With the establishment of the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, 2025 marks a turning point, laying foundations for stronger unity and sustainable development.

On the morning of February 18, General Secretary To Lam departed Hanoi for Washington D.C. to attend the opening session of the Gaza Peace Council, scheduled from February 18 to 20, at the invitation of US President Donald Trump.

As Vietnam steps into 2026, the country moves from preparation to implementation after the 14th National Party Congress, where ambitious goals are now to be tested through concrete action.

From parish churches and village pagodas to remote mountain hamlets, the spiritual and religious life of communities flows alongside patriotism, shaping a Vietnamese spring marked by peace, compassion and unity.

By attending the inaugural session of the Peace Council in Washington, Vietnam signals a proactive and responsible approach to addressing regional and global challenges.

International diplomats said they were deeply impressed by the optimism, dynamism and growing sense of happiness evident in the daily lives of the Vietnamese people.

At the invitation of US President Donald Trump, General Secretary To Lam will travel to the US to attend the inaugural session of the Peace Council on Gaza from February 18 to 20.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) 2026, President Luong Cuong, on behalf of Party and State leaders, has delivered a message of greetings to all compatriots, comrades, and soldiers nationwide, and the Vietnamese community abroad as well.

While security challenges persist, Vietnamese peacekeepers continue their medical mission and celebrate Lunar New Year (Tet) with resilience and pride.

On the final evening of the lunar year, just before the stroke of midnight, Party General Secretary To Lam paid tribute at the Ly Thai To monument and extended Tet greetings to Hanoi’s Party committee, authorities and people.

At the national conference on studying, learning, disseminating and implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung presented a report on external relations in the new era.

The year 2025 marked a pivotal moment in overseas Vietnamese affairs, closing the 2021-2025 period while laying comprehensive groundwork in mindset, institutions and resources for implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress.

Representatives of the Vietnamese Government and AgriVMA have handed over 250 tonnes of rice as non-refundable aid to Cuba under an agreement between Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and Cuba’s Ministry of Agriculture.

The year 2025 held foundational significance in building momentum and positioning the country to advance rapidly and strongly into a new era of development.

Vietnam’s Ambassador to Austria Vu Le Thai Hoang held a dialogue on February 12 with lecturers and international postgraduate students at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.

Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang hosted a reception for Michael DeSombre, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, in Hanoi on February 13.

US Assistant Secretary of State Michael DeSombre shared that President Donald Trump highly values and appreciates General Secretary To Lam’s acceptance to participate in the Gaza Peace Council initiative.

On the morning of February 12, Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung received Archbishop Joseph Vu Van Thien of the Hanoi Archdiocese.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Greece Pham Thi Thu Huong attended the opening ceremony of the 22nd National Congress of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in Athens, chaired by KKE Central Committee General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas.

Vietnam attaches great importance to strengthening its Comprehensive Partnership with Canada, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung said.