Est. Singapore 2007 · Now Global

Vietnam 2020
Global

An Association of Professionals for Vietnam's Future

Connecting Vietnamese professionals and students worldwide — through mentorship, education, scholarships and community development — to nurture a new generation of world-class Vietnamese talent.

Discover Our Story Bridges of Friendship
2007
Founded in Singapore
8
Countries & Regions
250
Bridges to Build
∞
Lives Impacted
Who We Are

Built on Brotherhood,
Driven by Purpose

“Like the Atlantic salmon, Vietnam 2020 Global was born of a deep instinct to return. Its founding members left Vietnam for the open waters of the world — Singapore, the USA, Canada, Europe — where they built careers, sharpened minds, and gathered the knowledge and experience that only the wider world can offer. They thrived. They grew. And like the salmon, they never forgot where they came from.”

Vietnam 2020 was founded in Singapore in 2007 — a gathering of overseas Vietnamese professionals who believed their global experience was not a departure from Vietnam, but a preparation for it. For over a decade, they contributed quietly: mentoring students, donating books, connecting communities, proving that a diaspora can serve with grace even when the winds shift. Then in 2025, as the salmon returns to spawn in the river that gave it life, Vietnam 2020 came home — reborn as a global association rooted in Vietnam itself, carrying world-class knowledge back to the land that deserves it most. Today, our network spans the USA, Canada, Europe, Singapore, and Vietnam — united not by obligation, but by love.

Atlantic salmon leaping out of water
"Alone we can do so little;
together we can do so much…
for ourselves"
Our Mission

Six Pillars of Action

Vietnamese student receiving academic mentoring in a library
Education
Advice and support for higher education — scholarships, university applications, and academic mentoring for Vietnamese students.
Senior mentor shaking hands with a young Vietnamese professional
Mentorship
Structured Mentor–Mentee relationships connecting overseas professionals with the next generation of Vietnamese talent.
Career development workshop for Vietnamese professionals
Careers
Access to job opportunities, career development workshops, interview mastery, and professional networking events.
Vietnamese professionals networking at a global reception
Networking
Bonding and networking opportunities across our global community — from Silicon Valley to Singapore to Vietnam.
Volunteers delivering books to Vietnamese schoolchildren
Development
Humanitarian initiatives — from Books4Vietnam to Bridges of Friendship — that directly improve Vietnamese lives.
Young Vietnamese leader speaking at a leadership event
Leadership
Mentoring student leaders and future professionals to become the world-class Vietnamese voices of tomorrow.
Leadership

Our Organisation

A global team of dedicated professionals committed to Vietnam's future.

Mr. Vo Ta Han, Founder and Emeritus Chairman
Mr. Vo Ta Han
Founder & Emeritus Chairman
B.Sc (MIT) · M.Sc (MIT)
🇺🇸 USA
View profile →
Mr. Nguyen Trong Hien Nhan, President
Mr. Nguyen Trong Hien Nhan
President
B.Eng (NUS) · MBA (Aston)
🇻🇳 Vietnam
View profile →
Global Finance Director
CFA
🇻🇳 Vietnam
Regional Director · Europe
B.Sc (NUS) · M.Sc (Lund)
🇸🇪 Sweden
Regional Director · Singapore
PhD · NUS
🇸🇬 Singapore
Regional Director · USA
B.Eng (NUS) · MBA (UW)
🇺🇸 USA
Regional Director · Canada
B.Eng (NUS)
🇨🇦 Canada
Our History

From Singapore
to the World

From a small pre-founding circle in 1991 to a full-scale global association — a journey of purpose, patience, and an unbreakable bond with Vietnam.

Watch our story on YouTube →

Watch on YouTube
Embedding disabled by video owner
Watch Our Story
VN2020 Christmas Gathering Dec 2007

Mr. Vo Ta Han & his wife Mrs. Kim Chau Vo-Ta (front row, far right) at the VN2020 Christmas Gathering in Dec 2007

Scroll down to the Highlights section for a year-by-year summary of key activities.

A legacy of 80+ documented events across Singapore, Vietnam and beyond — from 1991 to today.
4
Pre-founding
6
2007
23
2008
16
2009
21
2010
10
2011
Aug 2026 · Kon Tum

Charity Work

Vietnam 2020 Global joined with Loving Hands Charity Association (Hội từ thiện Bàn Tay Nhân Ái) reached out to villagers of Măng Ri ward (Kon Tum), Quảng Ngãi Province, Vietnam from 21–22 Aug 2026.

Relief supplies of rice, noodles, cooking oil and seasoning staged at the village school
Relief supplies staged at the village school before distribution
Nurses registering villagers for free health check-ups
Free health check-ups and registration for villagers
Volunteer handing milk cartons to children in the rain
Handing out milk to children waiting in the rain
A young girl drinking a carton of milk
A small gift, gratefully received
Hundreds of villagers gathered in the rain waiting for the distribution
Hundreds of villagers gathered through two days of rain
An elderly villager carrying a box of food supplies
An elderly villager carrying home her family's supplies
Volunteer giving sweets to children along the school corridor
Sweets for the children along the school corridor
Families leaving the schoolyard with gift bags and food parcels
Families heading home with food parcels and gifts
Volunteers and medical staff sorting donated medicines
Volunteers and medical staff sorting donated medicines
A doctor examining a patient at the mobile clinic
Consultations at the mobile clinic set up on site
Past Activities · Singapore

Where It All Began

From 2007 to 2011, our Singapore chapter ran over 80 documented events — mentorship, careers, charity, community, and culture — that shaped a generation of overseas Vietnamese professionals. After a period of quiet contribution through 2012–2024, Vietnam 2020 returned home in 2025.

Nov 2007
Mentor–Mentee Programme Launch
The inaugural pairing of overseas Vietnamese professionals with NUS students — the programme that defined Vietnam 2020's core identity.
Dec 2007
GE Factory Tour – Jurong East
BizAd Family visited GE's Singapore facility, giving students hands-on exposure to global manufacturing and industry leadership.
Jan 2008
Entrepreneurship & Opportunities
An inspiring session exploring entrepreneurial pathways for Vietnamese students in Singapore — one of the first events of 2008.
Tet Celebration in Singapore Jan 2008
Jan 2008
Tet Celebration in Singapore
A community Tet gathering bringing together Vietnamese students and professionals in Singapore to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Feb 2008
Vietnam 2020 on TuoiTre Newspaper
Vietnam 2020 was featured in TuoiTre, one of Vietnam's leading newspapers — bringing national attention to our Singapore chapter.
Workshop on Career Embarkation NUS Mar 2008
Mar 2008
Workshop on Career Embarkation · NUS
A career guidance workshop at NUS helping final-year Vietnamese students navigate the transition from university to professional life.
VN2020 NUS Guitar Club Mar 2008
Mar 2008
VN2020 NUS Guitar Club
The launch of the VN2020 Guitar Club at NUS — a creative space for Vietnamese students to connect through music and culture.
Apr 2008
Charity Drive – Go Vap Children's Centre
A fundraising drive for Trung Tam Bao Tro Tre Em Go Vap — demonstrating VN2020's early commitment to humanitarian action.
May 2008
VN2020 Families Gathering at Sentosa
All VN2020 "Families" gathered at Sentosa Island for a day of bonding — strengthening the community spirit at the heart of the organisation.
May 2008
Successful Models: Studying & Working in America
A session sharing real-world success stories of Vietnamese professionals in the USA — inspiring the next generation to aim globally.
Jun 2008
The Amazing Race at Botanic Garden
A fun-filled team challenge at Singapore Botanic Garden — building camaraderie and teamwork across the VN2020 community.
Sep 2008
How to Plan Your Career Roadmap
A practical career planning workshop guiding Vietnamese students through goal-setting, job search strategy, and long-term professional development.
VN2020 1st Anniversary Celebration Nov 2008
Nov 2008
VN2020 1st Anniversary Celebration
Vietnam 2020 marked its first year with a celebration bringing together members, advisors, and the broader Vietnamese community in Singapore.
Books4VN Shipment Dec 2008
Dec 2008
Books4VN Shipment
A major Books4VN drive and donation shipment — channelling books from the Singapore community to underprivileged schools across Vietnam.
One Coin One Brick 2009
Apr 2009
One Coin One Brick
A community fundraising initiative to build houses for Vietnamese villages — one of VN2020's earliest humanitarian projects in Vietnam.
Oct 2009
Opening of VN2020 IU HCMC Library
Vietnam 2020 opened a dedicated library at International University, HCMC — a landmark achievement in the Books4VN mission.
Jan 2010
Laser Research Presentation to Singapore Ministers
Dr. Tran Duc Vi, VN2020 vice-chairman, presented cutting-edge laser research to Singapore government ministers — showcasing Vietnamese scientific excellence on the world stage.
Jul 2010
Mekong Delta Conference – Environment & Higher Education
A landmark conference in the Mekong Delta exploring the intersection of environmental policy and Vietnam's higher education system.
Nov 2010
Youth Summit at NUS
VN2020 organised a Youth Summit at NUS bringing together student leaders from NTU, NUS and SMU — the next generation of Vietnamese voices.
Nov 2010
Pham Duy Music Night at Tanglin Club
A cultural evening celebrating the legendary Vietnamese composer Pham Duy — connecting the community through heritage, music and shared identity.
Mar 2011
Networking with World Bank Delegates
VN2020 members networked with World Bank Conference delegates in Singapore — forging connections between Vietnamese talent and global development institutions.
Aug 2011
Networking with Distinguished Economists · Singapore Art Museum
A high-level networking event at the Singapore Art Museum with distinguished economists and scholars — bridging academia, policy and the Vietnamese diaspora.
Aug 2011
Vietnam Amid Rising Asia
"Vietnam Amid Rising Asia – Great Challenge or Golden Opportunity" — a signature forum examining Vietnam's place in an increasingly competitive regional landscape.
Jun 2011
Talk: How to Become Your Own Boss · SMU
A popular workshop at SMU inspiring Vietnamese students to explore entrepreneurship — how to set up a business and build a career on your own terms.
Year by Year

Activity Highlights

A curated look at what defined each era — the breakthroughs, the people, the moments that shaped Vietnam 2020's identity.

Pre-'07
1991 – 2006 · Conception
The Seeds Are Planted
4
Events

The organisation's roots trace to 1991–1995 with the earliest Books4VN book donation drives — a grassroots act predating any formal structure by over a decade. The pivotal catalyst came on 17 Sep 2005: a talk to Vietnamese students at NUS that seeded everything which followed.

📚 Books4VN Origins (1991) NUS Student Gathering 2005 Pro-tem Committee Formed
2007
Founding Year
The Blueprint Is Set
6
Events

Three pro-tem committee meetings formalised the organisation's structure, followed immediately by action — the first Mentor–Mentee pairings launched across BizAd, Science & Engineering, and Investment "Families." The entire model that would define Vietnam 2020 for nearly two decades was established in a single semester at NUS.

🎯 1st Mentor–Mentee Programme BizAd Family Launched Science & Engineering Family GE Factory Tour · Jurong East
2008
Peak Year — Busiest Ever
Explosion of Activity
23
Events

Vietnam 2020's most active year, proving the concept at full scale. National press coverage in TuoiTre newspaper, career workshops at NUS & NTU, a charity drive for the Go Vap Children's Centre, the first major Books4VN shipment to Vietnam, and the landmark 1st Anniversary Celebration. Culture thrived alongside — Guitar Club, Cooking Club, and the Amazing Race at Botanic Garden.

📰 TuoiTre Newspaper Feature 📚 First Books4VN Shipment 🎂 1st Anniversary Celebration Career Workshops NUS & NTU Charity Drive · Go Vap Guitar Club · Cooking Club
💡
Dec 2008: A timely forum on the Global Financial Crisis and its implications for Vietnam's economy — demonstrating Vietnam 2020's role as an intellectual community, not just a social one.
2009
Cross-Border Impact
The Mission Crosses Borders
16
Events

The most significant year for physical impact in Vietnam. The VN2020 Library at International University, HCMC was officially opened (Oct), and Books4VN earned coverage in Thanh Nien magazine. The "One Coin One Brick" initiative launched to build houses for Vietnamese villages — the earliest humanitarian project on home soil, foreshadowing Bridges of Friendship.

🏛️ IU HCMC Library Opens 🧱 One Coin One Brick Recruitment Simulation · NTU Job Search Workshop Thanh Nien Press Coverage I4Vietnam Contest
2010
Global Reach
Reaching the World Stage
21
Events

The year of highest-profile engagements. Dr. Tran Duc Vi, VN2020 vice-chairman, presented cutting-edge laser research to Singapore government ministers — showcasing Vietnamese scientific excellence on the world stage. A landmark Mekong Delta conference on environment & higher education, the Vice-Chairman accompanying the USS John McCain in Da Nang, and a Youth Summit at NUS drawing leaders from NUS, NTU & SMU. The year closed with a Pham Duy music evening at the prestigious Tanglin Club.

🔬
Dr. Tran Duc Vi, VN2020 Vice-Chairman: Presented cutting-edge laser research to Singapore government ministers — showcasing Vietnamese scientific excellence on the world stage.
🔬 Laser Research → SG Ministers 🎓 Youth Summit · NUS Mekong Delta Conference USS Navy · Da Nang Books4VN → EIU Vietnam 🎵 Pham Duy Music Night
⭐
Nov 2010: Mr Huynh Quang Hai (VN2020 Board) received the NUS Eminent Business Alumni Award — a mark of the calibre of people that Vietnam 2020 attracts and develops.
2011
Strategic Maturity
Intellectual & Strategic Peak
10
Events

Vietnam 2020 elevated its discourse — networking with World Bank conference delegates, hosting distinguished economists at the Singapore Art Museum, and staging the signature forum "Vietnam Amid Rising Asia — Great Challenge or Golden Opportunity?" The Mekong Group was launched, extending the network into one of Vietnam's most vital regions.

🌏 World Bank Networking 📈 Vietnam Amid Rising Asia Mekong Group Launched Economists · SG Art Museum Entrepreneurship · SMU HCMC Business Talk
2012–'24
🤫 Quiet Years 🌱 Resilience 🇸🇬 Serving Singapore

These were years of deliberate restraint — not defeat. As Singapore's public conversation turned toward a preference for local talent, Vietnam 2020 chose to step back from the spotlight rather than inflame tensions. The decision was quiet, but principled: serve without seeking recognition. Vietnamese professionals continued contributing to Singapore's growth — in finance, technology, research, and entrepreneurship — as individuals, not as an association demanding visibility.

🕊️
Grace under pressure: When the environment no longer welcomed a public voice, Vietnam 2020 chose contribution over confrontation — trusting that value, quietly delivered, speaks louder than any argument.

This long silence was not inertia — it was preparation. The network remained alive. Friendships deepened. The diaspora spread further: to the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and beyond. And across the sea, Vietnam itself was rising. The question was no longer whether to return home — but how.

2025
Global Relaunch
A New Chapter Begins
2
Milestones

After more than a decade of patient, quiet contribution, Vietnam 2020 found its way home. On 31 January 2025, it was formally reconstituted as Vietnam 2020 – Global — no longer anchored to a single city, but rooted in the country it had always served. The organisation that began in a Singapore lecture hall now spans Vietnam, the USA, Canada, Europe, and beyond. And it returned not with nostalgia, but with ambition: the flagship Bridges of Friendship initiative was announced — 250 bridges across the Mekong Delta, each 22–30 m long, timed to America's 250th Independence Anniversary. Vietnam was always the destination. 2025 was the arrival.

🌐 Global Association Established 🌉 Bridges of Friendship Launched 250 Bridges · Mekong Delta $15,000–$25,000 per Bridge 5 Countries & Regions
🌉
Bridges of Friendship: Each 22–30 m × 3.3 m bridge costs $15,000–$25,000 — connecting isolated villages to schools, healthcare, and each other. Sponsors receive a permanent marble plaque and Vietnam visas for the dedication ceremony.

At a Glance — A Journey Across 18 Years

Pre-'07
4
Conception
2007
6
Founding
2008
23
Peak Year
2009
16
Expansion
2010
21
Global Reach
2011
10
Maturity
12–'24
~
Quiet Years
2025
2
Homecoming
Writings · VnExpress

Selected Publications

Articles by our founder Mr. Võ Tá Hân, published in the "Góc nhìn" opinion column of VnExpress — reflections on books, business, education and Vietnam's development.

Books & Knowledge

Một thời khát sách

Seeing halls overflowing with books at today's book fairs brings an indescribable joy — and memories of the struggle to gather every single volume abroad and ship it home, when Vietnam had so few books.

Read on VnExpress →
Leadership

Minh quân của thời đại mới

A tribute to Lee Kuan Yew, who led Singapore from a small port city with no natural resources into a confident, modern and prosperous nation in just fifty years.

Read on VnExpress →
Youth & Education

Đầu tư cho giới trẻ

From Vietnam's 2003 SEA Games triumph to the wider question of national ambition: why investing in young people is the surest investment a country can make.

Read on VnExpress →
Economy

Làm gì để dân giàu?

"A prosperous people, a strong nation" is a familiar phrase — but what does prosperity really mean, and what must be done to achieve it? An economic perspective.

Read on VnExpress →
Business

Liều thuốc đắng

Lessons from years as a "company doctor" in Singapore, called in to diagnose a high-end plastics manufacturer supplying major electronics makers.

Read on VnExpress →
Culture

Hữu xạ tự nhiên hương

On a cultural difference worth learning from: why Americans answer praise with a natural "thank you", and what modesty costs us.

Read on VnExpress →
View all articles by Võ Tá Hân on VnExpress →
Humanitarian Initiative · 2025

Bridges of Friendship

On the occasion of America's 250th Independence Anniversary, we are building 250 bridges to connect isolated villages across Vietnam's Mekong Delta.

Each bridge costs $15,000–$25,000 — a small price for what it delivers: children reaching school safely, families accessing healthcare, and entire communities reconnecting with the world.

Sponsor a bridge and your name — or the name of someone you love — will be inscribed on a marble plaque alongside the bridge, a permanent legacy visible to all who cross.

Sponsor a Bridge — $15K–$25K Learn More
250
Bridges to Build
Across Vietnam's isolated rural communities,
especially the Mekong Delta
Length
22–30 m
Width
3.3 m
Cost
$15K–$25K
Legacy
∞
Your Perks
Marble plaque with your name
+ Vietnam visas for up to 5 guests
to attend the dedication ceremony
First Bridge · Loan Mỹ, Vĩnh Long

Building Our First Bridge

Construction of our very first Bridge of Friendship in Loan Mỹ village, Vĩnh Long Province, Vietnam — from steel cages tied by hand to the finished span that now carries a whole community across the canal.

Workers tying steel reinforcement cages by hand
Steel reinforcement cages tied by hand in the village yard
Rebar laid along the canal bank at the start of construction
Rebar laid along the canal bank as work begins
Concrete piers and beams spanning the canal
Concrete piers and beams take shape across the canal
Deck slabs being laid across the bridge beams
Deck slabs laid across the beams
Bridge deck under construction with workers on site
The deck closing in, panel by panel
Local workers finishing the concrete deck surface
Local workers finishing the concrete deck
Completed bridge deck with painted railings
Completed deck with freshly painted railings
Side view of the finished bridge and its railings
The finished span, ready for daily village traffic
The completed bridge arching over the canal
Loan Mỹ's first Bridge of Friendship, complete
Our Reach

A Truly Global Network

Vietnamese professionals and students united across eight regions of the world.

🇻🇳
Vietnam
Headquarters
🇸🇬
Singapore
Founding Chapter
🇺🇸
USA
North America
🇨🇦
Canada
North America
🇸🇪
Europe
Sweden & Beyond
🇦🇺
Australia
Oceania
🇳🇿
New Zealand
Oceania

"Alone we can do so little;
together we can do so much…"

Join our network of Vietnamese professionals. Mentor a student. Sponsor a bridge.
Help build the Vietnam of tomorrow — today.

Join Our Network Sponsor a Bridge
Initiative · Partner

Books4Vietnam
Corner

Knowledge is the greatest gift. Vietnam 2020 – Global proudly supports Book4VN, a dedicated platform connecting generous donors with underprivileged schools and libraries across Vietnam — one book at a time.

Every book donated opens a door for a Vietnamese child — a window to science, language, history, and the world beyond their village.

Visit book4vn.com →
>1M
Books Donated
55
Schools Reached
34
Provinces
∞
Young Readers
About Book4VN
📚
Book4VN.com
An online platform dedicated to collecting and distributing books to underprivileged communities across Vietnam. From rural Mekong Delta villages to remote highland schools, Book4VN bridges the gap between generous donors worldwide and the children who need books most.
🎯
Donate Books Online
Browse active campaigns at book4vn.com
🏫
Schools & Libraries
Rural communities across Vietnam
🌏
Global Donors Welcome
Vietnamese diaspora giving back
📦
Direct Delivery
Books go straight to classrooms
Official Partner Platform
www.book4vn.com
Book donation ceremony for the For a Developed Tomorrow scholarship program, 1990
Book donations for the “For a Developed Tomorrow” scholarship program of Tuoi Tre newspaper (1990)
Thank-you letter to Mr. Vo Ta Han from Prime Minister Phan Van Khai
Thank-you letter to Mr. Võ Tá Hân from Prime Minister Phan Văn Khải
Prime Minister Phan Van Khai visiting the library of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Economics, 1990
Prime Minister Phan Văn Khải visits the library of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Economics (1990)
Volunteers sorting 30,000 donated World Scientific Publishing books
VN2020 donated 30,000 books from World Scientific Publishing, worth approximately $4 million, to universities, colleges, and school libraries nationwide.
Get in Touch

Contact Us

✉️
Email
contact@vietnam2020.global
🌐
Website
www.vietnam2020global.org
📍
Founded
National University of Singapore
Established 27 October 2007
🌏
Operating In
Vietnam · Singapore · USA
Canada · Europe (Sweden)
Stay Connected

Join Our Newsletter

Receive updates on events, mentorship opportunities, scholarship news, and the Bridges of Friendship initiative.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We respect your privacy.