Ho Chi Minh City, August 2, 2026 – In response to the 2026 Walk for Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims, held in commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the Agent Orange disaster in Vietnam (August 10, 1961 – August 10, 2026), HOAVAVA accepted the invitation of the Ho Chi Minh City Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin and actively participated in the event.
Through its participation, HOAVAVA contributed to bringing the event’s message of humanity, compassion, and solidarity closer to the Korean community in Vietnam.
From early in the morning, a large number of HOAVAVA members gathered at Nguyen Hue Walking Street in Ho Chi Minh City, joining more than 5,000 citizens, organizations, businesses, and participating groups in the event. Their presence demonstrated a strong spirit of sharing, social responsibility, and a desire to spread humanitarian values throughout Vietnamese society and to the international community.
A special highlight of the event was the presence of Mr. Kim Dae Jong, Chairman of HOAVAVA, who was honored to be invited by the Organizing Committee to sit in the front row alongside distinguished delegates and honored guests. This recognition reflects HOAVAVA’s contributions to community activities and also represents the growing connection and cooperation between the Korean community and social and humanitarian initiatives in Vietnam.
The event was attended by numerous distinguished delegates, including Mr. Nguyen Van Nen, former Politburo Member and former Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; Ms. Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, former Member of the Party Central Committee and former Vice President of Vietnam; Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Deputy Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee; and Mr. Pham Minh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, together with more than 5,000 participants.
The highlight of the program was the solidarity walk along Nguyen Hue Walking Street, where the bright orange color of the event filled the route. More than a community sporting activity, the walk served as a reminder of the long-lasting consequences of war and the importance of compassion, solidarity, and continued support for victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin.
Speaking at the event, Major General, Associate Professor and Doctor Nguyen Hong Son, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, emphasized the significance of the program in spreading the resilience and determination of Agent Orange victims. He also reaffirmed the importance of community solidarity in the ongoing effort to ease the pain caused by Agent Orange.
Sixty-five years after the Agent Orange disaster began leaving devastating consequences in Vietnam, its physical and psychological impacts continue to affect generations of Vietnamese people. Therefore, raising public awareness and mobilizing the continued participation of domestic and international organizations remain particularly important.
As an organization connecting the Korean community in Vietnam with local communities, particularly people facing difficult circumstances and Agent Orange victims, HOAVAVA considers participation in social, charitable, and humanitarian activities an important part of its mission to build bridges between Vietnam and Korea.
Through its participation in the event, HOAVAVA hopes to help its members gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s history and the consequences of Agent Orange/Dioxin, while also encouraging greater engagement with community-oriented activities in Vietnam.
Notably, the entire program was broadcast live on VTV9, a national television channel of Vietnam, helping bring the event and its message to a wide audience both inside and outside the country.
In addition to the solidarity walk, the Organizing Committee presented savings books to families of Agent Orange victims facing difficult circumstances, along with gifts and other forms of support to encourage and assist victims and their families.
HOAVAVA’s participation in the August 2 event once again demonstrated the spirit of “Connection – Sharing – Accompaniment” among HOAVAVA members in Vietnam.
HOAVAVA hopes that activities like this will continue to build bridges of compassion, bringing greater awareness of Vietnam’s social issues and humanitarian causes to the Korean community, while contributing to strengthening the friendship, mutual understanding, and close ties between the people of Vietnam and Korea.