This year marks PeaceTrees Vietnam’s 25 years of tireless endeavors in its humanitarian mission to clear unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the heavily bombarded central Quang Tri province, said Nguyen Phuong Nga, president of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations. She was speaking at the reception on Monday evening [January 6] in Hanoi, in honor of its 25 years of operation in Vietnam. U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink also attended the event. Since 1995, it has decontaminated about 48,000 hectares and handled nearly 118,000 explosives, as well as planted thousands of trees on safe land. It has granted 2,000 scholarships for UXO survivors and livelihood support programs for their families have helped minimize the aftermath on local socio-economic development. It coordinated with the Women’s Union of the central province to build 16 schools and 12 libraries to help children and families access education. Claire Yunker, executive director of PeaceTrees Vietnam said at the event: “PeaceTrees at heart, is a citizen diplomacy organization. Former adversaries came together 25 years ago, with profound humility and deep respect, to build bridges of trust and understanding between the people of our countries.” (VietnamNews)
