IAMU News No.13, October 2006

The Grand Ceremony of the 50th Anniversary of Foundation of Vietnam Maritime University

(April 1st, 1956 - April 1st, 2006)

On April 1st, 2006, the Vietnam Maritime University solemnly celebrated its Grand Ceremony of the 50th Anniversary of Foundation. With the half century of its foundation and development history, playing a vitally important role in the strategy of providing high qualified manpower to the national seaward economy and gaining the confidence of its foreign partners, in this Grand ceremony, the University had great honor to receive many Vietnamese government officials, especially H.E. Mr. Pham Gia Khiem - Vice Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Dao Dinh Binh - Minister of Transport, H.E. Mr. Trinh Quang Su - Mayor of Haiphong City and other officials from Vietnamese Government, Ministries, Haiphong city and other concerned authorities, partners and institutions. The University also welcomed many VIPs of its foreign partners, i.e. Ambassadors, Counselors and diplomatic delegations of foreign countries to Vietnam including Japan, the United States, Federation of Russia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Indonesia, the Philippines, Bulgaria and specially H.E. Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation and his delegation. Total number of attendants of this Grand Ceremony was about seven (7) thousands people, including three (3) hundred VIPs and foreign delegates, governmental officials, and more than six thousand of professors, lecturers, staff, alumni and selected students.

On the very important keystone of VIMARU's rich history, for warm glorifying its contribution to the national transportation sector, the Vietnamese Government decided to grant the University with the most noble wards: Hero of Labor Award and First Grade Independence Medal. On behalf of all VIMARU's foreign partners, Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation, gave a very hearty speech highlighting the international cooperation history of VIMARU with the Nippon Foundation in particular and with foreign partners in general. He also mentioned the development trend of the Nippon Foundation in which VIMARU is considered as an important partner in the region. As presenting in such important ceremony of VIMARU and witnessing its changes and development, Mr. Yohei Sasakawa expressed his confidence in the everlasting cooperation between VIMARU and all other institution members of the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU), which is subsidized by the Nippon Foundation. On this special occasion, before starting of the Grand Ceremony, Mr. Yohei Sasakawa had a very friendly discussion with Mr. Pham Gia Khiem, Vice Prime Minister of Vietnam and other Vietnamese Governmental officials at the VIP Meeting Room of VIMARU. Mr. Pham Gia Khiem highly acknowledged the effective assistance which the Nippon Foundation had extended to VIMARU as well as to Vietnam Maritime sector. Vice Prime Minister, on behalf of Vietnamese Government, also highly appreciated the contribution of the Nippon Foundation in the development of Vietnam Maritime Education and Training, especially in the provision of many scholarships to the young staff of VIMARU to study at the World Maritime University and of other activities.