The scholarship awarding ceremony was honored by the presence of Mr. Ishikawa Isamu, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam; representatives of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO); the Secretary General of the AEON 1% Club Foundation; representatives from AEON Group’s member companies in Vietnam; representatives from universities; and alumni who had previously received scholarships from the program.
At the ceremony, 96 third and fourth year students with outstanding academic achievements from six universities including Vietnam National University Hanoi – University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Foreign Trade University, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City – University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City were honored to receive scholarships from the AEON 1% Club Foundation, with a total value of 76,800 USD (equivalent to over 2 billion VND).
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Ishikawa Isamu, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, congratulated the 96 students and shared that the core philosophy of AEON Group is to pursue a peaceful society, respect people and contribute to the local community, with customers as the focus. That spirit is spread to each employee and realized through consistent actions throughout the Group’s development process. The AEON 1% Club Foundation is a guarantee for that commitment to social contribution.
“I believe that the scholarships from the AEON 1% Club Foundation have helped students have a more complete and meaningful learning journey. If each of you continues to spread kindness, no matter how big or small, to the people around you and the community where you live, Vietnam will certainly go further. Just like how AEON Group accumulates 1% of its profits to create change, your contributions today will gradually form positive changes for society in the future” shared Mr. Ishikawa Isamu, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan in Vietnam.
Representing one of the 6 universities whose students received scholarships, Associate Professor Dr. Dang Hong Son – Vice Rector of VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities expressed his gratitude to the AEON 1% Club Foundation for providing financial support to students over the past 20 years. “The AEON 1% scholarship with high value is a source of financial support for many Vietnamese students to successfully complete their study goals, graduate and participate in the high-quality labor market, while always being responsible to society in the issues of socializing education, protecting the environment and developing global culture”, Mr. Dang Hong Son shared.
Ms. Le Thuy Nhien, Co-founder of TOEIC BUDDIES English Center, representing alumni receiving the AEON scholarship in 2021, said: “AEON scholarship has helped me overcome difficult times and have stronger confidence in my own abilities. Thanks to the scholarship, I continue to study and am currently studying for an MBA at University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City. At the same time, I pursue research and grow to become a speaker, a mentor for students and co-founder of a learning community with the mission of supporting and inspiring thousands of students.”
At the Scholarship Award Ceremony, two students represented all scholarship recipients to present the speech “My Dream”. The students shared their inspirational stories, dreams and core values that helped guide their personal development journey, thereby forming goals for them to achieve in the future.
Ha Tuan Minh, a student of Journalism, Institute of Journalism and Communication, VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities, said: “AEON scholarship is not only a financial support but also a belief that simple values can also bring meaning to society. The scholarship helps reduce pressure, so that I have more time, energy and spirit to continue to explore myself, study better, and pursue my dream of living a useful and compassionate life. Receiving the AEON scholarship, I am more aware of my responsibility: not only to try to study, but also to proactively share, help and spread the humanitarian spirit that the scholarship has pursued for the past 20 years”.
By the end of 2024, the program had awarded scholarships to students from 7 countries including Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, China and Japan. In Vietnam, the AEON 1% Club Fund has awarded a total of 1,437 scholarships to outstanding students in Hanoi since 2012 and in Ho Chi Minh City since 2011.
For the past 20 years, the AEON Scholarship Program has supported thousands of students across Asia, including Vietnam, providing them with opportunities to pursue their dreams and develop the capacity to contribute to their communities. The value of the program lies not only in the knowledge and foundation it offers to younger generations, but also in the lasting connections it fosters among people. In doing so, it continues to strengthen and deepen the friendship between Japan and Vietnam.