Hanoi (VNA)✨ – The Group of Francophone Embassies, Delegations and Institutions (GADIF) in Hanoi has awarded its Prize of Honour to Aline Rebeaud whose Vietnamese name is Hoang Nu Ngoc Tim (Aline Tim) for her contribution to promoting solidarity within the French-speaking community.

Aline Rebeaud has dual Swiss and Vietnamese citizenship and is known for her charity work and the creation of the Maison Chance, a social structure that helps street children, orphans, and disadvantaged and disabled people in Vietnam. Ms. Rebeaud, born in 1972, is an artist in Switzerland. More than 20 years ago, during a trip to explore Asia to find inspirations, she arrived in Vietnam and was moved by the difficult circumstances that people in the country, especially children had to face. In 1993, the female artist founded the Maison Chance to support disadvantaged youths. Initially, she spent the money she earned from selling paintings. Later, she returned home and travelled to many places around the world to raise funds. After the Maison Chance, she established Chap Va Centre which provides job training for poor workers, and 3,500-sq.m Lucky Village which provides jobs and residences for people with disabilities and children/adults with special circumstances in Ho Chi Minh City and Dak Nong province. While presenting the award to Aline Rebeaud at the celebration, Pierre Du Ville, Head of the Wallonia- Brussels General Delegation in Vietnam and GADIF Chairman, said that people can easily see Hoang Nu Ngoc Tim's commitment to solidarity and living together in Vietnam. The GADIF award once again honours her altruism and great contributions to building a more equitable world where no one is forgotten. The Francophone community is a place to build a great family of solidarity, honouring mutual respect, understanding, and trust, he said. This year's celebration of International Francophonie Day was themed "Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in French". According to Regional Representative for Asia-Pacific of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) Edgar Doerig, the celebration was an opportunity to honour creativity and innovation in the Francophonie community, especially among the young generation. The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology was chosen as the hosting venue to emphasise the significance of cultural diversity. The museum also serves as an iconic symbol of Vietnam-Francophonie cooperation. In 1997, then French President Jacques Chirac and then Vietnamese Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh inaugurated it on the occasion of the 7th Francophone Summit in Hanoi. That summit marked a new direction, affirming the role of Francophone - an organisation in peace and development. Speaking at the celebration ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet hoped that Vietnam will promote good relations with Francophone members to realise goals of sustainable development, strengthen its voice in the international arena, and attract people through economic cooperation and cultural exchanges. The International Francophonie Day has been marked since 1988. It's celebrated every year on March 20 and focuses on the sharing and appreciation of the French language and Francophone culture. More than 300 million people speak French worldwide./.