Vietnamese students formally announced the establishment of an association in Australia’s largest state at a ceremony this past weekend.

The Vietnamese Students’ Association in Western Australia (VISAWA) was debuted at the launching event on Saturday, attended by Vietnamese Consul General of the state Le Viet Duyen and Vietnamese studying and living in the locality.

Consul General Duyen lauded overseas Vietnamese students for their efforts to found the association, which will be a means for them to support each other during their stay in the host country.

The diplomat urged the students in attendance to work to strengthen Vietnam’s role in Australia and contribute to the deepening of Vietnam’s relationship with Western Australia in particular and with Australia in general.

The VISAWA provisional executive board laid out their plans of action for the future, including its first congress, preparations for the celebration of Vietnamese Teachers’ Day (November 20), and other activities to promote Vietnamese culture in Western Australia.

About 2,000 Vietnamese students are enrolled at vocational schools, junior colleges, and universities in Western Australia, putting Vietnam at number eight in the list of countries that send students to the state.

Occupying the entire western third, Western Australia is the largest state in Australia with a total land area of 2.5 million square kilometers and a population of 2.4 million.