American evangelist Franklin Graham is becoming a bridge between Vietnam and the United States. His mix of large religious events and humanitarian projects illustrates how people‑to‑people diplomacy can shape bilateral ties.

Graham was the main speaker at three major Protestant gatherings in Vietnam. The 2017 “Love Hanoi” event attracted about 22,000 people, the 2023 “Spring of Love” in Ho Chi Minh City drew roughly 19,000 attendees, and the 2024 “Season of Love” in Can Tho welcomed around 15,000 participants.

During his visits, Graham met Vietnamese government leaders and pledged to act as an “ambassador” for Vietnam. He said he would share his positive experience of religious freedom with U.S. audiences and political leaders.

Graham also leads Samaritan’s Purse, which has worked in Vietnam since 1996 delivering clean‑water, sanitation, healthcare and disaster‑relief programmes. After Typhoon Yagi in September 2024, the organization flew two cargo planes that delivered more than 36 tonnes of relief supplies to the northern mountainous provinces.

Samaritan’s Purse has spent about US$10.6 million on its Vietnam projects from 2020 to 2025. Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh praised the aid, especially the clean‑water and sanitation work.

These faith‑based events and humanitarian actions give Graham direct insight into Vietnamese life and create trusted channels between the two nations. They demonstrate how religious and aid initiatives can reinforce Vietnam‑US relations beyond official diplomacy.