The second visit and working session in Saijo by Hue city leaders since the two localities officially signed the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement in April 2018

   The leaders of the city's International Cooperation Center, the Vietnamese Japanese Exchange Center, and leaders of Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, which has implemented a number of cooperative activities with Saijo through a disaster prevention education support project funded by JICA and implemented with the Institute of Global Environment, Kyoto University since 2005. This is the second visiting and working session in Saijo by Hue city leaders since the two localities officially signed the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement in April 2018.

   Saijo is a coastal city in Ehime Prefecture, located in the northwest of Shintoku Island. With a population of over 100,000 people, Saijo is considered a moderate-sized urban area, in which Vietnamese people are considered the largest foreign community with about 500 people out of 2,000 foreigners living and working here. Rich nature, traditional culture with festivals and diverse local specialties of mountains and sea have helped Saijo create its own strengths to develop socio-economy and preserve traditional values.

   During the visit and working session, Hue city leaders attended a meeting organized by the Japan International Exchange Association of Saijo city with the presence of leaders of Kyoto University, many associations and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Saijo city. The leaders of the two cities also chaired a working session to review the results of cooperation and cooperation orientation in the new situation with the participation of representatives of Kyoto University, Ehime University, Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Saijo International Exchange Association, and Saijo-Vietnam Association.

   Reviewing the cooperative relationship between the two cities, the two sides realized that the exchange relationship between Hue and Saijo has been upgraded, not only stopping at the field of natural disaster prevention but also expanding to other fields such as traditional culture and education. Saijo City regularly organizes delegations to visit and work in combination with participating in the Hue Traditional Craft Festival. In 2022, Saijo City also organized the inclusion of Hue beef noodle soup in the lunch menu of students in 35 elementary and middle schools in the city, attracting the attention of many parents and city residents and being widely reported by Japanese media. In addition, with the cooperation of the Saijo International Exchange Association and the Saijo-Vietnam Association, they also regularly organize many activities to introduce Vietnamese culture to parents and students of schools in Saijo, helping them better understand the country and people of Vietnam. Hue city also had promotional activities for Saijo's traditional cuisine with Ramen noodles organized at the boarding meals for students of Phu Cat Primary School and was highly appreciated by the other side. The cooperative relationship between Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry - Kyoto University - Ehime University with Saijo City has also achieved many positive results through organizing research activities and exchanging delegations of researchers, students, lecturers... between the parties.

Comrade Phan Thien Dinh, Standing Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Hue City worked with the leaders of Saijo City (Japan)

   Based on the opinions discussed at the official working session, the leaders of the two cities determined that in the coming time, it is necessary to continue to improve the effectiveness of cooperation in the direction of creating conditions to increase people-to-people exchanges, promote educational exchanges between schools at all levels, develop tourism, and provide human resources to serve the development needs of the two localities. The two sides also mentioned the orientation to continue maintaining and enhancing the cooperative relationship when Thua Thien Hue province becomes a centrally-governed city.

   During the working trip, the leaders and members of the delegation also visited agricultural production facilities, cultural facilities, libraries, experienced some activities within the framework of the Saijo Traditional Festival and celebrated the 20th anniversary of the unification of localities to form the current Saijo city.