First woman of Vietnamese origin selected to fly into space

Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations Ambassador Đặng Hoàng Giang (left) and Amanda Nguyen, who will become the first Vietnamese-American woman to travel into space, as part of the Space for Humanity project in 2025. — VNA/VNS Photo

At the September 5 meeting, Giang congratulated Amanda Nguyen on being selected to fly into space on a New Shepard Rocket of Blue Origin, a US aerospace manufacturer, in mid-2025, stressing this event will contribute to affirming the ability and promote the image of Vietnamese women.

The ambassador said Vietnamese women have always played an important role throughout Việt Nam's thousands of years of national construction and defence, as well as in its current development period.

The Vietnamese State has placed great importance on promoting gender equality, creating favourable conditions for women to carry forward their role, contribute to socio-economic development, and actively join international efforts in this regard, he said.

At the UN, Việt Nam has actively participated and made many practical contributions to ensuring women's rights and gender equality, and the country will continue upholding its strengths in this field in the coming time, especially as it takes on the role of a member of UN Women for the 2025-27 term, the ambassador said.

Giang urged Amanda Nguyen to play a more active role in enhancing the friendship and cooperation between Việt Nam and the US.

For her part, Amanda Nguyen expressed pride in Việt Nam and the honour of soon becoming the first woman of Vietnamese origin to travel to space.

She hoped her upcoming spaceflight will help promote the image of Vietnamese women, connect the community, and advance cooperation to ensure gender equality and combat violence against and abuse of women.

Amanda Nguyen was born in 1991 in the US. In the summer of 2025, she will become the first Vietnamese-American woman to travel into space, as part of the Space for Humanity project.

She has been an active advocate against discrimination and sexual assault in the US. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 and was named one of Time magazine's Women of the Year in 2022.

She received the 24th Annual Heinz Award for Public Policy and the Nelson Mandela Changemaker Award, made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and was recognised by Foreign Policy magazine as one of the top 100 global thinkers.