?
Mr. Nellsen Young and
Consul General Ho Xuan Son
landmark in the regional integration
of Southeast Asia. This has shown the
common acknowledgement and
determination of ASEAN members
in enhancing integration and
cooperation to a new level, for the
mutual interests of peace, stability
and prosperity in the region. ASEAN
community brings about important
and realistic interests for its members
and strongly affirms the values of
solidarity, consensus principle and
unity of the community.
December 31, 2015, the date of
ASEAN Community's
establishment, is not the finish line
of ASEAN integration, but the
beginning of a new development
phase of the Association. On the
basis of this common recognition,
ASEAN members all agreed to the
Vision of ASEAN Community After
2015 (2016-2025).
Vietnam has always been actively
and proactively contributing to the
promotion of ASEAN’s role and
solidarity in maintaining peace
and stability in the region. Besides,
Vietnam continues to proactively
propose initiatives, methods and
solutions to strengthen ASEAN
integration, thus enhancing
solidarity, unity and ASEAN's
central role in the region, and
boosting ASEAN's external
relations.
With that principle, Vietnam is
I have read the ASEAN Life
Magazine and I think this is a
meticulous magazine with
rich content and beautiful layout. I
think the creation of the ASEAN
Life Magazine is very useful,
helping in the PR efforts and in
promoting the implementation of
the "ASEAN Vision after 2015," in
the State of California and in the
United States.
To connect the ASEAN Community
is the responsibility of every
member country, including the
government, corporations and the
people. To better implement the
lofty and beautiful goal of the
ASEAN Community, we all need to
exert more effort. Here in the U.S.
especially, representative offices of
all ASEAN countries need to
increase exchange, cooperate
closely and more frequently in
order to create a connected union.
Thus, the connection of ASEAN
Community will be more efficient
and stronger.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, Assistant
Consul General Hoang Dang, Consul General Ho
Xuan Son and Sacramento Vice Mayor Allen
Warren
Asean Life APR 2016 21