Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands - What are the most important factors helping Vietnam reach its Millennium Development Goals, and what impact will this have on human rights? This was the theme of a February 6 conference at the Sandton Hotel Toor sponsored by the Foundation for the Development of Vietnam together with Universal Peace Federation-Netherlands.

Important questions addressed at the conference include:

• Which Millennium Development Goals will Vietnam reach first and how?
• What are the best opportunities for cooperation with other countries such as the Netherlands, Europe and the US?
• How important is it to involve individuals and private organizations in development cooperation?
• How does the development of Vietnam relate to the development of her neighboring countries?
• How might economic and political development interact?
• What consequences will allowing a degree of private enterprise, governed by a market economy, have for the political system?
• What are the current prospects for improving human rights in Vietnam?

The purpose of the conference was not only to gain more insight into how Vietnam is developing and the role that can be played by development aid and cooperation. The intention was to also share this insight with people living nearby and those throughout the Netherlands, Europe, and beyond—with the hope that people become more conscious of how cooperative development efforts can help the people in the countries that work together feel that they are all global citizens. Clearly the world is becoming a whole where all kinds of issues are interdependent.

The conference also intended to encourage closer relationships between the Vietnamese in Vietnam and those abroad. Working together with others in the Netherlands, Europe, and other parts in the world, they can improve education, health care, the status of women, the fight against poverty and corruption, the environment, and other efforts to develop and help Vietnam.

Guests from abroad arrived the day before, and the conference took place on Saturday. There was also a cultural program Saturday evening, in particular for the Vietnamese staying overnight to continue discussions in Vietnamese on Sunday.

Alphen aan den Rijn is centrally located between Leiden and Utrecht, on the banks of Old Rhine River. It accessible from all over the Netherlands and is the headquarters of the Foundation for the Development of Vietnam. The conference was held with the support of the National Commission for International Cooperation and Sustainable Development.

For more information, contact Drs. Ngo Van Tuan of the Foundation for the Development of Vietnam or Drs. W.A. Koetsier of the Universal Peace Federation, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .