Interviews to select volunteers to serve the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week (Photo: VGP)
According to Director of the Da Nang city Department of Foreign Affairs Lam Quang Minh, over the past time, with the assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the APEC National Secretariat and embassies in Vietnam, Da Nang city has organized a wide range of foreign language, etiquette, foreign affairs knowledge and international integration training sessions for leaders and officials in the city who will participate in serving APEC; prepared volunteers from universities and provided them with essential skills.
“Trainees receive necessary skills for serving the important international event, so that each person will become a friendly ambassador in the eyes of international delegates and tourists, contributing to the success of the event,” said Mr. Minh.
Da Nang city has actively studied the experience of previous APEC hosts, including the Philippines and Peru; and sent a number of cadres to attend international conferences and training courses on preparations for APEC.
Do Phuong Thao, Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Bureau under the Da Nang city Department of Foreign Affairs, said that so far the city has recruited and trained 198 contactors who are city officers and central cadres, and 425 volunteers coming from universities.
The contactors and volunteers are fluent in foreign languages and provided with general knowledge about APEC, APEC Year 2017 in Vietnam, information about the event, skills to address some common situations, and necessary contacts through successive training courses, in an effort to make them professional and friendly ambassadors.
From October 3rd-5th, Da Nang city worked with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) to select an additional 260 volunteers serving the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.
The city has recently increased dissemination on the event among people through the mass media as well as residential activities, encouraging them to practice advanced and cultural behaviours and communications, leaving a good impression on international friends.
The “Da Nang Smile” campaign has also been launched, aiming to encourage residents to be more friendly to visitors and APEC delegates./.