Vietnam, is one of 12 countries to have participated in the campaign to pass a resolution recognising the Lunar New Year as a floating holiday, with the country playing an important role in the recognition and respect of the whole world for this special holiday.

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pauline Tamesis made the statement when sharing with a VOV reporter about the meaning and role of Vietnam in promoting the adoption of the new Resolution on the Lunar New Year.

Talking about why the UN recognized the Lunar New Year as an international holiday and how the new UN Resolution will bring about changes, Tamesis said the UN represents our diverse world and serves the common aspirations of all peoples. The foundation of the UN's mission is to create a world of equality, justice, and peace.

On December 22, 2023, the UN General Assembly passed resolution 78/245, recognizing the significance of Lunar New Year as a celebration across many member states.

This resolution calls on UN agencies, especially headquarters and representative offices in countries which celebrate the Lunar New Year, to limit meeting arrangements and pay attention to scheduling work in the future.

By recognizing the Lunar New Year as a public holiday, the UN honours the cultural diversity of its members. Embracing the richness of cultures and traditions will also strengthen understanding and ties between countries.

Vietnam is one of the 12 nations participating in the co-ordination process at the UN to get the above resolution passed. Assessing the Vietnamese role in promoting initiatives that respect civilizational and cultural diversity as well as international exchange and cooperation, Tamesis said that on August 10 last year, diplomats and the heads of delegations of 12 countries, including Vietnam, signed a joint letter sent to the UN to support the inclusion of the Lunar New Year in the UN’s annual holiday calendar.

Asked about her assessment of the performance of UN agencies and UN co-operation projects in Vietnam over the past year, Tamesis said that the country has achieved remarkable progress in terms of economics, poverty reduction, and improvement in social indicators.

Since 2019, that country has seen a high level of human development, with the Human Development Index (HDI) increasing from 0.68% in 2016 to more than 0.7% in 2021.

The multidimensional poverty rate plummeted to 3.6% in 2022 from 9% in 2016, with this being an impressive achievement.

A total of 92% of people have health insurance. As of 2022, the unemployment rate had decreased to 2.32%, reaching the target set in the nation’s sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Along with these numbers, the UN also appreciates the commitment and dedication of the Vietnamese people, the visionary leadership of the Government and the solidarity of the international donor community. All of these factors play an important role in the country’s remarkable growth and progress.

However, there are still several challenges. Therefore, in the new year the UN has set a number of priorities in its co-operation efforts with Vietnam to support the country in overcoming these barriers.

​This includes supporting the Government and people in adapting to climate change, whilst also promoting digital transformation, energy, food, social protection, sustainable employment, and biodiversity to accelerate the implement the SDGs.

Concerning notable programmes and projects in Vietnam, the UN officially stated that moving forward they will continue to support Vietnam in achieving its SDGs.

Vietnam has committed to investing in growth innovation models, leaving no one behind, thereby ensuring access to jobs and social protection, health, education, and culture. This is along with equitable energy transition, biodiversity and natural resource protection, climate action, and digital transformation.

With these commitments, the UN will continue to support the Government in the National Action Plan aimed at implementing SDGs, creating favourable conditions for dialogue, co-operation, and mobilization of financial, technical, and knowledge resources to carry out the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam, Tamesis also wished the Vietnamese people a new year with good health, happiness, and prosperity, while expressing her hope that the country will achieve all SDGs as a way of promoting an integrated society whilst leaving no one behind.

Source: VOV