Educated in Viet Nam and Europe, Madame Ton Nu Thi Ninh’s first career was in academia at the Sorbonne (Paris). She then served Viet Nam as a diplomat for more than two decades, specializing in global issues (international peace and security, development, environment, governance, and human rights) and multilateral institutions (United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Francophonie, ASEAN). She was the chief architect of Viet Nam’s first hosting of an international Summit, the 7th Francophone Summit in 1997. From 2000 to 2003, she was Ambassador and Head of Mission to the European Union in Brussels and after being elected to Viet Nam’s 11th National Assembly, served until 2007 as Vice-Chair of its Foreign Affairs Committee with a special focus on North America and Western Europe.

In her capacity as a diplomat, an elected official, and currently an educational and sociocultural advocate and facilitator[1], Madame Ninh has consistently worked to build bridges of understanding and cooperation between Viet Nam and the rest of the world. Apart from her continuing work on post-war aftermath such as the need for rapprochement with the Vietnamese diaspora and the impact of war legacies such as Agent Orange/dioxin in Viet Nam – having been Founding Co-Chair of the US–Viet Nam Dialogue Group on Agent Orange (2007-2008) – she is actively involved in inclusive and sustainable development, gender advancement, youth empowerment, and nation branding, especially through the HCMC Peace & Development Foundation. Given her rich international experience and her lifelong commitment to Viet Nam’s all-round development and engagement with the world, Madame Ninh is frequently called upon to address international gatherings inside and outside Viet Nam. Through her frequent interaction with the public, especially youth, women and the media, she is known as one of the public figures with a meaningful voice in Viet Nam, inter alia through her first book “Reflecting and Sharing” now in its eighth edition.

Since the end of 2022, she has initiated the Vietnam Forum: Vietnamese Moment initiative, which will be organized by HPDF and partners on August 16-17, 2024.

Madame Ninh has been awarded the French Legion d’Honneur (Commandeur), the Belgian Order of Leopold II, and the Vietnamese Medal of Labor – First Class. She has also been conferred the title Doctor of Social Science Honoris Causa by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University).
———————————————-
[1] Madam Ninh is a member of the Strategic Orientation Council of the Higher Education Agency of Francophonie (AUF), of the Advisory Council of Viet Nam Students Association, of Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE Global), and of the Regional Advisory Council of Hult Prize Foundation; Chairwoman of the Huynh Tan Phat Scholarship Fund for Architecture and Urban Planning, and she is also an honorary member of the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Women Entrepreneurs (HAWEE), Senior Advisor, Vice Chair of the Vietnam Business Coalition for Women’s Economic Empowerment (VBCWE) (http://investinginwomen.asia) (since December 2017).