Visit to Vietnam by Honorary Mayor of Frogn (Norway), Mayors for Peace Vice President

December 26 - 30, 2015 [Frogn, Norway]

Report from Mr. Thore Vestby, Honorary Mayor of Frogn, Norway
December 26-30, 2015

The Honorary Mayor of Frogn, a Vice President of Mayors for Peace, visited four Vietnamese cities; Ha Long, Hai Phong, Ninh Binh and Hanoi in late December 2015. Mayor Vestby had meetings with Chairpersons or Deputy Chairpersons of each city’s Peoples’ Committee in the first three cities, which have not joined Mayors for Peace. He introduced the work of Mayors for Peace and requested the three cities to join the organization. A letter from President Matsui, Mayor of the City of Hiroshima, was handed to each city.

In Hanoi, which is a member of Mayors for Peace since 1985, Mayor Vestby met with Mr. Pham Vinh Quang, who is the Director General of the Hanoi Department of Foreign Affairs and a former Vietnamese Ambassador to the UN. They discussed the possibility of Hanoi taking up a Lead City role in the future among other topics.

Mayor Vestby’s visit was well received in every city and all the meetings were covered by the local media. Mayor Vestby appreciates the hospitality offered by the friendly Vietnamese people and extends his thanks especially to H.E. Le Thi Tuyet Mai, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Norway, who provided her kind support in realizing the meetings.

Meeting in Ha Long

Meeting in Hai Phong

Meeting in Hanoi

(Photos courtesy of Thore Vestby)