PANO - As result of the Stamp Design Contest on the theme “Vietnam-European Union Cooperation”, an official launch of the postage stamp carrying the winning design took place in the Central Post Office on Oct. 1 in Hanoi. The event underpinned the reinforcing of the broad-based relations between Vietnam and the European Union.

The contest was jointly organised by the Vietnam Posts & Telecommunications Corporation (VNPT) and the Delegation of the European Commission to Vietnam to celebrate the 15th year of Vietnam-EU relations.

The joint initiative co-organised by VNPT and the EC Delegation to Vietnam is also part of a cluster of cultural and information activities throughout the year to celebrate the “Year of Europe in Vietnam” as designated by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in the Master Plan for future Vietnam-EU relations in 2005.

Mr Hoang Tho Thai – Vice General Director of VNPT said: “VNPT highly values the success of the contest. The great enthusiasm of the competing artists and the high quality of the submitted designs demonstrate the strengthened understanding and our bourgeoning bilateral cooperation”.

Addressing the ceremony, which was attended by representatives of VNPT and MPT, stamps designers and local artists, Dr Markus Cornaro – Ambassador/ Head of the EC Delegation to Vietnam – said: “I am delighted to see the joint achievement in our bilateral ties extending beyond commercial and development areas. The stamp contest is one of the public diplomacy and information activities which contribute to strengthen linkages between the people of the EU and Vietnam. Stamps are much more than just proof of payment for postal services. The messages which commemorative stamps carry literally can go around the world – and will live on in the collections of millions of philatelists all over the globe”.

Bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and the European Union has developed vigorously over the past decade and especially in the recent years. The EU as a whole is the biggest donor of grant development aid to Vietnam, and is actively assisting Vietnam in priority sectors and areas such as integrated human development, support to the process of economic and social reform, and the facilitation of its integration into the world economy. As the world’s largest market, the EU is also Vietnam’s foremost economic partner, with two-way trade worth € 7.4 billion in 2005, and aggregate utilised EU investment into the country of USD 4 billion.

From fifty submitted designs, the jury selected, one first prize, two second prizes and three consolation prizes. The jury comprised famous artists, and representatives of Vietnamese line ministries/agencies and the EC Delegation to Vietnam. The postage stamp issued today is entitled “Vietnam – EU cooperation”.

Ngoc Hung