Co-Chair and CEO, Boston Global Forum
BGF Roundtable: “Humanity and Compassion in Vietnamese Film and Contributions to the AI World Society”
Harvard University Faculty Club, Cambridge, MA
March 11, 2025
My dear friends,
Congratulations on the successful U.S. visit by the Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA) delegation, led by our esteemed friend Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, Chairwoman of the Association. The delegation engaged in meaningful events across Hollywood, Washington DC, New York, and Boston, culminating in today’s historic gathering at Harvard University.
Celebrating 30 years of normalized Vietnam-U.S. relations, this event marks a profound milestone: the launch of a pioneering initiative—the AIWS Film Park—to advance cinema through Vietnam-U.S. collaboration. This project will create natural film studios paired with cutting-edge AI technology in a beautiful Vietnamese city. It will be a hub for creators, filmmakers, screenwriters, directors, stars, investors, and producers, linking to Boston, New York, and Hollywood. Today, distinguished figures from Harvard, MIT, and Boston—an intellectual capital of the world—have expressed enthusiastic support for this vision.
We have officially announced the Friends of Vietnam-U.S. Film Collaboration, uniting notable friends in this roundtable, and including Governor Michael Dukakis and Former Acting Secretary of Commerce Cameron Kerry. From Vietnam, we have VFDA Chairwoman Ngo Phuong Lan and our Vietnamese attendees. We warmly welcome Vietnam’s Ambassador to the United States, Nguyen Quoc Dung, and his spouse, Tran Thi Bich Van, as well as Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, to this esteemed group. We will also support and connect the Da Nang Asian Film Festival with Boston.
Ladies and gentlemen, today’s event continues the momentum of the AI Action Summit held in Paris last month, where the Boston Global Forum co-organized a session with the French government on AIWS Government 24/7—AI-driven governance serving citizens around the clock. This laid the groundwork for our gift, “Creating a New Enlightened Paris,” presented to President Macron and the French people to position France as an AI leader. There, I met with President Macron and Prime Minister Trudeau, discussing AI and modern cinema among other topics. The outcomes of today’s roundtable, especially the AIWS Film Park Initiative, will be shared with President Macron and the AI Action Summit organizers as a key result of the 2025 Summit.
Dear friends, as we close this meaningful roundtable, we begin a new chapter of collaboration and historic initiatives. With Boston’s unwavering support, we will turn these noble dreams into reality. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your presence and invaluable contributions. My thanks go to our partners—Harvard University, the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, and VFDA—for co-organizing this extraordinary event with the Boston Global Forum. I also thank our BGF staff and supporters for making today a resounding success. Together, we embark on a journey to create lasting value. My deepest gratitude to you all.
