Addressing the opening ceremony of the meeting, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee Phan Van Mai affirmed that the two countries’ youths have jointly gained achievements in their cooperation programmes in personnel training, information and culture exchange, voluntary activities, business development, press and publishing.

Khamphan Shitthidamopha, First Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union, and of the Lao delegation expressed his belief that this year’s programme would help boost the Vietnam-Laos comprehensive cooperation and help young generations of the two countries understand more about the history and tradition of the Vietnam-Laos special friendship.

The 2008 Vietnam-Laos Youth Friendship Meeting will run until September 8 as part of a comprehensive cooperation programme between the Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union.

While in Ho Chi Minh City, the Lao young people will inquire into the city’s political, economic and cultural life, meet with municipal leaders and students of the Ho Chi Minh City National Administration Institute.

The delegation of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union will visit the central province of Quang Tri, Ho Chi Minh City, and the southern provinces of Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces.

The two countries’ youth delegates will exchange experiences in developing youth organisations, the cooperation between the two countries’ youth unions and boosting the Vietnam-Laos relationship. (VNA)