A multigenerational group of Vietnamese and American people in conversation in a sunlit space

About us

Phan Anh Foundation USA

Preserving memory · Nurturing understanding · Connecting the future

Phan Anh Foundation USA (PAF USA) is a nonprofit organization established in the United States in 2026, working to connect people, knowledge, and resources to create lasting value for communities.

Discover our story

Who we are

Phan Anh Foundation USA (PAF USA) is a nonprofit organization established in the United States in 2026. We work to connect people, knowledge, and resources to create lasting value for communities.

With Vietnam and Vietnam–U.S. relations as its initial focus, PAF USA pursues initiatives in heritage preservation, reconciliation, education, research, and international cooperation, grounded in humanism and respect for differences.

An older adult and a young woman looking through a family photo album together
Connecting the past with the present to build the future together.

Mission & vision

The values that guide our journey

Mission

Connecting people, knowledge, and resources to preserve heritage, foster understanding and reconciliation, and expand opportunities for education, research, and collaboration, creating lasting value for communities.

Vision

A peaceful, humane, and sustainable future in which people and communities are connected through understanding, respect for differences, and cooperation.

Explore our activities

The meaning behind the name PAF USA

The name PAF USA is tied to Attorney Phan Anh (1912–1990), a Vietnamese social activist and erudite intellectual. His life stands as a testament to the pursuit of peace, integrity, and compassion.

Through this name, PAF USA affirms its commitment to operating on foundational principles: respect for differences, high ethical standards, and the highest responsibility to the community.

Archival black-and-white portrait of Attorney Phan Anh

Our team

Founding Council & Advisory Board

PAF USA brings together individuals, experts, and partners with deep experience who share the goal of creating lasting value for communities.

Advisory Board

Advisory Board member 01

Title and biography will be added after approval.

Advisory Board

Advisory Board member 02

Title and biography will be added after approval.

Advisory Board

Advisory Board member 03

Title and biography will be added after approval.

Advisory Board

Advisory Board member 04

Title and biography will be added after approval.

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Governance & transparency

Trust built on responsibility

Independence

We operate independently, guided by our mission and the long-term interests of the community.

Transparency

We share information openly and use resources responsibly.

Accountability

Every decision rests on a foundation of ethics and social responsibility.

Governance & finance

Governance & financial documents

The foundation’s bylaws, governance, and financial documents, including public reports that support transparency and internal records that support day-to-day operations.

No public documents yet

PAF USA was established in 2026 and is building its operational foundation. Governance documents and financial reports will be published here once they are approved.
Archival portrait of Attorney Phan Anh

Biography

Attorney Phan Anh (1912–1990): a brief biography

Attorney Phan Anh was born in 1912 in Tùng Ảnh commune, Đức Thọ district, Hà Tĩnh province. He came from a family of Confucian scholars in a land known for its remarkable people, the birthplace of the Cần Vương uprising led by Phan Đình Phùng (1885). Throughout his life, he was known as a patriotic intellectual, a social activist, a distinguished diplomat, and a tireless advocate for world peace.

An outstanding education and a patriotic outlook

  • 1926: Won a scholarship to the Lycée du Protectorat (Bưởi School), where he encountered progressive ideas early through Nguyễn Ái Quốc's “French Colonialism on Trial.”
  • University years: After earning his baccalauréat, he studied law at the University of Indochina. Rather than studying for personal advancement, he chose a path of public service, serving as President of the General Association of Students and joining the French Socialist Party.
  • 1936–1937: While studying law, he taught at Thăng Long School, organized public campaigns, and took part in the Indochinese Democratic movement through the press.
  • Studies in France (1937): He graduated second in his class with a Bachelor of Laws and went on to study in France, where he passed the examinations for three doctoral degrees at once (public law, private law, and history). Although his thesis defense was interrupted by the Second World War (1938), he had built a deep foundation in law.

Journalism and early revolutionary work

On returning home, he and a group of patriotic intellectuals (the Thanh Nghị group) founded two journals, “Thanh Nghị” and “Khoa Học” (Science), in 1940, using economic and cultural content as a cover for the struggle for national independence.

At the same time, as a lawyer at the Court of Appeal and the Military Court, he appeared in court almost every week to defend what was right and to protect revolutionaries.

Historic responsibilities in a time of transition

  • In the Trần Trọng Kim government (1945): He served as Minister of Youth. He chose not to create a Ministry of Defense so that young people would not be drawn into war; instead, he founded the Frontline Youth School and the Social Youth movement to awaken the spirit of independence. Before resigning, he and the government advised Emperor Bảo Đại to abdicate to avoid bloodshed among compatriots.
  • After the August Revolution (September 1945): President Hồ Chí Minh entrusted him with the role of Chairman of the National Construction Council, where he succeeded in uniting intellectuals and raising President Hồ Chí Minh's standing internationally.
  • In the Coalition Government (1946): He served as Minister of Defense. He proposed founding the Trần Quốc Tuấn Military Academy, to which President Hồ Chí Minh presented the historic flag embroidered with six golden characters: “Loyal to the country, devoted to the people.”

Major contributions to the economy, diplomacy, and world peace

From late 1946 until the end of his life, Attorney Phan Anh was continually entrusted with major responsibilities by the Party and the State:

  • Diplomacy and the resistance: Chief rapporteur of the Vietnamese delegation at the Fontainebleau Conference (July 1946) and an architect of the “Modus Vivendi of September 14.” When the nationwide resistance began, he went to Việt Bắc and was appointed Minister of the Economy (1947).
  • Building the nation: He served in turn as Minister of Industry and Commerce (1954), Minister of Foreign Trade (1958), and President of the Vietnam Lawyers' Association.
  • After reunification: Deputy to the National Assembly (2nd–8th legislatures), Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (7th legislature), Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and Vice President of the World Peace Council.

A great vision and an enduring legacy

Attorney Phan Anh deeply shared President Hồ Chí Minh's vision of great national unity. He often recalled President Hồ Chí Minh's words:

“The doctrine of Confucius, the religion of Jesus, the teachings of Karl Marx and of Sun Yat-sen all seek happiness for humankind. If they were alive today, they would surely live together in perfect harmony. I strive to be a humble student of them all. I am who I have always been: a patriot.”

In recognition of 30 years as a government minister and 15 years of work for peace, Vietnam and the world honored him with their highest awards: the Hồ Chí Minh Order and the First-Class Independence Order, the United Nations Peace Commemorative Medal, the Joliot-Curie Gold Medal, and more. The late Prime Minister Phạm Văn Đồng summed up his life in two words: “Trọn vẹn” (complete and whole).

The World Peace Council honored him as “a wise jurist and a tireless fighter for peace and social justice.”

Attorney Phan Anh passed away in Hà Nội on June 28, 1990 (the 6th day of the fifth lunar month of the Year of Canh Ngọ). His name lives on as a legacy, given to major streets in Hồ Chí Minh City, Đà Nẵng, Huế, and his home province of Hà Tĩnh.

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