Education is however now one of the binding ties between the two countries and will be at the heart of co-operation following an agreement signed by the friendship associations of both countries on Tuesday.
Đặng Văn Phụ was a trainee in Bulgaria from 1974 to 1976. While living in the country, he was able to develop his skills, and this precious knowledge continues to help him in his work to this day.
Dang Van Phu, Director of Quang Ha JSC, Chairman of Association of Former Trainees in Bulgaria said: “We have applied our knowledge learned in construction projects such as the Hòa Bình Dam, Phả Lại Thermal Power Plant and Bỉm Sơn Cement Plant, for example in maintaining devices. It was applied in our daily activities in the past as well as in our business at the moment”.
From 1958 to 1990, Bulgaria helped train over 3,000 Vietnamese experts in fields as diverse as healthcare, technology, agriculture and tourism. Many alumni have held important positions in the country and have been successful in their career, including former National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, former Deputy State President Nguyen Thị Doan and People’s Artist Trần Hiếu.
However co-operation between the two countries has loosened in the past years. Efforts are being made to strengthen this co-operation. Bulgaria has assisted Vietnam through equipment for the Vietnam - Bulgaria kindergarten as part of its ODA funding programme. The school is now opening an English-Bulgarian bilingual class, called Yanbibian.
Evgueni Stoytchev, Bulgarian Ambassador to Vietnam said: “We want to strengthen the existing relationships, which is to help the children in the kindergarten access Bulgarian education at an early age. We also want to establish another Yanbibian class or a similar class at a higher level such as high school so that they will be able to study at Bulgarian universities”.
Simon Borisov Dimchev, Bulgaria - Vietnam Friendship Association said: “The Vietnam National Academy of Music and Bulgarian Academy of Music recently resumed their cooperation. In this visit, I also bring with me the letter from Bulgarian Ballet School calling for co-operation with a ballet school in Hanoi as well as an offer for co-operation in the power sector from Sofia Technical University”.
Vietnam and Bulgaria has signed a between their mutual friendship associations for the 2016-2021 period. This will provide support for Vietnamese education to university and kindergarten level.
