Laotian students grow up from 'common home'

Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union Ngo Minh Hai has high hopes for Lao student dormitories - Photo: DIEU QUI

On the evening of September 29, the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union held a ceremony to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Lao student dormitory in Ho Chi Minh City.

Destination of friendship

As a living symbol of the special friendship and solidarity between the three countries of Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia, according to Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union Ngo Minh Hai, this place has marked a two-decade journey as the "common home" of generations of Lao and Cambodian students studying, living and bonding in Ho Chi Minh City.

After 20 years, Mr. Hai hopes that the Lao student dormitory will be a network of connections, a bridge of friendship to strengthen the cooperative relationship, development and close ties between Lao and Cambodian students and former students who studied in Ho Chi Minh City.

"It is also a way for generations of international students to support each other in studying, working and connecting the friendship of the three countries. And the dormitory will be a friendly bridge, a destination and a companion, connecting generations of international students," said Mr. Hai.

Mr. Thon Bunheng (middle), a graduate student in business administration (Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics), interacted at the celebration - Photo: DIEU QUI

The common home of many generations of international students

Study well, return to develop the country and contribute to fostering the friendly relationship between the three countries as a mission for each international student who has grown up in this common home.

After more than 10 years of studying and working in Ho Chi Minh City, Thon Bunheng - a PhD student in business administration (Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics) - said he had many valuable experiences here.

For him and many other international students, studying and working in a dynamic and developing place like Ho Chi Minh City is a blessing.

"During our precious time studying here, we were cared for and supported both materially and spiritually. We were able to participate in many activities, traditional festivals, and extracurricular programs to gain more experience and understanding," he said.

At the meeting of Cambodian alumni in Vietnam during the visit to Cambodia by General Secretary and President To Lam in July 2024, Mr. Thon Bunheng was honored to be the representative of Cambodian students studying in Vietnam to speak.

Meanwhile, Phoummy Bin - a Laotian student studying in her 5th year at Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine - shared that the Lao student dormitory is not only a place to live and study, but also helps people connect into the Lao student community.

"I received the wholehearted support and care from the board of directors and dormitory management with love and closeness. That is the motivation for me and many other friends to try to study together, exchange culture and preserve and promote the traditional Vietnam - Laos relationship," Phoummy Bin shared.

After 20 years of operation, as of August 2024, the Lao student dormitory has received and managed 697 international students, including 57 Cambodian students.

The above mentioned international students study at 14 universities and academies in Ho Chi Minh City under scholarships from the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/du-hoc-sinh-lao-truong-thanh-tu-ngoi-nha-chung-20240929194626143.htm